Wikipedia:Esperanza

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Esperanza is an association of Wikipedians dedicated to strengthening Wikipedia's sense of community. It is primarily involved in establishing and maintaining a support network for its members, who want to build a place where Wikipedians can go for hope and reassurance. Esperanza is designed to be an approachable, small community designed to recognize situations where hope, reassurance, or help are needed, and match those who desire help with those who offer it.

Esperanza takes its name from the Spanish word for hope in the spirit of offering hope. Spanish is used in the hope that a segment of the Wikipedia community will never again break away from the community as a portion of the Spanish Wikipedia did to form Enciclopedia Libre.

Chat with other Esperanzans at #wikipedia-esperanza!

Esperanza Charter
Members list – Those who meet the membership requirements may add their name here.
Current Programs
Current stress alerts
Stress Unit – Conference room for the Stress Unit.
Calendar – Add your important dates to the calendar.
Images – Logos, etc.
Election Information
Spamlist – List yourself here if you would like Redwolf24 to spam you with Esperanza news.

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General philosophy

Since its inception, Wikipedia has grown tremendously as an encyclopedia, as well as an online community. We can all be proud of its phenomenal growth, even though it has led to an increase in the energy and time required to properly maintain Wikipedia and its content. While thousands of Wikipedians cooperate to share this workload, a smaller group of regular contributors bear a disproportionate share of this workload — either by choice or necessity. As a result, those who form the core of the community sometimes experience strains and stress. Newcomers can sometimes be overwhelmed with the task of learning the etiquette of contributing to Wikipedia, and may not become regular contributors if they are treated brusquely by other Wikipedians.

Other efforts within the Wikipedia community help to welcome newcomers and to identify groups of editors with shared interests in particular topics. Associations of editors which allow individuals to associate with others who share similar philosophies toward Wikipedia have existed for some period of time. However, as of September 2005, there has not been a gathering point where editors who have been optimistic about Wikipedia's future could go to communicate with others when their hopes for the project were waning. Sometimes long-time editors become disillusioned because of the ongoing stresses associated with fighting vandalism, trying to mediate edit wars, or dealing with clueless newbies. Even though newcomers to Wikipedia are always welcome, it is also important to retain regular contributors. In certain situations, the stresses and strains on core contributors have led to valued contributors leaving the project. This is undesirable, since these users tend to be exemplary, provide leadership, and are a voice for coordinating tasks to be done. Many times, the community has relied on these generous volunteers to provide guidance — their experience is recognized and valued.

Being a smaller community, Esperanza can better address and recognize the needs of our membership than the greater English Wikipedia community of around 1,000 regular contributors. Many users' problems go unsolved because Wikipedia provides no mechanism for some problems to be addressed in a public forum. For example, some Wikipedians may be bogged down in tasks that they do not particularly enjoy but feel obligated to continue. Esperanza specializes in this: solving the unique problems individual Wikipedians encounter. Esperanza does not resolve user conflicts or POV issues, and will not accept requests to do so.

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More on Esperanza

Esperanza is unique; it is not an alternative to anything because nothing like it exists. We should complement existing institutions by providing services that they do not. Esperanza does not and will not oppose Wikipedia's current power structure, we want to make that very, very, clear — there are mediators, arbitrators and even a board member among our ranks. Esperanza is for everyone. Esperanza will be like Wikipedia's soul, it seeks to comfort and maintain its various parts (users) and will also be introspective of the community as a whole. -JCarriker, Founder.

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Leadership

The leadership of Esperanza is elected in accordance with the Esperanza Charter in periodic elections called by the Administrator General. The Administrator General is the main executive power of Esperanza, assisted and overseen by the Advisory Committee. The current leadership is:

Administrator General