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Who?

Github: Bryan Hughes (he/him)

Project: Node.js

Date: 08/22/2017

Why?

Per his blog post, Bryan explains why he’s leaving the Node.js Foundation Technical Steering Committee, stepping down as the chairperson of the Node.js Foundation Commuity Committee, and leaving the Node.js project entirely.

Bryan and some others had noticed that there were some issues with cultural issues with the project, and as a result tried to form a working group to address said issues.

During this time, it became clear to me that there were systemic culture problems in the Node.js project. As a result, a number of us formed the Inclusivity WG to fix these issues around the same time that the Node.js Foundation was formed.

Unfortunately, they had a hard time getting off the ground because of the exisiting leadership in the Technical Steering Committee, among them was a particular individual, Rod, who was source of a majority of the resistance the Inclusivity WG faced.

It didn’t stop there though, Bryan viewed Rod’s behavior as a constant problem. Node.js leadership didn’t seem to view it as a problem, as they ignored his behavior.

Rod had repeatedly shown a lack of judgement in how he acts within the project and with the broader community. He violated the Code of Conduct multiple times, and undermined efforts to increase inclusivity efforts at every step along the way.

The TSC tried to talk to him on numerous occasions as well, but ultimately were not successful. Lacking the support, Bryan was unable to take action into his own hands.

The TSC has tried talking to him on several occasions, but when those inevitably failed the rest of the leadership stopped trying. They were both unwilling and unable to make the hard decisions in this matter, and I was not able to take unilateral action.

Bryan then goes on to mention how a single person isn’t that big of a deal, but the issue was the project’s leadership and the TSC’s lack of action.

The majority of Node.js TSC members have repeatedly shown that they do not want to handle the situation, with some going so far as to say they do not even think there is a problem.

Ultimately, this led to Bryan finally burning out, and eventually leaving the project.

I’ve been doing inclusivity work in Node.js for over two years, and I’m finally burned out too. I can no longer keep doing this sort of work in the Node.js project for the sake of my own mental health. I also cannot be involved in a project with major cultural issues without working to make it better. As such, I have no other choice than to leave the project.