I'm writing this on my phone as I head to London to deliver our monthly #WPLDN event. Usually, I feel enthusiastic with a healthy side of nervousness. Today, however, I feel a little different.
I'll be moderating a panel entitled "WordPress - What Does the Future Hold?"
The panel is intended to stimulate thoughtful dialogue and balanced perspectives, as well as encourage a constructive exploration of the challenges and opportunities in the WordPress community.
However, we recently received word that the community-focused event #WPLDN, which I've spent more than a decade delivering, sometimes at significant personal cost to myself. Has received attention from members of the WordPress Community Team concerning the event potentially violating the WordPress Foundation's trademark policy.
We weren't privy to specifics about the potential violation. However, we've taken proactive steps to review all of #WPLDN's digital properties and have also directly contacted the Community Team for further clarification.
So, why is this impacting my feelings about today's event? #WPLDN has always been a passion project for me. As I state on the homepage of this site, "I'm passionate about people and technology, in that order." The #WPLDN events are about people, bringing the community together. Yet, I'm being made to feel I'm doing something intentionally wrong, which is not the case.
Over the years, we've had multiple discussions with the Community Team about the event joining the Chapter Programme. However, due to financial limitations within the team's budget, it has never proved feasible.
#WPLDN was established before the Chapter Programme. It has always been run with a focus on the community. As the Chapter Programme evolved, so too has #WPLDN, with an intention to mirror the ethos set by the Community Team.
But I digress. This is about tonight's event. I feel trepidation, not least because I'm asking individuals within the community to sit and openly discuss a topic that's been polarising. Speaking openly about their opinions about current activities within the WordPress community has directly impacted individuals' livelihoods.
I don't want to be directly responsible for delivering something that draws the wrong attention to community members volunteering to discuss a subject. However, I also appreciate that we have a platform through #WPLDN to enable open discourse, no matter how small the event may be in the grand scheme.
Discussion is healthy. However, I often feel that we're living in a time when the ability for people with differing opinions to discuss, disagree, and move forward without hate, vitriol, anger, and spite is diminishing.
My hope for tonight is one of positivity. I have faith in the people who make up this group, which we refer to as the WordPress community.
The Day After, The Night Before
I'm pleased we did that, but I'm sorry it can't be shared. We made the conscious decision not to record any of the discussions to aid open discourse and, hopefully, limit personal repercussions for those involved.
Every person spoke as an individual. The discussion was challenging, healthy, and negative at times. Still, ultimately, it felt like a small moment in the #WPLDN community and within the broader WordPress community, where issues could be openly and safely discussed.
The feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive, with much gratitude for enabling the conversation.
I would love to see more healthy conversations in our community. For various reasons, the WordPress project and its members are facing challenging times.