Since day one, BSides Leeds has been about more than just the usual cyber conference crowd. We’ve always wanted it to be a space for people who might not normally attend, whether that’s because of cost, confidence, or just feeling like these events aren’t “for them”.
We’ve spoken before about things like speaker diversity, our code of conduct, social interaction indicators, and having quiet and prayer rooms. But something we’ve quietly done from the start is set aside free, discounted, and reserved tickets for groups that are under-represented in cyber and the wider hacker community.
We usually reach out to groups we already know, but we know there are plenty we don’t. If that’s you, please drop us a message. We’d love to chat about how we can support you and make the event more accessible.
The same goes for speaking. If you, or people in your community, have thought about giving a talk but feel a bit unsure about putting yourselves forward, we’ve got you. We offer mentoring for first-time speakers, and with our growing network, we may even be able to pair you with someone who really gets your background or perspective.
We’re always trying to make each year better than the last. If you’ve got feedback, especially from the perspective of an under-represented group, we’re all ears.