User blog:Jpearson/Editor Stories: Empowering Community and Exploring Visibility with Spooky

Hey everyone!

This month we’re continuing to share the stories of editors on Fandom for AAPI Heritage Month. Our editor stories series spotlights Asian and Pacific Island editors on Fandom. We’ll explore how these change-makers are taking a leadership role in their community, creating inclusive spaces for others, and explaining what “visibility” means to them.

Meet Spooky

Say hello to Spooky! Originally adopted from Vietnam. Spooky came to the United States at a year old. You can find Spooky cuddled up with her two cats named after her co-admins of the Warriors wiki (Cloudy is named in inspiration of SnowedLightning/Jayce’s first wiki username). Read on to learn more about Spooky and the impact she makes in her community!

1. What are your fandoms?

Spooky: My main fandoms are the Warriors book series and Star Wars! Both have been a large part of my life for a long time, and most of my time on Fandom is spent within those communities.

2. How long have you been on Fandom?

Spooky: I joined Fandom in 2015, and began taking up leadership roles in communities in around 2016. These roles have taught me a lot of useful skills, and I’ve grown a lot as a person over the years.

3. What specifically drew you to Fandom, and how did you get started editing?

Spooky: When I was much younger, I started out fixing typos I saw on pages while browsing the Warriors Wiki. Over time, I got heavily involved in the community and began expanding the scope of my contributions. I love the customizability of individual Fandom communities, and have a heavy interest in both modernizing page content presentation and gathering relevant feedback from our readers.

4. What wikis do you contribute to and what do you love most about those communities?

Spooky: My first home wiki is the Warriors Wiki, where I’ve served as a bureaucrat for several years now. In recent years, I also spent a decent portion of my time contributing to Wookieepedia as a status article writer. Something that I love about both of those communities is the welcoming atmosphere and overall helpfulness of other users in helping those new to Fandom start out!

5. What does visibility mean to you?

Spooky: Visibility to me means not only being seen and present in the communities you’re in, but also taking a part in leading them. It’s important to show to others your unique qualities and break any biased misconceptions others may hold about you.

6. What brings you the most joy about your culture and heritage?

Spooky: Asian food culture is some of the best! My family is Vietnamese, and we’re very fond of the cuisine. Learning ways to make traditional dishes and sharing meals together is something that I find very important to passing on culture to future generations.

7. Are there any Asian American and Pacific Islander actors, characters, or creators that inspire you?

Spooky: One of my favorite Asian actresses is Jessica Henwick. I originally was introduced to her while watching Game of Thrones, though I was also happy to see that she made an appearance in a Star Wars film a few years ago!

'''8. In the last few years, there has been an exponential rise of hate towards the AAPI community, which gave rise to the #StopAsianHate movement. How has this movement impacted you and what actions can we take as a society to fight anti-Asian discrimination and violence?'''

Spooky: Though I’ve heard many stories, I haven’t had any experiences myself in this regard. Overall, I think it’s really important to treat all people as equals and to never hate on someone for something out of their control. I’m glad the #StopAsianHate movement has sprung up, and hope its success can be replicated in future anti-racism initiatives.

By learning more about other cultures around the world we can learn to be more compassionate before judging beliefs and traditions that we don’t understand. Instigating violence and discriminating against others perpetuates a culture of hate, and breaking that cycle for future generations wherever possible is the best way to go.

Visibility:

Visibility and amplification empower individuals and allow us to tell powerful stories from a broad spectrum. Continue to amplify voices and support individuals in the community. Thanks to Spooky for sharing her journey on Fandom and creating awareness as we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month!

Check out our takeaways from Spooky’s interview:

Takeaway #1:  “Visibility to me means not only being seen and present in the communities you’re in, but also taking a part in leading them.”

Takeaway #2:  Not sure where to start in your wiki contributions? Start small and work with your community to grow your contributions.

Takeaway #3: “By learning more about other cultures around the world we can learn to be more compassionate before judging beliefs and traditions that we don’t understand.”

We’re interested to learn more about our editors and what visibility means to you. Do you know someone creating inclusive spaces and shining a light on members of their community? Share in the comments!