Support Narwhal 2019!
$5,650
Raised
37
Donations
$3,500
Goal
Narwhal exists as the confluence of two separate ideas in the information security community:
- We need a space where people doing world-focused work in information security---the work where security meets law, policy, ethics, politics, academia, and the other places where security interacts with more than just technology---can meet, talk, scheme, and learn from each other.
- We need a space for people who for people who don't hate on education, diverse backgrounds, certifications, and/or anything that reminds us that there is more than one way to do and/or be security.
This is the fourth year of Narwhal in Las Vegas. Our history, thus far:
- In 2016, the Narwhal concept was born, with wood badges and good intentions all around, but without a space just yet. That year, a bunch of policy wonks realized that there wasn't any good space to get a drink and scheme where they could hear themselves think, let alone speak!
- In 2017, therefore, Narwhal expanded from a concept to a side event at Hacker Summer Camp (Black Hat, Security BSides Las Vegas, and DEF CON), with a suite at the Flamingo (just across a skybridge from DEF CON). For a week, the suite provided hangout and working space, interesting discussions, a night of highly-interactive talks from four interesting speakers, and a few drinks that people actually enjoyed (the latter quality being in seemingly short supply in Las Vegas, for some reason).
- In 2018, we did it again, and better this time. We expanded the talks to three nights, so seven speakers will got a chance to present in our unique format: a 15 minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.
- In 2019, we're back, still in the Flamingo (while DEF CON moves around us, we still have a skybridge to the conference venue!), and we plan to have two nights of talks, along with reserving Wednesday night (and potentially others) exclusively to provide a space for Narwhals to hang out, enjoy some quiet, and talk to other imaginary aquatic mammals.
To do all of this, though, we need your help.
This year, we're not running a Kickstarter campaign; we're exclusively using Donorbox to collect funds for Narwhal. (This is partially due to the success of Donorbox last year, and partially because Kickstarter's fees are nontrivial.) We hope to raise the same amount as last year (the event cost almost exactly what we raised!), and we will once again be giving badges to supporters. (This year, we'll try a new badge material---this "printed circuit board" that has been making the rounds.)
Your contributions go to support the space, glassware, refreshments, stickers, badges, nametags, and all the little stuff that makes Narwhal feel like the place you've enjoyed in the past.
We hope that you'll be willing to support this group once again, and create the space you want to see in Vegas!