[diversity-talk] abusive leadership

[Serge Wroclawski]

Dear all,

I've gotten several people asking me if I'm the person mentioned in
this mail. While I am the person Alyssa mentioned, I strongly disagree
her categorization of me, and will explain why I had to take the
strong, but necessary stance that I did.

Simply put, Alyssa's behavior in the NYC community has been quite
inappropriate, and after talking to her several times and trying to
work things out, via email and via chat, I decided that certain
behaviors simply were not acceptable.

Out of respect for Alyssa, and because I do not believe in public
shaming or public arguments, I do not want to go into the specific
details of Alyssa's inappropriate behaviors on this, or any other
public forum.

I respect and encourage diversity in the OpenStreetMap community. I
have worked hard in my years of an OSM contributor, as one of the
founders of the OpenStreetMap US chapter, in my role in founding and
organizing MappingDC, in my role founding OSM NYC and in my work
outside the OpenStreetMap community to encourage all people, no matter
what their backgrounds, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion,
political stance, etc. to join not only the OpenStreetMap community,
but the larger Free Software and Free Culture communities. I believe
that Free Culture (of which OSM is a part) is a vehicle that brings
people together, and increases our understandings of one another. I'm
proud to be a part of such a movement.

The specific action I took was to remove Alyssa as an "organizer" of
the OSM NYC meetup, meaning that she can fully participate in OSM NYC,
just like any of our other >140 members, but she cannot organize
events within OSM NYC, but will need to request that another organizer
(and there are several of us), do it for her.

As to any claim that I "own" (or stated I own) the OSM NYC meetup,
this is false. I did start the OSM NYC meetup, and I do pay the
meetup.com dues for it.  At the time I started the meetup, I chose two
other long standing members of the OSM, and NYC communities to act as
co-organizers along with me.

Frankly, removing Alyssa was one of the most difficult decisions I've
ever had to make. I respect Alyssa's professional credentials, and I
respect her interest in OpenStreetMap, but we must have OpenStreetMap
NYC be a safe place for everyone to participate. At the time I made
the decision, I was quite upset, shaking and cold, and even now,
revisiting the decision, I feel the same sensations.

Frankly this is not something I want to revisit or discuss, but
especially not in a public forum.

Thank you for reading,

- Serge