CSNP Co-Founder Abdel Fane shares the personal journey that led to stepping back from the organization—and what returning with fresh eyes revealed about its true purpose.
I grew up in Bamako, Mali—a city along the Niger River where griots still carry histories that predate written record, where community isn't an abstract concept but the texture of daily life. I left at eleven, carrying something I didn't have words for yet: the understanding that connection is what makes us human, and that knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied.
Over the past three years, you may have noticed CSNP has been quieter than usual. Today, I want to share why—and what comes next.
When the Ground Shifted
A few years ago, my life got objectively easier. And that's precisely when everything I'd been outrunning caught up with me.
I started experiencing symptoms I couldn't explain—anxiety that came from nowhere, responses that didn't match the situations triggering them, days where I could function but couldn't feel. Eventually, I learned the name: Complex PTSD. The kind that doesn't come from a single event but accumulates over time, often from childhood, often invisible until you're finally safe enough for it to surface.
There were stretches where I just... existed. Not living, not growing—existing. The person who had helped build CSNP from a small meetup into an organization serving thousands couldn't find the energy to show up for it.
So I stepped back. It was one of the hardest decisions I've made—and the most necessary.
What Healing Looked Like
I spent three years in therapy. I read books that gave me language for what I was experiencing—What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo helped me understand CPTSD from the inside. Mastering Your Emotions gave me tools to work with what I was feeling instead of against it.
Slowly, my mind quieted enough for me to think clearly. And in that clarity, I started asking questions I'd been too busy to ask before: Who am I without the titles? What do I actually want to build, and why? What do I believe about how the world should work?
The answer kept circling back to one word: connection.
Everything I've ever cared about—the education I pursued, the communities I've built, the work I've done—comes back to connection. Human beings need each other. We need to belong somewhere. We need to participate in the world around us.
And here's what I realized about technology: it's become the infrastructure of connection. It's how we work, how we learn, how we access opportunity. If you can't participate in the digital world safely, you're not just inconvenienced—you're excluded. Left behind.
That's what CSNP has always been about. I just couldn't see it clearly until I stepped back far enough to look.
What I Saw When I Looked Again
When I started CSNP, I was focused on cybersecurity education for people breaking into the field. That mattered, and it still matters. But as I reflected on our work, I realized our real purpose was bigger: making sure no one gets left behind in the digital world.
That means families who don't know how to keep their kids safe online. It means seniors who are targeted by scammers because they didn't grow up with this technology. It means women facing unique security threats. It means small businesses and nonprofits that can't afford enterprise security but still need to protect their communities.
The 80 volunteers who showed up during CSNP's prime—that community fueled me. They weren't there for credentials or networking. They were there because they believed everyone deserves access to knowledge that keeps them safe. That belief is CSNP's soul.
What We're Building Toward
This clarity is shaping our vision for what comes next:
Programs for the populations that get overlooked. We want to build dedicated resources for families, kids, educators, women, seniors, and small organizations. Not because categories matter, but because specific challenges require specific solutions.
Tools that democratize access. We're envisioning tools that give anyone—not just enterprises with security budgets—the ability to understand and improve their security posture. Free resources for those who need them most.
A global community. 12,000+ members across 16 chapters worldwide. Not a mailing list—a community of people committed to making cybersecurity knowledge accessible.
A path to sustainability. We're transitioning from purely volunteer-driven to an organization that can eventually support paid staff—not because growth is the goal, but because expanding our impact requires resources.
Gratitude
None of this would exist without Emily Stamm. When I stepped back, she stepped forward—not to fill a gap, but to lead. She brought in talented people, launched initiatives for women and seniors, and kept CSNP's heart beating when mine was struggling to do the same. Emily, thank you.
And to everyone who stayed connected during the quiet years—thank you for your patience.
An Invitation
I'm not asking you to celebrate our return. I'm asking you to consider your own questions.
I spent years believing that stopping meant failing. I was wrong. Sometimes stopping is the only way to remember why you started.
If you're navigating your own challenges—mental health, burnout, questions about purpose—know that the pause isn't weakness. It might be exactly what you need.
CSNP was built by people like you, for people like you. As we begin this next chapter, your voice matters. Your experience matters. Your willingness to show up for a community that believes no one should be left behind—that's what will carry us forward.
Here's to what comes next.
Abdel Fane
Co-Founder and Executive Director, CSNP
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