Re: How to make progress on the almost complete absence of Black people in SWICG discussions?

st 18. 9. 2024 v 0:48 odesílatel Jon Pincus <jon@achangeiscoming.net>
napsal:

> While anti-Blackness isn't the only diversity and equity problem to be
> concerned about, it's gotten enough attention that it's worth focusing on.
> Of course it's not just SWICG; at the end of FediForum I mentioned the
> fediverse’s long-standing issues related to anti-Blackness (and how
> FediForum itself had only addressed one of the five bullets from the
> discussion at a September 2023 session).  That said, it's an issue within
> SWICG too -- and within SocialHub, which as part of activitypub.rocks is
> now within SWICG's purview.
>
> So:
>
>    - what are people currently doing to make progress on this?
>    - what else should be done?
>
> I also kicked of a thread on SocialHub -
> https://socialhub.activitypub.rocks/t/how-to-make-progress-on-the-almost-complete-absence-of-black-people-in-socialhub-and-swicg-discussions/4533
>

Hi Jon,

Thanks for raising this. Having been involved with W3C and the Social Web
for nearly 20 years, I can say diversity has always been an issue. The W3C
does have a commitment to diversity, but enforcement is inconsistent.

Some members are incredibly welcoming, but, like any community, there are
bad actors, and they sometimes reach positions of influence where they are
protected. On the Solid project, I've had positive experiences working with
Osmar Olivio (https://github.com/oolivo). But at TPAC, it was hard to
ignore the predominance of white males.

One concrete suggestion could be formalizing a liberal invited expert
policy for new charters, ensuring broader participation. I agree with your
points and will dive deeper into the thread. While I hope your concerns
lead to action, history tells me not to be overly optimistic. Still, an
inclusive mindset will always take us further.

Best wishes,

Melvin


>
> jon
>
> PS: 5 things white people can do to start making the fediverse less toxic
> for Black people
> <https://privacy.thenexus.today/start-making-the-fediverse-less-toxic/>
> has suggestions for what people can do as individuals, and hopefully
> everybody here is already doing that ... but systems have power and equity
> dynamics as well, which is more what I'm trying to get at with these
> discussions
>
>
>