My mistake, I see that James Heilman's term on the Board of Trustees has ended. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Board_of_Trustees
Still, a valuable addition from a former Trustee. -Pete [[User:Peteforsyth]] On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM Pete Forsyth <[email protected]> wrote: > James, > > Thank you for this response, and it is good to see your signature on > Hanna's letter. > > I am curious -- it sounds like you are substantially on board with what > Hannah wrote, and do not like seeing the exclusion of at least one of the > candidates. However, the board chair's initial message stated that the > exclusion of candidates was agreed "unanimously" by the board. > > Can you speak to this? Did you initially agree, and then change your mind? > Was the chair's characterization inaccurate? Is there some other, less > apparent circumstance? > > I have great admiration for anyone, on either/any "side" of this, who has > the time and energy to invest in an ongoing, substantive discussion about > how things can be improved in the future. That isn't me at the moment, but > I do believe there is much good that could be done with that approach. > > -Pete > [[User:Peteforsyth]] > > On Sat, Oct 11, 2025 at 8:47 PM James Heilman <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> I am saddened to see the board taking greater authority over community >> elections and thus decreasing democracy within our movement, though its >> occurrence is not entirely surprising. A number of members of the board and >> foundation have for some time wanted greater say over community elected >> trustees. Suggestions have included being able to state criteria or skills >> they feel the board needs and making only those they feel have those skills >> eligible to run. However part of elections is being able to support folks >> who have skills you as the electorate feel those in authority are currently >> lacking. This is especially important in times of crises and reduces the >> risk of one of our key movement organizations, the WMF, being co-opted by >> those who may not be movement aligned. >> >> We as the communities are far more powerful than we often give ourselves >> credit. While technically when on the board one needs to do what is in the >> best interest of the WMF, I believe the best interest of our communities >> and the WMF are aligned and inseparable. We are all pursuing the same >> mission. With respect to prior community efforts, the protests against >> SOPA and PIPA >> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_SOPA_and_PIPA> played a >> role in their being shelved. Our efforts around EU copyright law >> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_Copyright_in_the_Digital_Single_Market#Non-governmental_organisations> >> in part led to a full discussion by the European Parliament. Community >> feedback regarding foundation staff bypassing ARBCOM in its sanctioning of >> Fram got the board to intervene in support of community self governance. >> >> Yes technically we do not have elections, with all board members in the >> end being appointed by the board itself. But we have had an election >> process that the board has historically respected. As a parallel, as a >> Canadian we do not technically have a full democracy as our Monarch has the >> ability to disallow a bill passed by parliament either directly or via the >> Governor General. They; however, have never exercised this power since our >> country was formed in 1867. And if they did I imagine significant >> controversy would result. >> >> As a trustee who was partly removed 10 years ago for pushing for greater >> transparency around the proposed Knowledge Engine (search engine) >> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_Engine_(search_engine)> it >> concerns me to see a candidate within the election being removed by the >> board in part for speaking up for transparency. I believe we need an >> independent group of elected community members, who have signed >> non-disclosure agreements, and are provided details by the WMF legal team >> and trust and safety, to oversee who is and is not eligible to stand for >> election. We can have community elections if we demand them. >> >> Sincerely >> >> James Heilman >> >> MD, CCFP(EM), Wikipedian >> >> >> On Sat, Oct 11, 2025 at 9:07 AM Andy Mabbett <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> On Fri, 10 Oct 2025 at 19:40, Lorenzo <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> > I want to clarify some details following Victoria's email as I know it >>> has caused confusion. This email was not sent in any official capacity - it >>> was Victoria's personal opinion, as she noted there, it was sent "as a >>> Wikimedian, relying solely on publicly available information". >>> >>> Considering the above, I'm confused by the fact that you are writing >>> from a wikimedia.org email address, but signing only with your first >>> name (and with no disclaimer); are you speaking personally, or in your >>> official capacity as a board member? >>> >>> > This email should not be seen as an analysis of the Board's decisions >>> on the candidates for this year's elections process. >>> >>> Is a "Wikimedian, relying solely on publicly available >>> information"—any Wikimedian—not entitled to offer an analysis of the >>> Board's decisions? >>> >>> > I understand that for some, emotions are at an all time high, and >>> people will want to fill in the gaps of what can be shared publicly with >>> their thoughts and opinions >>> >>> And some have very genuine concerns which are not driven by emotion, >>> and which are based on the available facts and evidence. Please >>> respect them as such. >>> >>> > I hope you will vote in the election >>> >>> I have said for some years that we should stop pretending that this is >>> an election. >>> >>> -- >>> Andy Mabbett >>> User:Pigsonthewing >>> https://pigsonthewing.org.uk >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines >>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>> Public archives at >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/message/NLUOHKHXDRTKQA5MPUOOCYV3IB5IBV6U/ >>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> >> >> -- >> James Heilman >> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines >> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >> Public archives at >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/message/OV4YVM5G26LP6O6OMFD6UXYEDYCWO2I5/ >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > >
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