London: Part of Europe

~ Cheryl

A London in 2014 Progress Report dropped into my email last week. I haven’t read it yet, but Mike Glyer is much more on the ball and has noted the existence of a committee structure for the Worldcon (assuming it passes the formality of an uncontested bid in Chicago). The team has a refreshingly European feel to it:

  • Eemeli Aro (Finland) is Division Head for Hospitality;
  • James Bacon (Ireland) is Division Head for Programming;
  • Nicholas Whyte (British but I believe resident in Brussels) is Division Head for Promotions;
  • Kees Van Torn (Netherlands) is Division Head for Publications;
  • Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf (Sweden) is Deputy Division Head for Services.

I note also that Farah Mendlesohn (Division Head for Exhibits) is Jewish, and Rita Medany (Division Head for Services) is (to my knowledge) the first POC to chair an Eastercon. Of course there are some Americans on the team as well, and quite a few people that Mitt Romney would recognize as British, but I’m pleased at the level of diversity on the team.

7 thoughts on “London: Part of Europe”

  1. The delightful Mr Whyte is British, Irish and Belgian, since collecting passports is one of his hobbies.

    He is also the Prince of Darkness of the Discworld dwarves, being an excellent man to have runnin your election campaign.

    1. Being born in Northern Ireland tends to give you a head start 🙂

      As does having an Irish parent.

  2. My two PAs are both US tho, although one is now a British Citizen (and is busy replenishing the population).

    1. Both, Jewish quakers are a small, select group, but we exist.

      The short version is that I am an Orthodox Jew who tried the logical step of Reform but never felt comfortable. I’m more comfortable further away than with a compromise (if that makes sense?).

      If in the US I’d probably have ended up Conservative, but we don’t have that movement here. Life decisions may well take me back eventually, as I feel “lapsed” rather than “ex”.

      1. Fascinating. Thank you for the explanation.

        It explains the confusion I had reading some of your comments on this.

  4. As a point of trivia, and an ethnically Jewish (lifelong atheist) former Worldcon committee member, I’ll note that there have been so many Jewish Worldcon committee members that one couldn’t count, but hundreds, and even if we’re restricting ourselves to modern-day Division heads, it would be Many.

    Not that I object to the mention! As I said, as a point of trivia.

    (And it’s less common in Britain than in the U.S.)

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