Hi, just to share that was published a Statement of Basque Wikimedians User Group regarding the 2025 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Election: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Objections_to_the_2025_WMF_Board_election_removals/Basque_Wikimedians Best,
El mar, 14 oct 2025 a las 10:54, James Heilman (<[email protected]>) escribió: > Hey Pete > > Am no longer on the WMF board. The statement by the board was the "Board > has unanimously decided that four candidates will be on the ballot". > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2025_update > > I do not take this as implying that there was unanimous support to remove > either of the two candidates. I imagine there would have been individual > votes for each candidate, with greater than 50% support to remove two of > them. Followed by a final vote for the remaining slate of candidates. > > James > > On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 6:46 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] >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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/7SBBQSJ6HVALAFHKHQHRN3PDS5CFXOEW/ >> 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/QN3IXGEK5RIBEUWHW4CWK3BV2DAE25KS/ > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] -- *Iván Martínez* *Voluntario - Wikimedia México A.C.User:ProtoplasmaKid * // Mis comunicaciones respecto a Wikipedia/Wikimedia pueden tener una moratoria en su atención debido a que es un voluntariado. // Ayuda a proteger a Wikipedia, dona ahora: https://donate.wikimedia.org
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