Jake Orlowitz
Jake, a creative writer and workshop facilitator, entered the Wikipedia workshop with a unique set of anxieties. As someone deeply involved in both writing and teaching, he felt the weight of trying to bridge a complex, theoretical community of knowledge with the hands-on, creative energy of local artists. "I'm nervous that I can't communicate theoretical ideas from a complex, foreign community to practicing, local artists," he admitted. The challenge of explaining Wikipedia’s rules and norms in a way that artists could relate to felt daunting. On top of that, he feared they might accidentally trip over Wikipedia’s conflict of interest policies: "I'm nervous we'll get flagged for conflict of interest concerns somehow."
But perhaps Jake’s greatest worry was what would happen after the workshop ended. "I'm nervous the group won't continue to edit after the workshop," he shared, recognizing that many participants might not sustain their enthusiasm or might be discouraged by Wikipedia’s complexities.
“I’m feeling overwhelmed at the talent in the room, at the depth of knowledge that surrounds me. My worry is that I can’t capture it all, that Wikipedia can’t contain it.”
As the workshop unfolded, Jake’s perspective began to shift. Midway through, he was both overwhelmed and inspired. "I'm feeling overwhelmed at the talent in the room, at the depth of knowledge that surrounds me," he confessed. The artists he was working with brought such a wealth of experience and insight that he found himself questioning whether Wikipedia could even contain it all. "My worry is that I can't capture it all, that Wikipedia can't contain it," he said. Jake realized that this workshop was just scratching the surface—there were "so many artists and other communities and geographies that need this opportunity."
Jake’s understanding of Wikipedia’s core principles, neutrality and verifiability, guided his approach to the workshop. "Neutrality is weighing sides in proportion to their coverage in reliable sources," he explained, emphasizing that neutrality isn’t about equal coverage but accurate representation. "Verifiability is backing up information with reliable sources that have a reputation for fact checking and accuracy." For him, neutrality was about summarizing "good sources," while verifiability meant ensuring those sources were well-regarded.
Jake’s role as a facilitator required him to balance his passion for creative writing with Wikipedia’s more structured approach to content creation. "I write creative nonfiction, which is the opposite in style from Wikipedia," he admitted. But despite the difference in tone and approach, he saw clear parallels. "It still requires organization, flow, order, theme, and a lot of refining to get it right," he explained. Both Wikipedia editing and creative nonfiction demand structure and thoughtfulness to make the final product meaningful.
Throughout the workshop, Jake was both a teacher and a learner. While he answered questions and helped other editors refine their articles, he also learned a great deal about the artists in the room. "I've learned that artists are interested in self-promotion but know that Wikipedia's community values neutrality above all else," he reflected. The artists were eager to share their stories but were also deeply respectful of Wikipedia’s rules and ethics. "They want pages about themselves but not at the expense of the rules and community ethics."
What surprised Jake most was how interdisciplinary the artists were. "I thought artists were only interested in their narrow area of art," he admitted, but quickly realized that art connects to a vast array of subjects, from place and culture to music and film. "Art connects to place, culture, music, film, and other missing subjects on Wikipedia. Artists are super connectors, not siloed experts." He realized that the themes these artists explored were not esoteric but "legendary and universal, albeit through a unique lens."
Jake’s vision of Wikipedia evolved as well. He saw it as a "beehive protecting a world of knowledge," a place where knowledge was constantly being refined, corrected, and verified. "Wikipedia is open to edit, but not every edit sticks," he explained, highlighting the platform’s balance between accessibility and rigor. He likened the Wikipedia community to "a circus of nerds," a playful yet serious global ecosystem working together to open knowledge to the world.
Looking forward, Jake saw Wikipedia as a platform with immense potential to elevate underrepresented voices and stories. "Wikipedia can expose rather than promote missing important arts, using their unique knowledge of region and community," he said. He imagined artists becoming leaders within their communities, sharing their newfound skills to document and preserve cultural histories. "Wikipedia can create leaders who reach out to other community scholars and artists to train each other, to show more people how to create, share, and fix knowledge."
His advice to future participants was simple and inviting: "Have fun! Be ready to learn and to edit. We will have snacks. And lunch!" Jake knew that creating a supportive, enjoyable atmosphere was key to making the workshop a success.
By the end of the workshop, Jake’s enthusiasm had only grown. "I'm thrilled that I have the opportunity to work with so many talented, diverse people who are eager to learn," he said. He marveled at how deeply the artists connected with Wikipedia, just as he did. "I'm amazed that Wikipedia is as interesting to other people as it is to me." The workshop felt like the opening of a door, not just to Wikipedia but to a broader world of collaboration and creativity. "I'm excited that this workshop opens up a whole new realm," he said, envisioning how the artists would continue to grow and contribute.
“Every artist contains a world of insight and perspective that can benefit the world. I want to spend more time with these artists. I want to follow their careers. I want them to succeed.”
Jake left the workshop energized and eager to do more. "Every artist contains a world of insight and perspective that can benefit the world," he reflected. "I want to spend more time with these artists. I want to follow their careers. I want them to succeed. I want to do this again with more artists from Bakehouse." His passion for supporting the artists and building on this experience was clear—this workshop, for Jake, was only the beginning.
