Moises Sanabria
Moises Sanabria’s journey through the Wikipedia workshop was rooted in a deep curiosity about how this vast, decentralized platform operates, but also tinged with a bit of nervousness. "Having my edits canceled because I’m new" was one of his biggest concerns at the outset. Like many newcomers, he wasn’t sure if his contributions would stick. "Curious if my edit is going to stick because I re-wrote another person’s edit for accuracy," he wrote, reflecting a common worry: would his changes be seen as valuable by the more experienced editors?
At the heart of Moises’s learning was a deep dive into the core principles of neutrality and verifiability. "Neutrality is not having bias when editing a page," he explained. As an artist who often brings a subjective lens to his work, this concept required a different kind of discipline. Verifiability, for Moises, was equally important: "Verifiability is the ability to link to statements with sources online so there are no subjective sentences." The balance between these two principles shaped his understanding of how to contribute effectively, with neutrality requiring "enough distance from the original source so there is not a conflict of interest."
“ Verifiability is the ability to link to statements with sources online so there are no subjective sentences.”
One of the most exciting revelations for Moises came from learning that he didn’t have to jump right in. "I can start by creating a Sandbox of the page that I would eventually want to create," he realized. The idea of crafting his contributions in a draft space, where he could gather sources and organize his thoughts, took some of the pressure off. "I can gather all the links available and order by the level of reliability," he noted, seeing a clear pathway toward making informed, well-supported contributions.
Throughout the workshop, Moises found excitement in understanding the "subtlety of the wiki culture" and learning how to "properly include oneself in the community." This wasn’t just about editing—it was about understanding Wikipedia’s unique ecosystem. "I like that although I visited Wikipedia thousands of times, I now understand the buttons and what they do," he shared with a sense of discovery.
“ I like that although I visited Wikipedia thousands of times, I now understand the buttons and what they do.”
His first edits were on pages that resonated with him personally: Purvis Young, Nam June Paik, and Technoromanticism. These subjects spoke to Moises’s knowledge of art and digital culture, and his ability to "contribute a few sources and facts" made the process feel natural. By focusing on areas where he already had a strong foundation, he was able to contribute meaningfully while building confidence in his ability to navigate the platform.
One of the most important lessons Moises took away from the workshop was the value of "verifiable and reliable sources." He quickly understood that these were the "core tools to successfully edit pages." Organization, he learned, was key. "It’s important to be organized about the sentence you want to contribute and its source," he noted. "Once you are editing in the sandbox, if you are not organized, you are going to get confused." This systematic approach was crucial for him, and it mirrored his own artistic process of research and meticulous execution.
Reflecting on his initial assumptions, Moises admitted, "Originally, I thought you had to apply to edit Wikipedia." The openness of the platform surprised him. He also discovered that finding citations was much easier than he expected, especially for the topics he was passionate about.
For Moises, Wikipedia paralleled his artistic work in many ways. "Wikipedia is a process of research, analysis, and publishing that shapes my voice online, similar to my artistic process," he observed. Both his art and his contributions to Wikipedia required the same level of thoughtful preparation, editing, and presentation.
“Wikipedia is a process of research, analysis, and publishing that shapes my voice online, similar to my artistic process.”
Describing Wikipedia itself, Moises called it "a decentralized community contributing to a knowledge bank of verifiable and reliable sources for any topic you can imagine." He saw it as a hub for "history aficionados that are determined to embed facts in a central source of truth." This collective pursuit of knowledge resonated with him, as it aligned with his own approach to documenting culture and ideas through art.
One area where Moises saw great potential for Wikipedia was in documenting Miami’s art scene. "We can foster a Wikipedia community in Miami with a mission to document South Florida’s history in the culture and arts," he suggested, envisioning a project that would elevate local voices and stories. For Moises, Wikipedia wasn’t just a global encyclopedia—it was a platform with the potential to impact his community in a tangible way.
His advice to future Wikipedia editors was straightforward and practical: "Bring a list of sources ahead of time to then understand if the sources are reliable and verifiable." Research, Moises emphasized, was a critical part of the process. "Since quality of research is a big part of the workshop, find the pages you want to research and edit. Read the pages ahead of time."
As the workshop came to an end, Moises felt a sense of accomplishment. "Becoming a thoughtful contributor following the Wiki rules" was a goal he had achieved, and he was now "excited to watch more pages and research articles" where he could continue contributing. For Moises, Wikipedia had become more than just a website—it was an extension of his artistic practice, a place where he could document, analyze, and share knowledge with the world.
