Happy International Women's Month!

For International Women’s Day, we’re taking a moment to get to know 6 female Editors who step up to support their Communities year-round:

Abigail, Maria, Lisa, Gloria, Vicki, and Regina are Map Editors, Beta Testers, Localizers and Partnership Coordinators. They dedicate their time and efforts to build, fix, and protect the map while also helping to shape upcoming Waze features. They’re leaders and mentors, and they took the time to share a few insights with us -

Abigail from the US, AKA driving79, was the first female NA Global Champ, and helped create the Virtual Emergency Operations Center for the US. Abigail told us of a time when she was assisting NASCAR and a semi-truck loaded with the race car plus all of the equipment ended up in a ditch, therefore blocking all outbound traffic. Abigail and the team were able to assist by placing reports on the map and leaving comments on reports left by other drivers so they'd know what to do.

Maria from Italy, AKA miole67, always prefers to see the road with her own eyes before making major changes to the map. She takes pictures and notes, then goes home and edits the map. Later, Maria follows the news to learn how her changes affected the road and also to learn of future road works her Community should add to the map.

Maria recently corrected a long standing UR - when she investigated it, she discovered that the address was close to where she works. The manager of the corrected location found out Maria works nearby and insisted on inviting her over for coffee, to thank her for solving a problem that troubled them for a long time.

Lisa from the US, AKA ldriveskier, says the only thing she ever wanted was to help others and for everyone to enjoy themselves, whether it be other Editors, Community members, or Wazers. Lisa is known for being approachable, so many folks come to her with problems, requests, or just looking for advice.

Lisa shares that she strives to make sure everything she does is an improvement over what was there before, with her overarching goal being to have a net positive effect.

Gloria from Colombia, AKA AngelicaBenedetti, shared her tip for new Editors: work as a team with other Editors, find the topics you're passionate about and a mentor to guide you through the process. Above all else, enjoy the beauty of the Waze Community. Gloria explains that in an online community like ours, support is fundamental as it keeps everyone united and motivated. Gloria urges her fellow Editors to always find a quick resolution when conflicts arise.

Vicki from the US, AKA Machete808, has a tip for anyone looking to explain to others why we spend so much time editing the map: the trick is to be in the car with them enough times when Waze gets them around a traffic mess!

Vicki's advice to new Editors is: "Waze the application, is all about getting somewhere by the quickest route. But editing for Waze is about learning from each other. That takes patience and a commitment, but it's also fun. Enjoy the journey!"

Regina from Brazil, AKA reginamaga, is very patient and is always available to help. Regina told us Editing is such a big part of her life that the Community felt almost sick when the Map Editor was temporarily down. They shared a meme to describe their sentiment. Regina invites new Editors to reach out to her with questions, as she would be happy to help make the map editing journey as fun as possible.