One year ago, Morgan “Anzekay” White was dismissed from their role as Narrative Director and removed from Null Signal Games. The suddenness of this action sparked widespread concern among NSG volunteers regarding the lack of transparency and accountability of upper leadership. This resulted in discussion among NSG Leadership around how dismissals should be initiated and carried out, and an internal investigation into the firing. What came to light through these processes was that Anzekay’s dismissal was entangled in broader systemic abuses and structural problems, which we have been actively addressing.
We of NSG Leadership would like to formally apologize to Anzekay for what was ultimately an unjust dismissal, for the emotional distress it caused them, and for the length of time it took for this public apology to be possible.
We would also like to acknowledge that there are many other individuals not named here, including current and former NSG staff, who were also harmed during these events. We apologize also to these people. You are all owed better as we move forward.
The investigation into Anzekay’s dismissal found considerable evidence that:
- The case and rationale for the firing was misrepresented.
- In some cases, they were not made aware of complaints against them or given an opportunity to address them.
- Necessary remedial steps and conflict management were neglected and later misrepresented, allowing tension and resentment to escalate.
- The firing itself was communicated and executed in an unacceptable manner that caused them undue stress and confusion.
We have done our best to maintain good-faith correspondence with Anzekay in the time following their dismissal. An apology alone does not correct what has been done, but we hope that our ongoing efforts at organizational reform and honest communication over the past year provide some comfort.
NSG Leadership is in agreement that the lack of any kind of formalized process for conflict resolution in NSG is unacceptable. Furthermore, we acknowledge that the organization’s structure at the time of Anzekay’s dismissal created opportunities for systemic abuse, an inherent lack of accountability, and bottlenecks for communication and process. NSG and its leadership team are presently engaged in an extensive and fundamental reorganization to address these failure points, increase transparency and accountability, and build a more equitable and sustainable project.
