Hello everyone!
This post is about many things that I realized along my Local Guides journey that motivated me to keep contributing in different ways, as well as how they led me to get to know the topic that is now the one I find the most important to contribute to.
When I joined Local Guides I was most likely influenced by my love for technology and innovation, as well as how much Google Maps helped compensate my lack of sense of direction throughout my life.
The moment I joined I just thought, well, it can help a few people decide whether to go somewhere or not. I thought it could help people choose a good restaurant and see the kind of dishes they offer, and maybe let people know about how good the service on a shop is.
Not much time had passed when I realized it was a bigger deal than what I thought.
After getting to know some features on the app better, I started thinking in a more global way. I realized that Google Maps is used worldwide, my contributions could help a lot of people: locals, tourists, and just anyone wondering how Buenos Aires, or anywhere else that I visit, is like. Contributing can help people know how the rest of the world is like.
Somewhere along the way I began thinking that contributions do more than just help people decide whether to go somewhere or not: each contribution helps people make decisions to avoid bad experiences, and have the best time they possibly can each day.
A single contribution can do more than improve someone’s day. Adding just one photo or review can help someone find their new favorite thing, whether that is a restaurant, a dish at a restaurant they already knew, or their new favorite product, and really bring joy into someone’s life.
Of course, multiple contributions help more. Being able to look at many reviews and photos definitely help people be more confident in their decisions. My mom did find her all-time favorite sneakers thanks to me reading many reviews Local Guides had written. But still, just one review or photo, or even one edit, can change someone’s mind.
I had that mindset in September 2017, when new features regarding Accessibility were introduced and we were encouraged to add information about Accessibility, and host and participate in Accessibility meet-ups. I thought that more information on Maps was great, and began adding that kind of information to the map.
That month I got via email an invitation to an Accessibility meet-uporganized by @TraciC . There, we were shown a few videos on theGoogle Local Guides YouTube channel that I hadn’t seen yet, and then started the Accessibility walk.
This was the one that made a bigger impact on me:
The whole meet-up, once again, changed the way I thought of our contributions on Maps. Having Accessibility information on a service people use as much as Google Maps can make a huge difference in people’s lives, especially in cities like mine where, unfortunately, most places aren’t accessible. This is the kind of data that can change people’s lives, as long as both Local Guides and users are aware of it.
When it comes to information regarding Accessibility, as well as special diets and such, each contribution matters even more as most people don’t add that kind of information. So then, a single edit or adding a hashtag to a review (like #accessible or #vegan) can make a big difference.
Since that month, I continued adding Accessibility data, and started to come across Accessibility meet-ups and recap posts here. I became interested in organizing one, but still a bit new to being an organizer I wasn’t sure as to where to host it and other aspects of the organization. I eventually did organize one: My first onewas on @EmekaUlor ’sWorldwide Accessibility Walk last December.
I thought the meet-up made a bigger impact, as it let us validate the Accessibility of an important area of the city in a short time.
Later that same month, Emeka initiated the One Accessibility Alliance, which I didn’t hesitate to become a member of. Other 5 great Local Guides also joined the cause: @KashifMisidia , @MarineSergent , @PennyChristie , @ChinonsoOnukwugha , and @Kwiksatik . We aim to improve Accessibility information on Maps, as well as raise awareness by organizing Accessibility Meet-ups andsharing weekly posts.
So that’s how Accessibility became what I care the most about sharing on Maps, even surpassing food related contributions that I also like to do so much, and how I’m helping improve it.
Thank you for reading!
If you don’t do it already, please consider adding information about Accessibility in your future contributions, there are many possible ways to do so: editing businesses, taking photos of the different áreas of a place, writing about it in your reviews, adding the #accessible hashtag, and more.
