SAINTCON Hallway - Joe Grand

Meet Joe Grand, aka Kingpin, a prominent hacker and speaker, as he shares his journey from troublemaker to mental health advocate, discussing hacking handles, first DEFCON badge, and running as a coping mechanism.

Key takeaways

Joe Grand, also known as Kingpin, is a well-known hacker and speaker in the hacking community.
He shares his story, including his early days as a troublemaker and a skateboarder, and how he got into hacking.
He talks about being arrested as a juvenile and the stigma that comes with it, but how he eventually found his way back into the community.
He shares his experiences with mental health, including anxiety and depression, and how he found meditation to be a helpful coping mechanism.
He discusses the concept of handles, or nicknames, in the hacking community and how they are used to protect identities.
He talks about the first DEFCON badge, which was a simple concept that allowed people to share their own unique identifier.
He shares his experiences with running, including training and competing, and how it has helped him with mental health.
He highlights the importance of acknowledging and using one’s handles to move forward.
He talks about the impact of the DEVCON badge on the community and how it continues to evolve.
He shares his own humorous stories and anecdotes from his experiences in the hacking community.

SAINTCON Hallway - Joe Grand

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