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Steward Roles

Stewards are coordination roles that keep the cell functioning. They are not leaders in a hierarchical sense — they are facilitators who hold specific responsibilities.

Core Steward Roles

Segment Leads

Responsibility: Coordinate activities within ONE segment only.

  • Manage the segment's Signal group
  • Onboard new members to the segment (after vetting)
  • Match volunteers to needs within the segment
  • Ensure segment members follow security practices

Visibility: Only their own segment members. Does not know members of other segments.


Logistics Coordinators

Responsibility: Match needs to resources across the cell without knowing identities.

  • Receive requests (anonymized or minimal info)
  • Route requests to appropriate segment leads
  • Track capacity without tracking people
  • Identify gaps in coverage

Visibility: Sees segment leads, sees request types — does NOT see member identities or operational details.


Onboarding Stewards

Responsibility: Vet and train new members before they join a segment.

  • Conduct initial conversations with prospects
  • Verify vouching from existing members
  • Deliver security training
  • Assign to appropriate segment after probationary period

Visibility: Knows new prospects and their vouchers only. Does not have ongoing access to segment membership.


Communications Steward

Responsibility: Maintain secure communication infrastructure.

  • Set up and manage Signal groups
  • Ensure proper group permissions and settings
  • Respond to security incidents (compromised devices, etc.)
  • Train members on communication security

Visibility: Knows group structure — does NOT participate in operational discussions.


Steward Principles

1. Stewards Are Servants, Not Bosses

Stewardship is responsibility, not authority. Stewards facilitate; they don't command.

2. Stewards Know Other Stewards

For coordination, stewards may know each other. This is a limited exception to segment isolation.

     Segment Lead ←→ Logistics Coordinator
           ↑                  ↑
           └──────────────────┘
              (Know each other)
              
     Segment Members ✗ Other Segment Members
              (Do NOT know each other)

3. Stewards Can Be Removed

If a steward violates principles, the cell can remove them. No one is irreplaceable.

4. Rotate When Possible

Concentrated knowledge is concentrated risk. Where practical, rotate steward roles.

Becoming a Steward

Stewards emerge from trusted members who:

  1. Have been active in a segment for significant time (6+ months suggested)
  2. Demonstrate commitment to security practices
  3. Are vouched for by multiple existing members
  4. Complete additional steward training
  5. Are confirmed by existing stewards

This is not a promotion — it's accepting additional responsibility.

Steward Security

Stewards hold more knowledge than regular members. Extra precautions:

  • Stewards should have the strongest device security
  • Stewards should use separate devices for coordination if possible
  • Stewards should have a succession plan (who takes over if they're unavailable)
  • Stewards should regularly audit their own access (do I need to know this?)

← Segments | Trust & Vouching →

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