Anatoly Yakovenko, one of the co-founders of Solana Labs, expressed feelings of “shame” regarding his earlier comments on the ramifications of a recent Solana Foundation advertisement, labeling it “mean and demeaning to a marginalized community.”
Yakovenko shared these thoughts in a social media update on March 19, showing appreciation for those within the Solana (SOL) ecosystem who quickly highlighted the issue.
He stated:
“I appreciate the developers and artists in the ecosystem who promptly identified this for what it is, both publicly and privately. You are the only bright spot in this entire situation.”
He also committed to keeping the Solana Foundation focused on its fundamental goals of decentralization and open-source software development, rather than getting drawn into cultural discussions.
His remarks indicate an intention to realign the foundation’s focus and respond to community feedback.
Controversial ad triggers criticism
The Solana Foundation encountered considerable backlash after launching a promotional video titled “America is Back — Time to Accelerate.”
Released on March 17, the ad portrayed the US as a man in therapy who struggles to concentrate on innovations like cryptocurrency and space exploration due to societal debates around pronouns and gender identity.
However, the ad faced widespread censure for bringing political issues into the cryptocurrency arena.
Andrew Thurman from the Jito Foundation, which manages the largest project by total value locked on Solana, highlighted the necessity of maintaining neutrality in blockchain initiatives.
Amid escalating criticism, the Solana Foundation removed the video within nine hours of its debut. By that time, it had already accumulated over one million views.
In response to the backlash, Solana Foundation’s Vice President of Technology Matt Sorg clarified that a limited number of individuals were involved in producing the ad. He addressed inquiries from Cinneamhain Ventures partner Adam Cochran, who questioned how the advertisement had advanced through multiple approval stages without raising any concerns.
Cochran further emphasized that transgender developers have made significant contributions to open-source cryptography and security software, arguing that the advertisement overlooked the industry’s history of merit-based achievements.
Sorg detailed that most of the production work had been outsourced to third-party teams and stressed that the advertisement did not reflect the Solana community’s values.
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