Hello. I’m an arts grad. In 2014 I helped report what was the largest data breach Australia had ever suffered at the time https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/19/asylum-seekers-identities-revealed-in-immigration-department-data-lapse

In 2011-12 I founded a world wide decentralised movement promoting privacy rights and access to cryptography https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryptoParty

I was a key curator of info on Wikileaks from 2008-11, gaining a massive following of journalists and hackers seeking info on the issue

I have worked as a comms specialist for a politician and for a multinational selling AIOps

I’ve worked in content curation for a platform that sold content to the NYTimes; as a social media consultant to a platform that made US$71.985 billion in 2020; and as a social media staffer to a government agency

Recently a grassroots campaign I worked on resulted in the government agreeing to pay back $721 million https://amp.abc.net.au/article/12299410

Currently I have a privacy complaint involving 270k+ students and teachers with the Victorian Information Commissioner

My grammar and spelling still sucks. But that’s not why I sat through three years of Cultural Studies tutorials on Frankenstein and Buffy or Politics lectures on Gender and Conflict

I still have a HECS debt more than fifteen years after graduating with a double specialisation in Criminology and Communications/Media

But I would do the same degree all over again if I had the chance: studying serial killers and protest history at @MonashUni gave me an understanding of the world that has influenced my politics and my activism ever since

I don’t have much of a technical education. My 10 year old has better maths skills than I do. But I am proud to be a human rights defender focusing on digital platforms. An Arts degree helped give me the tools to be what I am

And no, my Arts degree didn’t help me find traditional jobs. It helped me discover issues and campaigns that employed me in working on old human rights issues viciously re-emerging on new digital platforms

I get that the government doesn’t think Arts degrees are useful. But they’re wrong

Currently I volunteer with @AusUnemployment as a media strategist. I go where I’m needed, I do the work I think needs doing and I try to plant seeds for a better future

My income relies on patronage. I exist because ppl want me to exist: crotchety and angry and odd and outspoken. And a good part of the strength to continue comes from having studied criminalisation and resistance and poverty

Oh and sometimes I tweet about garden and kitchen witchery because these things are best things of every day for me