Daniel Jose Older and Malka Older, two Arisia 2019 guests of honor who reacted to Crystal Huff’s post by saying they could not do the con “as things stand”, have now announced they are definitely out:

update on the "as things stand" part of the above post: @m_older and I have advised Arisia we're not going to be Guest of Honors this year, period. Ending rape culture takes more than firing 1 person and then another as accusations become public. Accountability is not cosmetic.

— Daniel José Older (@djolder) October 30, 2018

As Older indicated, several more statements criticizing Arisia’s handling of code of conduct violations appeared after they tweeted their initial response.

In addition, there is a new statement from Ly Meloccaro, who resigned from the Arisia committee earlier this year and details the reasons why.

Hello, my name is Crow, and I have been involved with Con Safety at Arisia since 2013. I started as a staffer, and climbed my way to section leader (2014-15), Head of The Watch (2016-17), and finally Assistant Division Head of Operations (2018). My direct supervisor during 2017 and 18 was the Division head of Ops, Noel Rosenberg.

…What I can tell you is this: There was an investigation about the allegations against Noel, but it was taken so lightly, and without seriousness, they didn’t even bother to tell the person running con safety [Meloccaro], someone who worked closely with him, anything about it.

I believe Crystal Huff. And I feel utterly betrayed by so many people I thought I could trust.

Also, this third party security audit group they’re calling in was something they were going to do already, don’t let them trick you into thinking that this is in response to this scandal and that they’re being in any way proactive.

I will not be at Arisia 2019. Or any Arisia from henceforth. Their efforts to make this right feel more like efforts to save their own ass. Until the entirety of the voting eboard resigns and the culture at Arisia changes drastically, it will continue to be a toxic and dangerous place.

Meanwhile, Arisia Inc. acting president Gregorian Hawke is looking for help, and he announced a rules workaround that will enable new corporate members to vote at their first meeting, which he hopes will attract more people to come to the corporation’s November 11 meeting, “make their voices heard, and vote for an Executive Board they believe in.”

Update from the Acting President: 10/30

In a decision intended to give new corporate members a voice in the upcoming elections I am calling a special meeting. This meeting will take place at 1:45PM at the Arts at the Armory on November 11th, immediately prior to the previously scheduled Corporate Meeting.

The agenda of this meeting will be limited to a welcome to new Corporate members and to introduce Robert’s Rules of Order and other Arisa Corporate Meeting Procedures (https://corp.arisia.org/MeetingProcedures). This meeting will serve to ensure new members of the corporation may vote in the regular November Corporate Meeting. I would like to acknowledge that this feels to me, and to many others, to be against the spirit of our Bylaws which state that “Voting rights are granted at the end of the first meeting the member attends after joining.” However, I believe when both options result in an injustice the lesser must be chosen.

On that note I would like to make a personal plea, right now. In this moment Arisia is in urgent and important need of volunteers in the Corporation, Executive Board, and Convention Committee. In several months and years the work required may not be urgent but it will remain important. I ask now for people, who are willing and able, to come to meetings, make their voices heard, and vote for an Executive Board they believe in. I also ask for people to elect leaders who not only willing work to improve the culture of safety and inclusiveness at Arisia, but who are capable and willing to put in the important and mundane work down the line.

Logistical details such as accessibility and transportation can be found on the events Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/events/1962717897361464/

Signed,
Gregorian Hawke for the Eboard