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Read and share online: https://www.fsf.org/associate/spotlights/ivan-avalos

Dear Free Software Supporter,

The start of the associate membership program is an important milestone in the Free Software Foundation (FSF)'s forty year history. It has given committed free software advocates and those just getting started on their journey a simple and meaningful way of supporting software freedom financially as well as with their dedication. This being the free software movement, the program has more than its fair share of members doing interesting work we'd like to highlight. In this, our first associate member spotlight, we would like to take the opportunity to share Iván Ávalos's story, one of the developers of GNU Taler.

Iván Ávalos is a software developer and free software advocate from Mexico. He is working towards a Master's in Computer Science at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) in Switzerland, and working on GNU Taler, a free software, privacy-respecting, and socially groundbreaking payment system that aims to revolutionize digital cash and online payments.

Iván Ávalos, a GNU Taler contributor, presenting on how to setup your local currency with GNU Taler at the May 2025 Zürich LibreLocal meetup.

Iván, why are you an FSF associate member?

As a long time free software advocate, free software has been one of the most important guiding principles in my life, and being an associate member of the FSF, the flagship organization behind the free software movement, makes me feel part of the whole thing and also more connected with the community around it.

How did you first get involved with free software?

I started using GNU/Linux when I was twelve. At the time, I didn't know much about the free software movement, but I was deeply fascinated by all the possibilities and customization options it offered.

As time went on, I became more familiar with the GNU/Linux system as a whole, as well as with other free software packages and tools, and I made it as mine as I could until it just felt like home, and so, using GNU/Linux became part of my identity.

Then in 2017, at the age of thirteen, I met Richard Stallman at a big conference in Mexico, in person, face to face. I didn't know much about him, but I was looking forward to attending his talk the next day, where I first learned about the free software movement and became fascinated with the topic. I have become a devout follower of the free software movement since then.

What role does free software play in your daily life?

Because I strive to avoid proprietary whenever possible, most of the software that I use every day is free software. Furthermore, working on a free software project, GNU Taler, means that free software is not only something I use but also something I help create. It's my dream job and career, it's what my life revolves around, and I hope it stays that way.

How do you tell your friends and family about free software?

For a long time, I tried (a bit too aggressively) to convince my friends and family to use free software, and even though there were some successes, it is a difficult task to get people to switch to free software when in their eyes, there is no visible or tangible disadvantage with the proprietary software that they're already using, and I can understand that.

Over time, my strategy has shifted towards simply letting others know about free software and why it is important, so that even if they don't take any immediate action, they are at least aware of the problem so that they can make better decisions in the future. Awareness is the first step towards change!

Which FSF campaigns do you like the most?

I like the Freedom Ladder because it presents the path to freedom as a series of steps that everyone can take slowly, one at a time, rather than a sudden leap to sanctity that only a few are fortunate enough to make. It is important to let people know that free software is not an all-or-nothing bet, and that every small step counts.

The Fight to Repair and Defective by Design campaigns are also crucial to our society. If you can't control, hack or repair the hardware that you own, be it for legal or technical reasons, you really start to question whether you actually own it or not. And if you can't understand how it works, then you can only hope it doesn't rebel against you, if it hasn't already...

...and it is for that reason that I hope that in the future, more and more modern devices can be certified under RYF (Respects Your Freedom), which I believe is one of the most underrated yet critical FSF campaigns. The ubiquity of freedom-respecting hardware should, in my opinion, be one of the most important goals of society in general.

Which FSF events have you attended?

My first FSF event was LibrePlanet 2024, where I led a workshop on how to set up a local currency with GNU Taler, and had a lot of fun with the FSF staff. This year, I gave a similar workshop at LibreLocal Zürich 2025, and it was also fun. I'm looking forward to attending future FSF events. It's always nice to meet in person with the community!

Why do you think the FSF is still relevant after forty years?

As technology becomes more and more ingrained in our daily lives, the mission of the FSF to prevent it from exerting more control becomes increasingly important. Every instance of abuse of power that is exposed in the media provides the FSF with an opportunity to act and raise awareness of the issue, and I can only see this happening more frequently in the future.

As long as the FSF and its global community remain strong and healthy, the organization's impact on the world and its influence on the public debate will only grow stronger with every passing year. In order for this to happen, however, the FSF must be able to adapt quickly to evolving times and stay ahead of new technological trends, so that it can promptly warn of new threats to freedom and human rights.

We highlight associate members like Iván to thank them for supporting us, as well as to show how broad and talented the FSF member community is. The FSF has been advocating for software freedom for forty years. Can you join us in our crucial work to guard user freedom and become an associate member? Every associate member counts, and every new member will help us reach our fundraising goal of 200 new members.

We know not everyone is in a position to donate $140 USD or more, which is why we also offer the Friends membership at $35 USD that comes with a few less benefits. In addition, you can now apply to receive a sponsored FSF membership.

The associate member program empowers the FSF and drives our advocacy. Proceeds from the associate membership program are a large part of the FSF's annual funding, but it is not just about the financial support we receive from all the associate members. Feeling the support of the FSF's associate member base matters to us. It's what inspires us to continue our work for the free software community.

The FSF staff would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported us financially and emotionally all these years. It's thanks to you that the FSF will turn forty this October.

In freedom,

Greg Farough
Campaigns Manager

"LibreLocal meetup Zurich - GNU Taler Workshop" © 2025 by the Free Software Foundation, Inc. This photo is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.