I am extremely proud of the work I did for Samuels Public Library. Not everything that was done for the library was my doing, I don't want to take credit for other people's work or blur the lines of my representation. Therefore below you will find an archive of my public work as it pertains to the Library issue. If you have questions please feel free to ask me directly.
There are plenty of things I did in the capacity of mundane 'behind the scenes', everyday operational stuff... again if you'd like to know more about that reach out!
I officially resigned Aug 28, 2023. However my departure was in the works before that, my last real activity with the group Save Samuels was the Christmas in July event.
Why I resigned - it was time. It is what was best for Samuels (which was always my consideration), so it's what I did. I never really left the 'fight'. I just stepped out of the public eye and went back to my work with FOSL.
If you'd like to see my official statement, it's included below.
Not to sound boastful, but I appeared in a lot of media over the past year. In some of those cases, without my consent. I believe in free speech and freedom of the press, so I am not upset about that. I cannot however say that they are a fair representation of me, my character, or my words. Below are the ones that I actively participated. Being 'left out' doesn't mean it's somehow inaccurate. I may just be unaware of it's publication. If you have questions why an article was excluded, or if one accurately portrays my views you can feel free to reach out. But yes, the ones that called me offensive names and spread slander were not included in this list on purpose, plus I didn't actively participate in those articles.
This is part of my journey, part of who I am. I understand that I am going to be seeking employment in a field that may not always appreciate the level of attention I drew to the library and myself. I can't run from what I did here. By openly sharing and expressing my willingness to discuss my part in it, I hope people will see the professionalism I held during the events. I believe one can be a security professional that is passionate about the access of information, and the best way I can explain what I mean is to show you. I'd rather you hear it from me, than see some of the misinformation. I understood there was potential for impacts on my career. My choice going forward is to hide it (which I highly doubt would work) or lean into it. I believe(d) that because of my career, it was my duty to fight for the library. See my speech below if you'd like to know what I mean.
I participated in two television interviews.
WUSA9 - video and article
Still looking for the link to the other.
The Daily News-Record Article about Michelle Ross' Resignation - includes statement from me as a library volunteer.
Good evening Board Members,
My name is Sydney, I am a Front Royal resident, and a CyberSecurity professional. At the
foundation of CyberSecurity is the CIA triangle, it represents the Confidentiality, Integrity and the Availability of data/information. As a professional it is my duty to protect these aspects from threat actors, more colically known as hackers. The image of a shadowy guy in a hoodie is a misnomer. There are several different types, like activists and extremists that wish to push their collective agenda on the wider populace. One common, currently popular, way of doing that is through ransomware. Extremely simplified, that means that through a process like encryption data is locked away and won't be returned until a ransom is paid, often monetary but not always.
Here is the thing people in the industry know, if you pay the ransom, and do receive a key, there
is no guarantee about the state of the data. It could have been altered, or it may be corrupted.
But most definitely paying the ransom has emboldened the attackers. If they don't attack you again, they will certainly attack someone else.
This is relevant because the Cyber in my title implies that my work is digital, when in fact there
are physical attacks too. What we have here against Samuels is an attack on the availability of
information that one group does not like; and they are asking for you to ransom that institution into compliance.
I don't get to pick the data I protect, nor do I get to decide how end users use that data. I have
to trust in the management to make those decisions. In this case that's the parents, even ones that are viewed as neglectful. You guys are now joining me in this battle. I am asking you to
take on the duty of protecting the availability of this data to the entire community by trusting in
the management, parents, to control the end users, children, under their care.
I love the library, it is a repository of information. I trust the professionals that work there to
create a diverse collection with materials that the community requests and utilizes. I may not
like all the materials in the library, but I understand it's their job to serve more than just me and my beliefs. They have a Masters degree in Library Science, I don't so I will stay in my
CyberSecurity lane and assist them anyway I can. I thank them for being amazing, and I thank
you, the board, for giving us this democratic process. I understand that it can sometimes be a
thankless position, but like information, it's vital to our country.
Thank you!
The time has come -
Samuels Public Library Supporters,
When this all started back in May, no one knew what was going to happen. There was a part of me that was worried no one would show up, but you guys did! No one expected to have our funding delayed till the end of summer, but here we are. When the funding was delayed, to maintain the integrity of my position in FOSL, I gave up part of my job to another board member.
The expectation was that at the end of summer, I’d come back. Well it’s the end of summer and I must go back. I must return home, where I belong. I need to be in the place where I can do the most good for the institution we all love.
I leave the leadership in the hands of Kelsey. With my departure the group is able to continue to expand and do its own thing. It’s been a privilege to be able to serve my community and I know the cause will continue. This isn’t over, but it’s time I get back to work.
So thank you for your trust in me during this campaign. The love shown for the library gives me hope for the future. This isn’t goodbye, it’s just see you back in the library!
Sydney Patton
There are two instances where I was uncredited for my words, both by the Royal Examiner.
Article one - The library patron that brought up the age of the children to be left unattended was 12, to be corrected that it was 10. And later the library clarified it was actually 11. I was the library patron.
Article two - just after the announcement of SPL only receiving 25% of their funding (kicking the can down the road). After the event I was quoted that I hoped this decision (delay the full funding) was so they (the supervisors) could take the proper time to understand and fully assess the situation thus making the decision that will be reflect the community. - I am having trouble locating the online article since my name isn't in it.
Sydney Patton
Copyright © 2024 Sydney Patton - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.