Friday, July 22, 2016: 6:00 pm (Friedman): Learning about encryption tools can be intimidating. If you don’t feel comfortable with a computer, or are deathly afraid of some long-winded mansplaining of how something works, it’s probably a nightmare or doesn’t feel worth doing at all. And who cares about combating NSA surveillance when you get frustrated/annoyed at “all this computer stuff?” Enter the Crypto Party: a nonhierarchical space to get together and ask questions, learn from each other, and ideally to leave the event with encryption and anonymity tools set up on your computer. It’s a space to eat snacks, get answers, and, if no one knows, you can figure it out together. There are solutions to resist surveillance, but it is still a problem of accessibility to get the solutions to the people in a way they can understand. And there are already enough borders in this world! In this talk, Comet Crowbar will share her experience with organizing monthly crypto parties in the Boston area. Having been “crypto-ized” while living in Berlin, she was inspired by the do-it-yourself crypto parties she encountered there, and has aspired to bring the idea back to occupied Turtle Island. And so far, so good. Comet will also show examples of her zines and artwork that she uses as a medium to bring political issues to the mainstream by creating culture. Become the media! And start a crypto party in your hometown. This talk is for everyone and will be using accessible language.

Comet Crowbar