b-sides pdx 2025

published: 2025-10-26

This past weekend I attended B-Sides PDX 2025, my first in-person hacker conference. I’ve wanted to go to something like this for years, but cost has always been a barrier. Volunteering at the registration desk made it possible, and I’m really glad I took the leap.

Volunteering turned out to be a great way to experience the conference. I got to help folks get checked in, meet other volunteers, and ease into the space before heading to any of the talks or villages. It made the whole event feel more human and less intimidating, which I appreciated as a first-timer.

The Lockpick Village was a major highlight for me. I’ve been casually practicing lock picking for years, but almost entirely on the same few locks. I’d assumed my progress was just muscle memory and repetition. Getting hands-on with unfamiliar locks in person was validating in a way I didn’t expect. I did far better than I thought I would, and it was genuinely exciting. The folks running the village were welcoming, encouraging, and clearly invested in teaching rather than gatekeeping.

The talks I attended were all amazing but tne talk that really stood out was the >redacted talkD3ada55. I won’t summarize it here, partly out of respect for the format and partly because I wouldn't be able to do it justice here.

Beyond the formal programming, the hallway conversations were just as valuable. Talking with people about their work, their projects, and their paths into hacking reminded me how broad and interdisciplinary this community really is. There was a lot of generosity with knowledge, with time, and with encouragement.

I left B-Sides PDX feeling energized, curious, and more confident than I expected. It was a reminder that I do belong in these spaces, even if my path into them has been nonlinear and shaped by constraint as much as intention, and even if my role is that of an eternal n00b and amateur rather than a professional.

I’m deeply grateful to the organizers, the village leads, and the volunteers who made the conference happen, and especially for the chance to participate rather than just observe. I hope this won’t be my last B-Sides.