Disclosure: I have volunteered for most of the beginning years at WordCamp Toronto. Not every year. I also missed 2 WCTO events due to events in my personal life. I have never spoken at any WordCamp event. Not because I want to, I don't know why I don't apply.

PLEASE NOTE THAT MY COMMENTS BELOW APPLY TO MOST WORDCAMPS AND NOT THE REGIONALS (WCUS, WCEU, WCASIA, ETC...)
Here are my thoughts: I got interested in WordCamps because of the local community event.

That local community part is sort of missing.

I think it should be local community organizing the WordCamps. Let's take WordCamp Toronto...it should be members of the WordPress Toronto Community (people who live in Toronto), not someone from let's say Vancouver (west end of Canada) or Miami or etc...

Same for speaking.

There are some people who are "professional" speaker and go from WordCamp to WordCamp to other technology events.

We should be supporting local talent.

I remember two people (married to each other) came from the east end of Canada and their session was WP Multisite. I attended their session when they came here years ago. I enjoyed it. Couldn't organizers find local talent in the Toronto area that can talk to WPMS?

However...what defines local? At the Toronto border with let's say Mississauga? What about Hamilton (70 or so km west of Toronto)?

One of the former WCTO organizers (he did a WCTO once I think), he moved to Montreal and helped at least one WC Montreal. Should he be one of the organizers at WCTO? I don't think so. Montreal is in next door province. 5+ driving hours away.

That local element is missing in so much of WCTO. I am using WCTO as an example. I attended other WordCamps across North America over the years. Even some online since the pandemic (even in different languages - which I understood).

I don't like the fact that organizers decide on the sessions and speakers. There should be more transparent and to make sure they are not just giving their friends the publicity to speak.

There is an event in Toronto called PodCamp Toronto. I spoke there many times. Other years I attended without speaking. Never volunteered.

In PCTO...I submit the session I want to do. Just like WordCamps...Organizers for the most part approve. Then attendees will bookmark/favourite the sessions they want to see. For the most part, the most bookmarked/favourited session will be on the final official schedule.

I think WordCamps should be like that. People who want to speak...submit a proposal, attendees choose what the sessions they want to see in the final official schedule. The most popular ones get on the final official schedule.
Of course if 200 people submit "How to install WordPress 101" proposals that at some point the organizers should say...no more, sorry.

I feel unwelcomed in many parts. Not open to other ideas at many events in the WordPress Community.

The local meetup group is all about "let's fix your site" for the past year or two. Somebody switched from having a speaker or two to the "let's fix your site" type meetings.

There was so much drama years ago in WordCamp Toronto. I gave up on volunteering. I don't want to deal with that drama.

I remember in another WordCamp, one of the organizers...that was not from anywhere that City, organized for a few years but that year he/she forcefully got the WordCamp in an inconvenient location. But didn't even attend that year.

There should be fresh blood every few years organizing for WordCamps and Monthly meetup events.

I have not attended the "let's fix your site" events and will not do it.

Session topics for WordCamps and meetup groups should be based on what the local community wants.

Over the past few years I have seen in WCTO more US based speakers and when I went to the US ones (never WCUS), Canadian speakers and from Europe.

I have nothing against people attending or speaking at any WordCamp but I think preference to local speaker.

All the drama and politics of WordCamps should go away. I remember one attendee wore a MAGA hat and organizers were pissed.
If you respectfully disagree with organizers...good luck being on the final schedule.

This is how I feel about the WordPress Community and how I wish it would change for the better.