about us

Lorraine Murphy by Robert Shaer

Lorraine Murphy

I’m a digital reporter specializing in cybersecurity, particularly Anonymous, hacktivists, cyberwar, and cryptocurrency, freelancing to a variety of news outlets including Slate, Salon, and Vanity Fair. My specialty is covering the stories that happen where hacking meets revolution. #OpGabon, #OpSafeWinter, #OpAntiBully, and #OpTrapwire are some of the stories I’ve covered.

As a social media expert and past president of the Social Media Club of Vancouver I do public speaking and training around the use of technology for transformative purposes. I was a proud part of the social media team that got clemency for Chelsea Manning. Was responsible for all web training at W2’s Fearless City project, teaching the homeless and marginalized to use digital tools for empowerment. I’ve answered over 60,000 questions in the WordPress.com technical support forums.

raincoaster media

This blog, raincoaster media, is a resource and inspiration blog for people and organizations who are using social media and digital technology to work their way towards individual or societal change. We feature inspirational posts, fitness articles, community announcements and resources such as beginner’s training plans, personal tests and evaluations using existing web resources (eg Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), self-expression tools and guides, jobhunting help, sobriety resources, and original articles on the challenges and the process of blogging for personal growth.

We offer social media and technology training for the public, with our courses geared towards beginners and intermediates. In all cases, 25% of seats in our classes are reserved for disadvantaged participants referred to raincoaster media by groups and individuals active in helping the marginalized transcend their circumstances. These individuals attend for free. If you work with or volunteer for a community group, or know of marginalized individuals who could benefit from our training, please contact us using our contact form below.

Additionally, we work with people working through crises such as culture shock, leaving abusive situations, getting clean, looking for work, and learning how to change your life path; the focus of our practice is to use the promise of the Digital Revolution to provide empowerment and social support, as well as accelerate learning.

If you find resources you think our readers should be made aware of, please either post them in the related wikipage, post it as a comment, or send the specific URL, book title, etc, in an email to raincoaster at gmail dot com. If you’d like us to mention your blog when we post it, let us know your web address as well. We will be happy to share and give you the credit!

A stern word of warning: discussion is encouraged, but trolls in the comments will be purged ruthlessly on this site. The administrator of this site insists on a base level of mutual respect among the participants.