Hello, everyone! I’m excited to share with you a project that’s very close to my heart: EthniCal. As I step into a temporary role as co-chair for our company’s Asian Employee Resource Group (ERG), I wanted to contribute something meaningful that could help us all appreciate the diverse backgrounds of people around us.

Inspiration

In our increasingly diverse soceity, it’s crucial to recognize and celebrate the various cultural backgrounds. EthniCal is my humble attempt to create a tool that can help us all be more mindful of the celebrations and important dates from multiple cultures and origins.

One aspect of this project that has been particularly enlightening for me is the opportunity to learn about Native American tribes and their celebrations. Growing up in India and then moving to the US, my exposure to these rich cultures was very very limited. This project has opened my eyes to the diversity within Native American communities, each with its own unique traditions and observances.

AI with Golang

As someone always eager to learn, I saw this project as an opportunity to challenge myself technically. I decided to incorporate AI, specifically using Claude, and pair it with Golang for the backend processes.

This combination allowed me to efficiently generate and manage cultural event data while also improving my coding skills. It’s been a learning curve, but an incredibly rewarding one.

Feature Flags and Build Separation

To make the project more robust and maintainable, I implemented feature flags. These allow for greater flexibility in managing functionalities without altering the codebase.

Additionally, I split the build process into two parts: ICS file generation and frontend updates. This separation ensures that not every change triggers AI calls, optimizing resource usage and making the development process more efficient.

Challenge

One of the most critical aspects of this project is ensuring the accuracy of the information provided. When dealing with cultural celebrations, especially those less widely known, accuracy is very important.

I’m currently in the process of fine-tuning the AI prompts to obtain the most accurate and relevant information. However, I’m also planning to implement a thorough verification process. Before the calendar goes live, each entry will be meticulously checked against reliable sources to ensure its accuracy.

Contribtion

A key feature of EthniCal is its use of ICS files, which allows for easy community contributions. If you notice any inaccuracies or wish to add celebrations from your own culture, you can contribute by raising an issue on the GitHub repository or submitting a Pull Request.

This collaborative approach ensures that EthniCal can grow and improve with input from diverse perspectives, making it a more comprehensive and accurate resource for everyone.

Looking Ahead

As I embark on this temporary role as co-chair of our Asian ERG, I see EthniCal as a stepping stone towards fostering greater cultural awareness and inclusivity, for me, personally. It’s still a work in progress, with much room for improvement and expansion.

It’s not about merely acknowledging diversity, but about genuinely understanding and appreciating the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our global community.

I invite all of you to join me on this journey. Explore EthniCal, use it in your daily life, contribute to its growth, and let it inspire you to learn more about the diverse cultures around us. You can search for and download ICS files and add to your calendars.

Thank you for taking the time to read about this project. I welcome your thoughts, suggestions, or any cultural celebrations you believe should be included. This is a learning journey for all of us, and I’m eager to continue expanding our collective cultural knowledge.

Have a great day, everyone <3