Women in Religion User Group/Minutes/September 2025

Wikipedia Women in Religion Monthly Editing

September 25, 2025

Attendance

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Quick recap

The group discussed various personal and logistical matters including phone upgrades, travel arrangements, and upcoming presentations at a conference. They addressed project-related updates including grant reports, publication timelines, and website maintenance, while also discussing challenges faced by team members in participating in Wikipedia editing. The conversation ended with conversations about future collaborations, potential debates on religious topics, and plans for upcoming meetings in New York and Boston.

Next steps

Janice: Follow up with her interviewee this week, emphasizing the deadline for submission, and CC Colleen on the email. Christine: Book hotel room for herself and Win for the WCNA conference. Christine, Colleen, and Hilary: Prepare for their one-hour AI presentation at the conference. Rosalind: Prepare 4-5 points for the AAR panel presentation. Christine: Register for her conference dates. Rosalind: Continue editing her chapter, cutting it down and improving the ending. Win: Get the list of interview questions from Janice for his new assignment. Janice: Send Win her list of interview questions. Rosalind: Meet with Paula Trimble Femaletti on October 6th to begin the interview process. Janice: Follow up with her contact to complete the questionnaire for the Plurality Project at Harvard. Team: Promote their editing work session more at the upcoming conference. All members: Attend the next Women in Religion group meeting on October 13th. Win and Christine: Discuss their travel plans when appropriate. Christine: Notify Colleen when the African Circle Working Group meetings resume. Summary Phone Upgrades and Conference Plans The group discussed phone and service changes, with Hilary and Corky upgrading to new phones and switching to Verizon for better cabin coverage despite higher costs. Christine confirmed that her meetings with Telicia would continue once a new grant is secured. The conversation concluded with Christine and Win discussing hotel arrangements for an upcoming conference, where they plan to stay at the Hyatt Union Square and confirmed they would be roommates. Project Updates and Personal Insights The group discussed various topics, including Janice's lunch, Colleen's discovery of a smart ring that tracks health metrics, and Win's recent trip to Guatemala. They also talked about a potential contributor for a project, with Janice needing to follow up with the person for responses to her questions. Jonathan Eder joined the meeting last minute and shared his thoughts on Win's Guatemala experience. The conversation touched on the need for positive role models and the importance of meeting deadlines for a project. AI Presentation and Limitations Discussion The group discussed their upcoming presentation on AI at a conference, noting they had been allocated an hour on Sunday to cover the topic. They expressed concerns about AI's limitations, including its reliance on internet data and inability to replace human creativity, with Janice highlighting that AI cannot access many important physical libraries and historical documents. Christine mentioned their editing session scheduled for October 13th, which has seen low attendance, and suggested they might discuss ways to promote it during their upcoming New York conference. Grant Report and Research Updates The group discussed the status of a grant report due by the 30th and the need for editing assistance, with Hilary offering to review drafts if needed. Colleen provided updates on Volume 4 and 5 of a publication project, noting delays in Volume 4's publication schedule and ongoing discussions with authors about timelines. Rosalind shared that she had finally scheduled an initial meeting with her research subject, Paula Trimble Femaletti, on October 6th, and would prepare a presentation for an upcoming panel discussion. Webpage Link Maintenance Discussion Christine agreed to fix the broken link on the Women in Religion webpage that leads to the project page, which Hilary and Colleen had difficulty finding. Christine also planned to review all the links and ensure they were current and functional before the team's upcoming meeting in New York. JonathonEder inquired about sharing his introductory chapter on Phyllis for Volume 4, and Colleen advised him to wait for her review of the draft before sending it to Phyllis for feedback. New York Conference Travel Plans The group discussed travel arrangements for an upcoming conference in New York from October 16-19. Christine and Hilary will stay at the Hyatt Union Square, with Christine planning to book a room for herself and Win. The group will attend a Broadway show on Friday the 17th at 8 PM, with Colleen confirming tickets have been ordered but not yet received. They discussed dining options, with Rosalind suggesting ABC Carpet in Union Square for snacks before the show. The group also mentioned they will be presenting multiple papers at the Wiki conference, including topics on volume, AI, and Women Religious. Project Presentations and Conference Schedule The group discussed upcoming presentations and meetings related to their project. They confirmed details about two panel presentations: a 30-minute volume presentation on the 17th at 3:30 and a 1-hour AI project presentation on the 18th from 4:30 to 5:30 Eastern time. Colleen mentioned she would send out a proposal with assigned presenters for each area before Monday's meeting. The group also discussed their conference schedule, including the Women in Religion user group meeting and the AAR panel on Saturday. They noted that the FLTM (Women's Caucus) meeting would be held on Friday from 1:00 to 2:30. Wikipedia Training for Mami The group discussed challenges faced by Mami in participating in Wikipedia editing due to financial constraints in Madagascar, including internet costs and time management. They agreed to adjust meeting times to accommodate Mami's schedule, with Christine planning to contact her before the 13th to set up a training session. The group also considered shifting the focus of future meetings to provide real-time research training and onboarding for Mami and other potential contributors. Wikicon Protest and Career Changes The group discussed their plans to attend Wikicon and participate in protests on the 18th, with Colleen expressing anxiety about Wikipedia's current state and the need for face-to-face conversations. They also talked about Jonathan's recent career change, as he left his position at the Mary Baker Library due to a reorganization that narrowed the library's focus. The group agreed to have a dinner together on Saturday during the Wikicon, and Janice mentioned she would be canvassing in California to support Proposition 50. Boston Expressionism and Art Collaborations JonathonEder discussed his upcoming paper at AAR on Dorothy Adlau, an art critic and Boston Expressionist, highlighting the movement's exploration of corporeality and transcendence through works like Hyman Bloom's paintings of cadavers. The group discussed potential collaborations on a volume about religion and art, with Colleen suggesting Jonathon could contribute during his sabbatical. Jonathon also mentioned his work on Boston's settlement houses and Mayor Wu's efforts to maintain the city's sanctuary status, noting personal connections to the Boston Expressionist artists through his life partner. Christian Nationalism Debate Discussion

The group discussed the idea of having a debate about Jesus' message, with Colleen suggesting it could be between white Christian nationalists and other perspectives. JonathonEder mentioned that this topic would be covered in his introductory essay for Volume 4, which explores three different schools of thought from the 1893 Parliament: exclusivist, inclusionist, and pluralist positions. Christine shared her experience living in Moscow, Idaho, which she described as "ground zero" for Christian nationalism, highlighting the influence of Doug Wilson and his church's efforts to take over local businesses, schools, and government. The conversation concluded with plans for future meetings in New York and Boston.