The talk is about creating pathways that invest in maintainers of open source software. The speaker discusses a framework for sustainable community engagement, consisting of discovery, first contact, participation, sustained participation, networked participation, and leadership. The talk covers best practices for each step, including having clear communication channels, being responsive, and offering mentorship and professional development opportunities. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing and thanking contributors, connecting their work to the mission of the project, and matching their skills with their interests. They conclude by providing a link to a blog post and a recently launched community for maintainers at GitHub.