[OSGeo-Discuss] Campaign Statement for María Arias de Reyna

[María Arias de Reyna]

So, let's try to answer the main question:

 "What should the community expect from my board membership?"

<TL;DR>
I am a very active activist :) More known on the spanish speaking
geo-world, I would say. I work with spatial metadata and GeoNetwork.

I intend to make OSGeo as inclusive and free (as in free puppies) as
possible. I want OSGeo to continue being transparent, comfortable and
useful to promote FLOSS in the geo world. I would like to press on
public administrations so they promote open data and software. I would
like to increase diversity of OSGeo (because, you already notice, most
of you are white men on developed countries with a similar vision, you
know).

Anyway, all the candidates proposed are really good. So, whoever you
choose to vote, you will make a good choice. But vote, be involved,
please :)
</TL;DR>

Many of you don't know me, I know. Maybe if I say "metadata" and
"(meta)cat" some bell will ring. Maybe not. Let me talk you a bit
about me, let's put humility aside for a moment.

I work for GeoCat, which you *should* remember from sponsoring many
geo-events. I work with metadata. Ever heard of GeoNetwork, the data
catalog? Well, that's part of my work. I am also part of the
geoinquietos group, which is one of the most active group in the
spanish speaking geo-world. We are a very unorganized welcoming group
that tries to make geothings fun. Unconferences, mapping parties,
geobeers, workshops,... Anything we can enjoy while sharing our
knowledge and help people around us.

Some people say I'm very straight forward when talking. I can't help
it. I don't like dancing around an idea losing time while the elephant
sits on the center of the room eating all the peanuts. So this I can
assure you: I will fight for what I think is better, even if it means
making me look unpolite or the "bad cop". I'm used to get my hands
dirty, I don't care. And if OSGeo decides to do something I don't
agree with, I promise you I will fight the same (unless it makes me so
uncomfortable I have to step down, but I don't think this can happen,
we share the same goals). It will not be the first time I have to
defend something I don't fully agree with. But, anyway, unless OSGeo
changes a lot, this is not bothering me.

To me, transparency is key. You will never hear me saying opposite
things in private and in public. I will not say things in public I
understand they shouldn't be made public. But you will never hear me
defend something in private and another thing in public. I can change
my mind, of course, and that happens more often than what I am willing
to admit :) But I will not be a hypocrit and I usually have no problem
in sharing my knowledge or perspective on something. I don't like
being manipulative. I don't like lies. I don't think the end justifies
the means.

Let's focus on OSGeo and how I see it. As we heard on the FOSS4G: This
is about people. And I couldn't agree more. I see OSGeo as an
organization built on top of regional chapters which are built on top
of local "chapters" which are built by people. So my idea of OSGeo is
like a pyramid, where local "layers" work together to get the same
goal at the top. "Think globally, act locally". And that's how I think
it should work. Spread the work into very small pieces so we all can
contribute to a greater good. I think this is how we should always
work.

So I think it is important to promote small events all around the
world. Specially if they focus on target groups we are not very close
to. I would like to see more diversity in the OSGeo membership, we are
all very "standard". As we diversify our base, we will get better
ideas and visions on the top. On my utopic OSGeo vision, there will be
a group of local "geoinquietos" everywhere, all of them making the
world better while having fun.

Changing the subject to something more earthly: I see there is some
buzzing around LocationTech. To me, they are important allies. They
are more "open" and we are more "free", but as we agree on, let's say,
80% of the goals, why not work together on that 80%? Once we achieve
those goals we can start an open war about that 20%. In the meantime,
it would be stupid to fight.

If you don't understand why I distinguish between open and free, here
is the answer:
http://ftp5.gwdg.de/pub/misc/openstreetmap/FOSS4G-2016/foss4g-2016-1106-free_open_and_libre-hd.webm
Yes, that's me. Now you know my face too :)

I think this is it. I hope to have convinced you to vote for me. If
not, well, I will have to focus more on the "lower" layers of the
pyramid.