The Smithsonian and Wikipedia were founded on the same principles as the original Web – to be an equalizer of information access regardless of background, class, or identity. While today the Internet is fraught with disinformation, abuse, and access disparities, the Smithsonian and the Wikimedia community are collaborating to counter it by co-creating free and open resources with the public.

As the Smithsonian is planning two new national museums focused on American Latinx and women’s history, how might we build equity from the start in tech business practices and tools as well as tech infrastructure?

Easy fixes and algorithms cannot replace the hard work. We will share strategies and progress to date in building a more equitable approach to open knowledge.