otherWise invites you to a conversation about Dash Chat with Eric Bear of darksoil studio. Dash Chat is a secure messenger designed to work when the internet goes down — like Signal when connectivity is normal, switching to local networks (WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRa) during shutdowns, and bridging between disconnected areas and the global internet when possible. Authoritarianism is rising globally, and internet shutdowns are one of its tools. Access Now documented 296 shutdowns across 54 countries in 2024. Iran has been under a near-total information blockade for months. When authorities cut connectivity, human rights defenders can't document abuse, journalists can't file reports, and a mother can't find out if her child is safe. We're building Dash Chat with communities facing shutdowns in Iran, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and elsewhere — not for them, but with them, through a community-based development process where affected communities shape what gets built. The gathering will be half informational, half workshop: we'll share our approach and roadmap, then explore together where else shutdown-resilient communication matters, what frames and narratives move people, and why — leaving with sharper ways to talk about this work and a deeper shared stake in it.
