This is my recap of Flock to Fedora 2025, streamed live from Kenya! I would really like to thank the amazing team – speakers, volunteers as well, who made FLOCK possible this year!
This recap is from a virtual attendee’s viewpoint, tuning in live from Kenya for June 5–6. Massive appreciation to everyone behind the scenes!
Day 1: Big Announcements, Bold Ideas
“10 years in the making,” as Justin W. put it – this year’s Flock kicked off with energy. The central track brought everyone together for keynotes and deep conversations on Fedora’s future.
The day opened with reflections from Matthew Miller former Fedora Project Leader (FPL), who spoke candidly about the passion and challenges of the role – even nearly missing his daughter’s graduation! He handed the baton to the new FPL, Jef Spaleta, who stepped on stage with a vision.
Jef Spaleta laid out Fedora’s Strategy 2028 with a focus on mentorship, contributor growth, and aligning community efforts. He emphasized the need to support people better, build transparent processes, and push forward with long-term thinking.
You can check the video: Flock 2025 The FPL Exchange.
Panel: What comes next?
A lot was said, I can’t really recount it all.
The “Big Elephant” – AI – was among the topics in the room, plus others.
One community member asked: “What’s the plan for those greying folks who’ve contributed for years – how do we keep them engaged?” That led to an eye-opening chat about FESCo nominations. Turns out, you don’t have to be a genius to participate. You just have to show up, say something, even if it’s “I didn’t have time to review.” It’s about honesty and growth. Not perfection. (Whew!)
And yes – apparently, it was the same Friends (Friends of Fedora) who got elected every time, or maybe people don’t really know how that works? Now, should we expect a guide on that? Many would need it I guess. Let’s push them for it. Bookmark that.
PS: You can watch all this goodness on YouTube. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Sponsor time… And a Milo break
During the break, while the stream showed sponsor slides (thank you, sponsors – you keep the lights on!), I took a real break. Picture this:
Fresh hot milk (fresh of course, never told you I used to milk cows when I was a kid) + Milo + a tiny bit of sugar = Happiness. (sugar in Milo! That’s crazy!! Milo is mostly sugar 
(MatH)
So, take a breather …. Oh I mean take a break `cause we’re not yet halfway through our article.
Welcome back from your break! I know you didn’t really take a break; I was just humoring you.
Yes, my Flock snack game was elite. 
Back to Tech: Forgejo & Fedora Gaming?!
Otto Richter from Codeberg walked us through why Fedora moved to Forgejo for hosting – and what Codeberg is all about (all the goodies it has). He even gave a quick demo, plus a bonus pronunciation lesson. You can find the slides to the talk here on Pretalx.
Then came a surprise: Fedora’s Downstream Gaming Variant!
Noel Miller and Antheas from the Bazzite team introduced their work on making a variant of Fedora that is more gaming-friendly. I hadn’t even heard of Bazzite before this. Maybe I should try it? Yes, sometime. If you play games and love Fedora, these folks want you – whether you’re a dev, tester, or gamer who just clicks buttons and wins.
After lunch: SIGs, Mentorship, and Inspiration
After lunch sessions split across rooms. I tried to be in two rooms at once (classic virtual problem 
). I joined the Topaz Room for the Fedora Join SIG session.
I’m actually a member of the Join SIG, so it felt like home. Our job? Help newcomers feel welcome, direct them to the right teams, and support their journey into Fedora. It’s possibly the easiest SIG to “join”—”if you hang around, you’re one of us.” That was simple, true and beautiful. Thanks to Ankur and AkashDeep Dhar, and yet another Friend who helped with the slides that didn’t make it – Mat H (theprogram).
But we need your help, we need you to help us help newcomers navigate the community and find their place in. There’re probably a few helping out!
Fedora Docs: Where words matter
Somewhere between hopping between Topaz and Opal rooms, I landed in one of my favorite sessions – Fedora Documentation.
Stay there:
Here’s a spoiler alert: I’m hosting a Fedora Docs Hands-On Virtual Workshop this June 21, 2025!
Yep, mark your calendars! You can accept the invite here, also say hi in the discourse channel and let this be engaging (would love to hear from you, really).
We often forget that docs aren’t “extra.” They are the user’s first experience, the contributor’s first clue, and often the only map through the maze. And Fedora takes this seriously.
Later, in the Opal Room, I caught talks on mentorship programs like GSoC and Outreachy, led by Sumantro M. and Fernando.
And yes – drumroll please – this was especially meaningful for me – I’m currently an Outreachy Intern (June–August 2025)!
One standout talk: “Open Source Mentorship: Crafting Community Leaders” by Nikita Tripathi (an Outreachy alum still contributing to Fedora) and Samyak Jain. The session explored what mentorship is and isn’t – not just teaching, but growing together. As Samyak Jain shared: “Communities thrive on engagement. Your voice matters.”
Wrapping up Day 2: Scaling, Designing, and… T-shirts?
Quick Hits (a.k.a. Can’t-Miss Moments)
Before logging off, I caught “Scaling Fedora Ready through Community Contributions” by Roseline Bassey, presented by Justin W. The talk highlighted how Fedora Ready can grow through community testers, reviewers, and ambassadors, helping users find hardware that works well with Fedora.
Quick talks followed:
“The Role of Designers in Open Source” by Smera, reminding us that design matters just as much as code. Let them be there at the beginning of the research project
“How Do You Open Source a T-shirt?” by Troy Dawson. This was a cool one, cool shirts. And yes, I’m still thinking about it.
Both were refreshing takes on open source beyond code.
If you’re curious about the “hidden rooms” I missed or the full Day 2 content, check out the recordings on YouTube and the checklist on Pretalx. There’s only so much a human can digest in 48 hours – even with Milo
Before we Recap… Have you filled the Fedora contributor & user survey?
If you haven’t already, please take a moment to fill out the Fedora Contributor and User Survey. Your feedback helps shape the future of the Fedora Project.
Okay, let’s close now.
Final thoughts
Flock (2025 edition!) reminded me that Fedora is more than software. It’s people, mentorship, storytelling, experimentation, and community care. I’m glad I could stream the experience and share it – I’m hoping to join the next FLOCK.
As a remote attendee, I felt seen, included, and inspired. (Inclusion)
Looking forward to more conversations and continued impact.
Your Friend in Open Source, Cornelius – Open Source Freedom Fighter