Lesley Carhart Sep 29, 2023
I had a mentoring session last night with a poc I’ve been working with who went to his first local cybersecurity con, recently. He had such a bad experience with people being cliquey there and ignoring him that he’s ready to stop trying to get into the industry. 😥😰 I knew there are some cultural issues at that con and area but had no idea they were so bad, and encouraged him to maybe look at other cities in the US and their cons. Pitch your city’s infosec community and scene and I’ll share with him?
Show threadBinder🅅Sep 29, 2023

@hacks4pancakes
IMO: a very important part of being successful is to develope that "fk you, I'm gonna be successful in spite of you" attitude. That being said, support and a welcoming group can mean a lot.

I really liked the bsides pittsburgh group.

Show threadLesley Carhart Sep 29, 2023
@binder as someone who absolutely had to deal with years of sexism and homophobia to get into infosec, I understand wanting to give up and it’s not on minorities to carry all of that weight in 2023, resilient or not
Show threadPierre D🔤
@hacks4pancakes @binder This, 100%. As Graeber would call it, these "lopsided structures of imaginative identification" (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.14318/hau2.2.007/) have to be recognized, and specifically targetted by Con organizers to create a truly diverse and welcoming event.
Sep 29, 2023 at 5:47pmWeb
Show threadPierre D🔤Sep 29, 2023
@hacks4pancakes @binder Recognizing my semi-cryptic message, what I mean is that Con organizers are in a position of power and thus have to deploy concerted efforts to take the systemic burden from the back of newcomers trying to enter the industry, and make it theirs.