<p>The hacker community strives to develop and exchange cutting-edge ideas. A key component of achieving that goal is continuing to involve new people in the community, since they can add fresh perspectives from which to view all types of hacking. However, either because of the perception of the hacker community as something secretive or nervousness about interacting with people who are supposedly more knowledgeable, it can be a daunting experience for someone new to not only get involved, but also to want to remain involved in the community. This talk aims to make people in the hacker community aware of the concerns that people new to it face, and provide concrete steps for building a culture of making new people feel welcomed and valuable.</p>
<p><strong>Nicolle (“Rogueclown”) Neulist</strong> is a founding member of Pumping Station: One, the hackerspace in Chicago. She first encountered the hacker community in the spring of 2008, and her first hacker conference was The Last HOPE. She’s dedicating her talk to all of the fascinating, brilliant, and welcoming people that she has met since then who have helped her realize that the hacker community is home, and who have taught her everything she has learned in the last two years.</p>