Public Announcement | Petition | Request

Caught In A Blackout

When The Lights Of Illumination Are Forced Out

UPDATE: As of April 25th, 2020, after just 24 hours, Illumination has been relit. We’re back on track and I am working through countless great submissions from our writers. Thank you for your efforts!

Today is a sad day for the Illumination community. We have put so much sweat and effort into supporting each one of us, growing as a community that has quickly developed into a second family to me.

We have since started building a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

I personally was curated 5 times in the only 19 days since I joined the Illumination publication. Before I joined Illumination, I got 1 view a day.

As you may have noticed, this article is published without any publication behind it. Because the lights of Illumination have been forced out in a sudden blackout. I sit in the dark. And I dwell about the how and why.

The founder of Illumination, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, is a well-known personality in Australia, where he is associated with an internationally recognized company, as well as a thought leader in Design Thinking with Thinkers360 and the technology industry in general. He has published many books on technological topics and is well acclaimed. All his records are publicly available for verification. You can learn more about him on his website: https://digitialmehmet.com

A man of such reputation would never risk publicly damaging it.

Yet he has been accused of serious allegations, which resulted in the sudden shut-down of his personal account along with the publication he has treated as his own child. Medium Staff is currently investigating these allegations.

In the meantime, we all sit in the dark. Close to 300 writers, who share the same goal of growing together, suddenly feel pretty similar to the many workers in the world that have been laid-off in the wake of the corona crisis.

Our rights removed, our articles put back into our own hands, our visibility impaired. And not even an email to explain this injustice. Thank you very much.

I was asked a few days ago by Sherry McGuinn to answer to a writing prompt of hers. The goal was to write about “What I miss in the current crisis” in the form of poetry. I live in Japan, where no lockdown has yet happened. The danger is not imminent. So I wondered, what do I miss in a lockdown that has not hit me yet? I couldn’t think of a fitting poem for days. Ironically, since of today, I got my answer. I miss Illumination. I miss my second family.

When lights go out and fade to black I mourn, I cry, I weep Lost and alone, without a hint I lost my family I beg you gods I pray and hope Bring back this part of me No lockdown yet but still alone Staring at this screen Suddenly my home was gone I see injustice happening

Well, Sherry McGuinn, I hope that counts. I know it’s not good, but let’s call it a day, shall we?

Our writers are standing tall. We stand united. And we don’t let this injustice go unnoticed. We were born with mouths, so we can talk. We were born with ears, so we can listen. And we were born with the ability to reason.

So I hope these allegations will quickly be proven baseless and intangible. Here’s hope that Medium will recognize the whole scope of what the Dr. has been silently bearing as to not escalate things further.

Let us hope that this is just a blackout.

P.S.: Medium Staff, I urge you to also investigate the people who have raised accusations against this man. I won’t go as far as to call it a conspiracy yet. I lack the evidence to support such a drastic stance. But it would not be the first time, people try to sabotage his efforts with ill-intent.

I hereby testify publicly my trust in this man and the publication he has created with nothing but goodwill. So do many others.

If you accuse this man and the Illumination publication of anything, I feel accused all the same.

And I am really disappointed.

EDIT:

Here’s what our other writers are saying about all this (will grow as more writers contribute):

Kevin is an editor and writer for the ILLUMINATION publication. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.