Introductory statement / Application summary (maximum 500 words): Tell us who you are, why you are applying, and your relevant experience.
I would contribute a breath of experience to the project that is unique to this user. The candidate questions page has much information on what I could offer. Wikimedia experience = Three months after becoming a Wikimedian I received an indefinite block without warning on English Wikipedia as an Admin decided to increase my block from 31 hours to life without contacting me. I don't want that to happen to anyone else. More recently, from March 31-April 7, 2024 I held the newly minted token of the U4C, however clumsily, and influenced some positive change on En Wiki while learning a valuable lesson about my own bahavior within the meta.
Complex issues = I worked with other Wikipedians to increase the "List of Presidents of the United States" to a Featured List. The addition of "National Union Party" in the list is a result of my influence. I've since relegated myself to the Relativity Project on Wikipedia. Between the election and the announcement of the Special election the Wikipedia Admins "ferret" and "Hey man im Josh" made it clear through unsolicited cross-project Administration that I'm no longer welcome to consider English Wikipedia my home as evidenced here. So, from now on Meta will be my home wiki.
Policy experience = I have a lot to learn about the more ambiguous policies, but I've got knowledge of the systemic issues that the U4C will be involved in, especially on En Wikipedia.
Empowering people = My error of metabolism, Phenylketonuria, had its access to medication threatened in North Carolina this past January. A contract issue led to Blue Cross of NC not being able to cover Specialty Medications in the State, and it had rippling effects through all Health Insurance companies in the State. I challenged them with the North Carolina Government, and the Dept. of Insurance forced a fix. So, I made sure that myself and every other NC resident can get Specialty Medications this year.
Working through conflict = Co-workers tend to be better team builders than management that's not on the floor. I want co-equal actors to come to solutions together to the extent possible.
Positive influence = I've had unique experiences in life and as a Wikimedian that could be an asset to the Committee if elected. I'll add here that I fully support the WMF issuing its own statement on Palestine and I believe the call to "prioritize the impartial dissemination of information and accurate, real-time documentation of the current human-caused humanitarian disaster and erasure of cultural heritage" is a pressing concern for the U4C to address.
