Affiliate-selected Board seats/2019/Nominations/Gerald Shields

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Name:

Gerald Shields

Wikimedia username:

Geraldshields11

Questions for all candidates - Questions for this individual candidate that do not apply to other candidates

Statement

I know my experiences in Mainland China, Mexico, and Austria will guide me to implement the findings of the Wikimedia 2030 Plan.
By focusing on emerging communities, such as the Global South, LGBQT+, Art + Feminism, and persons of color, I want to see continued growth in the numbers of readers and, more importantly, new editors so our Wikimedia projects’ content is inclusive and serves the educational mission.
The Strategic Working Groups of Partnership and Capacity are keys to the future to keep all Wikimedia projects relevant and increased focus in needed.
Continued growth is vital to create a thriving movement. The technical obstacles to mobile readership should be overcome as our resources are limited.
During the 2018 WikiConference North America, I was interviewed by a German vlogger. I said that Wikimedia should increase support to the Global South to improve access. It would be an incremental improvement in our user base. This would be a step in the correct direction to fulfill Wikimedia's Mission Statement.

This is my final statement. Thank you for all of the translations.

Résume

General Activities

Currently, I am an attorney, who does work in taxation.

I have experience with dealing with complex taxation issues. This would translate well as a member of the board because the board has to set priorities based on financial constraints. There I have found resolutions of complex problems, based on relative truths.

Currently, I work for a part of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Even though I am employed full-time, I am able to attend the various meetings the Board will hold.

Currently, I am the Treasurer and Steward of a Washington, D.C. chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union.

I keep the NTEU chapter's financial books and records.

Currently, I am a Major in the Maryland Defense Force in the Judge Advocate Corps.

I drafted policies, such as the informal administrative investigations policy, which were were later adopted.

I was a Town Councilmember of the Town of Berwyn Heights.

As a non-partisan political position, I lead the town in Parks and Recreation, of which the town earned the Banner City status for the first time.

I was the Financial Secretary of a Knights of Columbus chapter.

This activity gave me hands-on operating experience with the day-to-day activities of a large organization. That practical experience is the basis of understanding any organization’s constraints.

I am active in two maker spaces.

Wikimedia activities

Since 2013, I have been documenting the efforts at Women in the Arts Edit-a-thons, Art + Feminism edit-a-thons, and WikiConferences.
I was involved with SpaceBlimp 7, which carried a copy of English Wikipedia into near orbit on April 14, 2018 from Strasburg, Virginia.
In 2015, I was the DC Wikimedia chapter's Volunteer of the Year.
As part of the New York Times article "Museum Welcomes Wikipedia", I was interviewed for my work with Wikipedia on feminism and on North Korea.
I was the volunteer Wikimedia DC event promotion coordinator.
I am very active on Wikimedia Commons. My work there transcends all cultures and all languages. Feel free to comment on my gallery of images.

Eligibility

I am eligible to hold this position, as a member of Wikimedia DC, and want to continue to contribute.

Endorsements

AfroCROWD

We at AfroCROWD are fans of Gerald Shields, his passion for the Wikimedia community, and his dedication to the inclusion of all people both in content and content creation in Wikimedia projects. Shanluan (talk) 14:42, 27 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]

San Diego Wikimedians User Group

On behalf of San Diego Wikimedians User Group, it is my humble pleasure to extend our endorsement to Gerald Shields. He is an overall positive contributor to the Wikimedia projects that he has given his time and efforts to. In person, he is a civil and affable individual, who in our opinion is a worthy individual to take on the task of being a member of the board of the Wikimedia Foundation.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 11:49, 29 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]