This handbook is organized into two main sections: concepts and technical strategies for the visual narrative website “about Me You & Us.” Through following along with how I developed the visual narrative website, I hope to inspire and guide you through your own journey of Activism Through Storytelling with Code.
I realized that it was important for me to find my own way of activism and helping the community. Activism that is on the front line and works directly with associated organizations may have a more significant outcome but I felt that I was personally drawn to actions that were on a smaller scale and more personal. Such as an action of sharing Individual stories and building intimate relationships to understand and advocate for a larger cause. Through being honest with my interest and comfort level, I was able to find opportunities and build relationships that came more naturally to me.
I found that it is important to have open conversations with people I trust and admire to support and nurture my project. It was my first community-based and collaborative project. I often felt lost and confused about my purpose and strategies. I realized that I think more clearly through open dialogue with others. Having the right people to talk to was one of my biggest motivators in developing my project.
I have developed a series of troubleshooting strategies. When you are stuck with a coding issue in your p5.js sketch, first check the console for any error messages. If you don’t understand what they mean, it helps to look them up on the internet and in most cases, other people have experienced the same issue. Due to my lack of experience, at times I would find it tricky to even understand the solutions that were posted. I would do as much as I can on my own but if I still have trouble, I would ask my mentor or other experienced coders and I found that there are no issues that cannot be solved.
I learned that it is important to keep track of the issues I’ve had and make a record of what happened, what appeared in the console, and how I fixed it. I used GitHub issues to create these posts which can also contribute to open-source and help others solve similar problems.
It was a challenge to program while keeping in mind that it should be easy for others to understand. As a beginner, the code could often be long, tedious, and confusing to understand. In open-source programming, I learned that it is important to develop the skill to code not only for myself but for others.
I enjoyed using GitHub to store, record, and host my project and websites. I had no idea what GitHub was for at the beginning of this project. In time, I learned how to create project repositories, post issues, create branches, record project histories, and host my website for free with GitHub pages. It is a great way to be a part of the programming community and learn while contributing to open-source and sharing your work with others.