This is my attempt to write about Ethereum in personal terms. I will avoid any technical jargon and focus on the human side of Ethereum. For me, Ethereum is more than a blockchain. It’s fascinating to think how this technology has created a movement of people.

I feel a strong connection to the community. What is an Ethereum community then? A group of aligned individuals willing to use Ethereum and improve it. Let me explain why I consider myself part of that community.

The Way I Use Ethereum

I use Ethereum as a currency. Ether is the money I have most of my savings and investments in. Being part of this world is interacting financially with a new system. Think of it as a nation that trust and gives value to that form of money. Inside that nation, there are states, cities and villages that accept ETH and are open to trade it for their own token.

Sharing a currency is a way of forming a common identity. We share a belief, those numbers on the screen are valuable for me and the other people inside that nation. We operate inside something bigger than us.

We identify with ourselves using names. There’s a particular way of naming people inside Ethereum. You can see it on X. For example, my account is @juandaveth, the last three letters are a sign of the family I feel part of. My first name is Juan David, I shortened it to juandav and stated my last name as .eth.

Nation and family. Those are important ideas in any people’s life. Both are related to belonging to a group. I use the same currency, then I’m part of a nation ETH. I’ve added a sort of lastname to my personal identity, I am juandav.eth.

Since that it’s an important part of my life and I care about Ethereum, then I work to improve it. The way I contribute to Ethereum is through education. My understanding of education is the act of communicating and explaining how the technology works and its effects on people’s lives.

The Way I Contribute to Ethereum

There’s another part of my identity that influences my type of contributions. Being part of the Ethereum nation as a Colombian citizen determines the way I behave inside the community. Moving from the inner circle to a bigger picture, I’ve contributed in my city, country and region through education.

My first contribution was starting Ethereum Bogotá back in 2020. We were in the middle of the pandemic, the whole world was forced to be at home. I quit my job on April and decided to build something that uses Ethereum. So, with a friend, we created a videocall platform using Sign In With Ethereum: coinosis. On June 6th, we taught how to interact with a dApp and recibe Ether. That was the beginning of the community in Bogotá.

At the same time, Devcon 6 was coming to Colombia, that played an important role in the development of Ethereum in my country. I was first approached by Steven from the Ethereum Foundation; he planted the seed to start a technical community, not only in my hometown but to have a national effort. I was introduced to other members in Barranquilla, Colombia. The OGs from the Caribe, Devcon was the excuse to connect and the fertile ground for the flourishment in different regions in Colombia. Today we have a lively community, operating 6 nodes under the umbrella of EthColombia.

While this was happening, several parts of Latam were attracting more people to the Ethereum nation via Ether. Argentina stands out as one of the most prolific lands of Ethereum builders and users. I see South America with a sense of gratefulness and admiration, especially for the liveliness of the Argentinean community. This led me to be part of ETH Latam in Bogotá, an event kick-started in Buenos Aires. On Monday, October 10th, 2022, I was part of the organizing team for this regional gathering, which took place the day before Devcon 6.

During this time, I also had the opportunity to travel as the Community Supporter for Devcon 6. Being part of the amazing team led by Skylar is one of the most important professional and personal experiences I’ve had. That way of contributing allowed me to meet like-minded people in Latam. We didn’t have a common citizenship, but we value and share the same principles.

Navigating Together

Having those similar compasses I’ve ended up contributing with incredible human beings. A group of people that are connected through a technology, that serves as an excuse to work for a set of principles. We identify in a core level and want Ethereum to be used and improved.

I’ve complemented my identity, found a sense of belonging and a mission in Ethereum. That’s what Ethereum means for me.

Intrigued by this “Ethereum nation” idea? Maybe there’s a community in your city for something you care about. What would your passion and background look like as a global movement?