About

Empowering Open Source Contributors with the necessary mentorship and support to thrive in team environments and various tech-centric workplaces, whether in software development or embedded electronics domains.

Mission Statement

The mission of Digital Defiance, a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, is to foster an inclusive community of engineers committed to educating, mentoring, and collaboratively working on projects that serve the public interest and advance the frontiers of science and useful arts. By embracing the free exchange of ideas and civil discourse, we aspire to strengthen our democratic principles as highlighted in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, our organization is dedicated to promoting a civil society through the creation and enhancement of software and hardware that aid in upholding the rule of law in the physical world.

Digital Defiance is poised to grow from a single, United States Chapter to possibly including an EU Chapter. As the organization grows, a parent organization of the same name shall form and each subsequent chapter, as it becomes a part of Digital Defiance, will uphold this mission, ensuring unity in our global efforts. However, membership management and tracking may vary from chapter to chapter due to jurisdictional differences.

Stated Goals

  • Cultivate professional growth among developers by imparting Agile methodologies, test-driven development, and other essential enterprise practices.
  • Equip developers with necessary software, hardware, and other resources, either at no cost or at negotiated preferential rates, to facilitate efficient work on Open Source.
  • Identify and enhance valuable public software and hardware that could benefit from our expertise, particularly those offering financial rewards for improvements or fixes. These rewards will be allocated to cover our operational costs and potentially serve as bonus incentives for our contributing developers.
  • Commit to the creation of new software and hardware using thorough testing and development methodologies that uphold the integrity of scalable and reliable project deliverables.
  • Whenever feasible, prioritize projects that contribute to a civil society and support the enforcement of the rule of law in the physical world.

Bylaws: GitHub (currently in draft stage, unratified)

Digital Defiance is a federally registered, tax-deductible non-profit 501c3 organization, situated in Washington State. We’re an alliance of Engineers, dedicating our efforts to projects of high societal value. Founded in 2022 by Jessica Mulein, Hannah Mulein, and Joseph Arceneaux, with the invaluable support of Rui Campos, and BDisp we’ve created a thriving space for Open Source engineering.

Our mission is simple: foster a fellowship of engineers and promote mutual mentorship and collaboration. We believe in the power of open source development, emphasizing that high-quality software and hardware can be crafted in transparent, cooperative environments.

As a collective, we leverage the best tools and practices, akin to those used by large enterprises. We engage in projects that not only challenge us but also serve as learning opportunities, and by doing so, we advocate for a more open, collaborative industry.

Our members participate in diverse passion projects, ranging from demonstrative apps to indispensable libraries, all with an underlying objective of enhancing the greater software and hardware ecosystems. We also extend our expertise to other deserving open source projects, offering assistance in process refinement, bug fixing, and more. This culture of peer mentoring and shared goals fuels our team’s overall effectiveness and innovation.

At Digital Defiance, every member is a valuable partner, contributing to a cooperative run like an Agile enterprise team. While we value commitment, we understand the importance of flexibility and encourage a balance between dedication and well-being.

Membership with Digital Defiance brings a suite of benefits, including access to free and discounted resources to be used only in creating Open Source software and hardware for non-commercial use (FOSS). Funds donated or generated including through membership dues will cover our operational costs, with any surplus potentially used as incentives for developers.

To join our mission of fostering an open, transparent software development culture, please refer to our Bylaws or email Jessica at info@digitaldefiance.org. Together, we can bolster the open-source community and contribute to a more interconnected digital world.

To learn more about Digital Defiance, check out our website or follow us on social media:

Chapters

Presently Digital Defiance is one organization comprised of only the United States Chapter. Everything is managed through that organization, but in the future, the organization may change structure and be composed of individual chapters with a larger governing body that gives each chapter votes, likely proportional to their membership.

See Future Structure.

Sites

Discord (primary communication hub)

https://discord.gg/8ASAAxzyyM

Keybase (communication and github repo backup/alternate)

Facebook

LinkedIn

Reddit

Projects Under Development

Also, see our Partners and Donors, and our Team pages.

Author

  • Jessica Mulein

    Jessica Mulein's dedication to technology began at the tender age of 12, setting the foundation for her future endeavors. In 1995, she co-founded Silicon Connections, an Internet Service Provider that remains active under the leadership of her co-founder. Jessica's career path led her to Microsoft, marking a notable chapter in her professional journey. Parallel to this, her unwavering commitment to Open Source inspired the establishment of Digital Defiance in 2022, which was incorporated in 2023. Even in its early stages, Digital Defiance is actively exploring promising opportunities, such as corporate matching and giving programs. Today, alongside her role at Microsoft, Jessica provides strategic direction as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Digital Defiance.

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