I agree, Milos, this is one hell of a moment. I will treat this moment with the utmost respect.
I also love that we have made this connection, on this list, on Facebook, on the wikis, with some great community members. You're right, we should cherish this.
On Thu, Feb 25, 2016 at 5:34 PM, Milos Rancic millosh@gmail.com wrote:
I stopped responding to other emails because the significance of this moment is so large, that we have now we didn't have since the beginnings of Wikipedia.
We've got the chance to rebuild the movement.
I don't want to talk about the past, I don't want to write about what I think about particular ongoing events, I don't want to think about anything else and I urge on all of you to do the same.
Just one small part of the movement -- those personally involved -- see this moment emotionally and could feel the significance of the moment. The most of the movement, including myself, didn't participate emotionally and I understand why they could have troubles to get the perspective.
As mentioned before, for the first time in the decade, we have Board members discussing the issues with us honestly. But that's just one part of the story.
The other part, even more significant, is exactly that emotional, cathartic process lived during the past year by that small part of the movement, WMF staff.
As I said above, I don't want to talk about my particular position regarding those events, as they are irrelevant. The relevant part is their experience, their cohesion, their contemplation of various issues related to themselves, their colleagues and the movement; their will to succeed and, eventually, their success.
That changes a lot! We've finally got visible another stakeholder inside of our movement, stakeholder capable to do things nobody else inside of the movement can. That also gives them much more responsibility than they had earlier. It's not anymore just about their dream jobs, but also about the fate of our movement.
You proved to be capable. Last couple of weeks I read many insightful emails from you, WMF employees -- some of them I didn't know at all. I heard thoughts I've never heard before on this list. They've been born in pain and you mustn't lose them.
Now you have the opportunity to lead *the* change. You are not anymore just the most organized part of the movement, you've just articulated yourself as capable to make the change you want to.
You have the means, the organizational infrastructure, not the Board, which is working properly just under pressure, not C-level management, which is struggling to find the way between dysfunctional Board and reality. It's about you, engineers, analysts, managers, designers, scientists, researchers, advocates, liaisons etc. You've already changed your culture, it's now your turn to help others to change the movement culture!
You win your own revolution. It's now time for you to help the rest of us in your and our common revolution.
I imagine one democratic Wikimedia movement, based on solidarity, common values and common culture. I imagine all of us have the same goals and help each other to achieve them. I imagine us as the seed for the future United Federations of Planets (and, yes, when I come to San Francisco, I want you to show me Starfleet Command!).
So, please, go back to your revolutionary cells, create your vision of our movement while listening the input of the rest of us, present it to us on Meta, lead the discussion, lead the revolution! You've shown that you are capable to do that.
The right time to do that is now! Please, don't miss this once-in-lifetime opportunity!
-- Milos
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