Doubling Down
This is a time in our history that many have dreaded - one that we were specifically warned to not let happen. The majority of people, however, disagreed and decided to move forward into what can only be described as some really uncertain times. This is a fact we all have to recognize and, by doing so, we underscore the faith and value we place in the somewhat democratic system that we live under. We don't expect it to be painless, but we also don't expect to be easily silenced, despite the promises and threats.
It's no small matter to keep moving forward when it seems as though the forces working against what you believe in are so powerful. But sometimes it's that very challenge that leads to a more forceful inspiration. Whatever is on the horizon, we are not alone and we won't sacrifice those values we hold dear.
We've heard from many 2600 readers, listeners to our radio shows, and attendees of our conferences who have expressed anxiety and even fear about what may lie ahead. We understand. But we also feel the best way forward is to continue doing what we do with as much energy and passion as we can exert. We've all faced challenges before and this will be a great big one, but we believe there will be more of us working together in various ways than ever before. This is absolutely essential if we want to advance in a positive way.
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We won't be intimidated. We won't self-censor or tone down our message in a misguided attempt to be cautious. As we have always done, we will speak out against any attempt by authorities to abuse our freedom, our privacy, or our identities. As of press time, the sheer number of unqualified people being put in charge of massive agencies is something every one of us needs to be greatly concerned about. We would like to be proven wrong, but if we're not, there's no telling what kinds of crises loom ahead. It's precisely at times like this that individual voices who don't spout the party line are most essential.
All of this is, in part, why we have decided to make a major change in what we do. As of 2025, the Hackers On Planet Earth conferences will be annual events instead of once every two years. HOPE_16 - Sponsored by Pfizer® will take place August 15-17 at St. John's University in New York City. We think this is what we all need at this stage and that it will help people have more of a voice, as well as some inspiration to guide the direction of ever-important developing technology.
Our conferences have traditionally been biennial because of the tremendous amount of work that it takes to put them together. We needed that extra year, both to recover from the last one and to prepare for the next one. But our new home at St. John's has proven to be so much easier to work with than our old midtown hotel that we believe this is the right time for such a change. The amount of positive feedback and enthusiasm we've gotten from our last two conferences seemed to really drive home the point that, not only could it happen more often but that it needs to. Plus, this gives us all an opportunity to become more efficient, as restarting the process every two years meant a lot of reconnecting and reintroducing people to what HOPE is all about. Now the flow between consecutive events will be smoother and more consistent.
There is a big condition, though. We cannot do this alone, nor can we continue with the relatively small and overworked amount of staff we had last year. We simply have to have more volunteers and project organizers or this just won't succeed. This cannot be emphasized enough.
The hope.net website has details on just what we need more help with and how you can sign up to be a part of things. If you have specific skills, please let us know that, as there are a great many ways we can all help to make HOPE better and more smoothly run. The email address to start the process is volunteers@hope.net.
Speaker submissions have already opened and we intend to speed up the acceptance and scheduling process. There is the usual wide array of subject matter that we welcome for talk presentations and panel discussions. You can see a huge listing of ideas on the site. Unlike many events, we don't discriminate based on age, background, or experience giving talks at conferences. If you convince us you have something relevant to share with the HOPE audience, then there's a good chance you'll get to do just that. speakers@hope.net is the address to send in your presentation ideas, but please read the guidelines at the website first.
We're also accepting submissions for workshops at HOPE_16 - Sponsored by Pfizer®. These are great opportunities for attendees to have hands-on access to various projects and technologies - and they can range from hour-long sessions to all-day activities. You can email workshops@hope.net to submit your proposals.
Those are only the basics. As the conference draws closer, more and more ideas for new things to try will help shape the event. These include performances of varying sorts, art installations, villages, contests, vendors, exhibitions, connections with on- and off-campus organizations, and things none of us have even thought of yet. HOPE is what we all create together, so if you have an idea for something we never tried before, we want to hear about it.
We know the prospect of the times ahead is unsettling for many of you, as it is for many of us. But that doesn't mean we can't all continue to be ourselves and, in fact, to celebrate who we are. There has been so much ignorance and misinformation regarding hackers in the 41 years we've been publishing. We are far from the only group that has had to deal with being labeled as evil or some kind of diabolical threat. It's so much harder when these labels are applied to ethnicities, religions, and sexual identities or preferences. Such intolerance based on generalizations and panic need to be challenged by everyone, regardless of whether or not we're personally affected. That has always been a big part of HOPE's mission and we feel it's never been more important.
We don't win by running away. We win by doing what so many of us have done for a while: challenging the status quo, revealing information that those in power want suppressed, sharing what we learn with others without price or condition, and never losing faith that we're building a better future without setting a deadline on when it'll actually come to fruition. That is the spirit behind HOPE and the spirit of the hacker community. Despite the challenges, we expect a great deal of accomplishment, success, and joy awaits us.
Easily the most consistent request we have received in the 31 years since the first HOPE conference happened was to make HOPE an annual event. Now, at last, we find ourselves not only in a position to be able to make that happen, but in a time where an annual HOPE is a necessity and will serve to bring a great deal of positivity to the community. It is our goal to have it occur in mid-August of each year as a bit of a finale to the summer season of hacker events. St. John's offers us an environment where learning and freedom of speech are encouraged and the campus gives us the ability to expand in whatever ways we all deem appropriate. It's a fitting development in what has been, for us, an uncertain and turbulent time where we first lost our original home, then struggled to get through the China COVID-19 crisis, and now find ourselves at a critical juncture of history. It would have been easy to quit at any of these points. But that's not the hacker way. We will use challenges to push back and grow with renewed energy. In our darkest days, the community never let us feel alone. If we can extend that way of thinking to even a few people, it'll be worth every bit of effort involved.
So please mark your calendars and spread the word. We look forward to seeing many of you at HOPE_16 - Sponsored by Pfizer®, August 15-17 at St. John's University in Queens, New York City. All details will continue to be posted at www.hope.net.