[Osmf-talk] Diversity statement (Was: Next OSMF board meeting on Thursday 30 January 2020, at 17:00 UTC)

[Christoph Hormann]

On Saturday 22 February 2020, Tobias Knerr wrote:
>
> Not only was this not the board's intention, it came as a surprise to
> many of us that our decision could be interpreted in that manner, as
> we do not consider the Diversity Statement to be at odds with the
> contents of the older documents. So to make our intentions clear, we
> have recently passed a circular resolution³ to explicitly reaffirm
> our support for said values.

Thanks, that is much appreciated.

While a statement of intent of course does not change the original 
diversity statement or address the various issues of that statement in 
substance you are giving a clear signal to the committee about the 
context in which they are performing their work and in which it has to 
prove itself.  While this context has already been presented by me and 
others of course to some extent it is very helpful that the board also 
communicates this.

The various comments made in the circular vote indicate there are 
significant differences in the perception of the OSM community and 
community values and norms in general as well as of the concrete 
meaning of OSMF statements and policy specifically.  I see these 
differences also reflected in the various conversations i had with 
board members over the past weeks.

While this is necessary, healthy and also expected given the existing 
diversity in the OSM community, mutural awareness and understanding of 
these quite fundamental differences in perception is essential for a 
functioning communication and cooperation.  In other words:  It is 
important to be aware not only where you agree but also where exactly 
and how you see things differently.

-- 
Christoph Hormann
http://www.imagico.de/