[Community-Discuss] [members-discuss] Re: [AfrICANN-discuss] ICANN 2016 Nominating Committee Announces Selections - unfortunate Africa d

[Dr Paulos B Nyirenda]

Walu, Mike,

Although racial diversity is a well recognised form of diversity, academically or otherwise, that 
is not the lever that I want to go down to in this case for ICANN Board Members, I am talking 
about regional diversity as defined in the ICANN system as well as in our own Africa Region 
Internet institutions

I am not instigating for a quota other than what is already in the bylaws BUT I am asking for 
some reasonablenes in aclaimed ICANN diversity which  I do not see in the current NomCom 
selection, that is the observation that I am making.

So, like Walu, I am partly attracted to the ICANN system partly because it tries to be 
adequately representative on the global scene, all I am saying is that that good quality seems 
to have been missed here.

Now that I have made my point, I need to go do other equally or more pressing things.

Regards,

Paulos
======================
Dr Paulos B Nyirenda
NIC.MW & .mw ccTLD
http://www.registrar.mw


On 31 Aug 2016 at 15:27, Mike Silber wrote:

> Hi John
> 
> A couple of observations 9in my own capacity of course):
> 
> 
>     On 31 Aug 2016, at 15:05, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com > wrote:
> 
>     @Mike,
> 
>     As an academic, I might be suffering the same illusion as Paulos :-),
> 
>     I think what he was saying is that the current board ...
>     Is not diverse (should I dare say black?) enough?
> 
> Well, you are conflating black and African and assigning anyone on this continent who is not 
> suitably pigmented to some scrap heap. Of course ignoring my pigmentary enhahnced colleagues 
> on the board who do not originate from this continent and are therefor equally cast aside. So 
> Africans who are not "black enough" don´t count and people who are "black enough" but are not 
> "African enough" don´t count either?
> 
> And if it is a question of "blackness" then how do you test that? Or do we have to go back to the 
> "pencil tests" employed by apartheid racists to determine blackness by seeing if a pencil inserted 
> in the hair would stay (you are black) or fall out (you are white). For what it is worth, pencils stay in 
> my hair.
> 
> I really think this is about to descend into the realm of the ridiculous.
> 
>     I remember my interest in ICANN was actually provoked by the days when 
>     Alice, Katim et al were on the board.
> 
> 
> Maybe you need to test your memory, Alice has not served on the ICANN board. I have fond 
> memories of time served with Katim, but I think you do a disservice to Nii, Njeri, Mouhamet and 
> Fadi.
> 
> I have been privileged to serve with many fine people on the board, many of whom amaze me 
> with their knowledge, energy, dedication and contribution. At the same time there are many 
> passengers (I hope I am not one). Origin is not an indicator of contribution and there are people 
> from both groups from all of the regions.
> 
> Simply demanding more "blackness" does a disservice to those Africans who have contributed at 
> every level in all of the I* organisations. They are there because of their capability and contribution 
> and not as decoration.
> 
>     Without doubting the capability of the incoming members, it is important that 
>     Nomcom takes the issue racial diversity alot more seriously.  After all, that is 
>     WHY ICANN is trying to be as 'international' as it can get.  Why not begin at 
>     the top?
> 
> 
> How easily had Fadi been forgotten? Or is the CEO not "at the top" enough? Oh, that´s right - he 
> was not "black enough". 
> 
> Find the right candidates and they will get there, on their own merits and not on some quota 
> system or as window dressing to a more systemic issue.
> 
> Mike
> 
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