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Dear Free Software
Supporter,

2019 has been an eye-opening, transformative year for free software
and the Free Software Foundation (FSF), bringing some major changes
both internally and in the world around us. As we navigate these
changes, we are guided by the FSF's founding vision -- the four
freedoms that define free software, and our mission to make all
software be compatible with human freedom. It must be honest,
transparent, and shareable, and it must truly work in service of its
users.

For the last sixteen years, I have been steeped in these principles,
and along with so many of you, have absorbed them into my heart and
soul. Thank you for being a member of this community, for your
advocacy and code and commitment. It is your support that has put us
in a position to be able to face new challenges, and to continue
evolving into an organization that can last for as long as the work
still needs to be done.

Over the last month and a half, we've been sharing [highlights of the
work][1] our campaigns, licensing, tech, and operations team have done
in 2019. We don't have a full-time position dedicated to fundraising,
so you've heard these details directly from the people doing the work.
I'm proud of what our teams have accomplished this year with your
support: huge steps forward for the Respects Your Freedom product
certification program, significant updates to the infrastructure we
provide for thousands of free software developers and users worldwide,
an impactful International Day Against Digital Restrictions
Management, a successful pilot program to teach public school students
about free software, and of course our new [ShoeTool][2] video. Our
intense focus on program work earned us another 4-star top rating from
Charity Navigator.

[1]: [link removed]
[2]: [link removed]

Author and activist Cory Doctorow [said recently of the FSF][3], "You
interact with code that they made possible a million times a day, and
they never stop working to make sure that the code stays free." We
need your help now to be able to continue this work. But we can't stop
there. We need to take the free software vision much further in 2020.
We have to be better in the areas of mobile devices, network services,
software-driven cars, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

[3]: [link removed]

Most of all, we need to do better at communicating and spreading the free
software vision in different ways so that others, from all walks of
life, will join us in tackling these problems. This means building a
stronger, kinder, more united, and powerful community.

We are behind on our goal of welcoming 600 new associate members by
December 31st. But I know we can still reach that goal. In my sixteen
years, I have seen hundreds of new people join in a week. Can you be
[one of those people][4], and join us in our [year-end push][5]? You'll receive
some special [thank you gifts][5].

[4]: [link removed]
[5]: [link removed]


Thank you for everything you've done for free software, and for
believing in us to carry the vision forward into 2020.

In freedom,

John Sullivan
Executive Director and Vice President

--
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Sent from the Free Software Foundation,

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