Kantonesische Freundschaften

**This is the first gathering of Feel & Grow Club — a space to meet, talk, reflect, and grow together.** No structure, no pressure, no expectations. Just a small group of people coming together for real conversation. You can come if you: * want to meet new people * feel like talking (or just listening) * enjoy meaningful but relaxed conversations * are curious to try something different We’ll meet, sit together, and start with a simple icebreaker, followed by a question: **“What’s been on your mind lately?”** From there, we’ll let the conversation flow naturally. 📍 Location: Casino art gallery library in case of rain ☔️ in case of sun ☀️ we are meeting at the heart of the park at Mikrokosmos by address is 18 Av. Emile Reuter, 2420 Ville-Haute Luxembourg 🕒 Duration: around 1.5–2 hours 👥 Small group 💬 If you’d like to stay connected, there’s also a WhatsApp group for updates and future meetups: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FXXDRxOGXXtKGnMErWo48M?mode=gi_ti

**Weekly stand-up comedy open mic night, featuring short sets from multiple comedians. FREE ENTRY!** Every Thursday at 9pm at Updown Bar ! Free tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-open-mic-luxembourg-tickets-1216566646589 If you want to go on stage, just show up, sign up and go up ! Follow us on instagram for the most recent events ! https://www.instagram.com/luxembourgcomedy/

Join us for our upcoming **Lux TechPulse** event dedicated to **Women in Tech**, together with [GDG Luxembourg](https://gdg.community.dev/gdg-luxembourg/), [Women Techmakers](https://www.technovation.org/women-techmakers/) and [Friends of Figma](https://friends.figma.com/luxembourg/) communities, we will explore the intersection of **AI, accessibility, and career opportunities in tech**. Connect with fellow developers, engineers, and IT professionals while gaining insights from speakers and discussions focused on modern web development, open-source technologies, and building more inclusive digital products. Whether you are an experienced developer or just starting your journey in tech, this meetup offers a great opportunity to **learn, exchange ideas, and expand your professional network** within the vibrant Lux TechPulse community. Don’t miss the chance to meet inspiring people, discover new perspectives, and grow within Luxembourg’s dynamic tech ecosystem! 1 talk **Being Good Is Not Enough: CVs, Interviews & Personal Branding in the Age of AI** *Speaker: [Anouk RUIZ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anouk-ruiz/), Business Development Lead* * AI can write your CV, optimize your LinkedIn, and rehearse your interview answers - making technical competence the baseline, not the differentiator. In this talk, we explore how to stand out in an AI-augmented market. If AI raises the floor, how do you raise your ceiling? We’ll challenge the myths that more skills, perfect answers, or simply being good guarantee career security. Instead, we’ll focus on positioning, impact storytelling, live thinking in interviews, and strategic visibility. For juniors, consultants, and tech professionals who feel competent but invisible and want to become intentionally differentiated. 2 talk **Looking Back at 15 Years of Accessibility: What Works — and What Still Doesn’t** *Speaker: [Marie Baudy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-baudy-gazel-946b657/), UX & Accessibility Expert* * After 15 years working with digital accessibility, I’ve had the chance to see many things evolve — some for the better, others… not as much. In this talk, I’d like to share a personal and honest look at what I’ve learned along the way. Not as an expert with all the answers, but as someone who has spent years trying, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. We’ll explore what tends to work when trying to make products and services more accessible: the practices that help, the mindsets that make a difference, and the small changes that can have a real impact. 3 talk **Practical AI for Business** *Speaker:* *[Ana Petre](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anamariapetre/),* Director, Revenue *Operations, Oracle Health & Life Sciences* * AI is everywhere, but real impact comes from how it is actually used in day to day work. In this talk, we will explore AI from a commercial and revenue operations perspective, focusing on how non-technical teams can adopt it in practical ways. You will learn how AI is embedded into Oracle applications and how it is already shaping internal workflows and customer solutions. We will also look at how AI adoption is scaled across large organizations through local champion communities, with a real example from Oracle Hospitality. Finally, the session will provide an overview of AI across Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications and industry solutions, including a spotlight on Oracle Health AI and its role in supporting clinical and operational workflows. Friendly atmosphere and networking time 🍕

Dear Microsoft Swiss PSUG, We have planned another exciting event. **Place & Language:** Place: Isolutions AG, Schanzenstrasse 4c, 3008 Bern (Hybrid with Teams) Language: EN **Session 1: The power of 'Domain Specific Languages' in PowerShell - DSL Explained.** Description: In this session, we’ll explore the power of Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) in PowerShell — what they really are, how they work under the hood, and how you can leverage them to write cleaner, more expressive, and more maintainable automation code. Speaker: [Stéphane van Gulick](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanevg/) **Session 2: Azure DevOps Pipeline und Container Registry** Description: Ever needed to deploy PowerShell modules to your company users without relying on the public PowerShell Gallery? This session explores how to distribute modules using PSResourceGet together with Azure Container Registry - a simple, self‑hosted, and independent solution. We'll cover the architecture, automated distribution, validation, testing, versioning, and how these principles apply to any deployable artifact such as container images or files. Beyond the mechanics, we'll discuss how to design scalable pipelines that avoid “works on my machine” issues and simplify maintenance. Whether you're building internal tooling or publishing modules for wider use, you’ll see how DevOps fundamentals help turn PowerShell code into reliable, reusable deliverables. Speaker: [MVP Fabien Tschanz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabientschanz/) **Agenda:** 17:00 Welcome 17:30 Session 1 18:15 Session 2 19:00 Networking and Beer 20:00 End of Event

**Location:** 📍 Kingston University Penrhyn Road Library: Town House, Second Floor, Room: PRTH2028 **Date:** 📅 April 23\, 2026 \| 🕙 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Join us for the official launch event of the **AWS Cloud Club @ Kingston University**! 🚀 We are a student-led community designed specifically for students to bridge the gap between your degree and the global tech industry. **What’s in it for you?** ☁️ * **The Essentials** 💡: We’re stripping away the jargon to explain what Cloud Computing actually is, why it's one of the most essential skillsets for graduates and how you can make the best use of AWS services for your career. * **The Big Four Services** 🛠️: Get a grip on the core services. Compute, Storage, Database and Networking that are used by millions of businesses worldwide. * **Gamified Learning** 🎮: See a live trailer for **AWS Cloud Quest**, the 3D RPG where you earn digital badges by solving real-world city problems. * **Exclusive Perks** 🎁: Learn what you can do in the AWS Free Tier and how to access **AWS Credits**, **Amazon Q** AI assistants and professional **Certification vouchers**. * **Leadership Roles** 👑: We are also recruiting our **Core Team**! If you want to help lead this community and build your personal brand, we want to meet you. **Note:** 📝 To help us grow, all attendees will be asked to provide brief feedback via a QR code at the end of the session. #AWSCloudClubs #KingstonTechSociety #CloudClubCaptains #StudentsBuildAWS

Ready for a different kind of afterwork? Want to get buzzed with inspiration? **Join our Meaningful Afterwork!** A relaxed and uplifting space for meaningful conversations inspired by the Bahá’í Writings. Together, we explore deep questions about life, purpose, and the world around us, connecting spiritual insights with the realities of everyday living and the challenges of society. An open, co-created, and collaborative space for reflection, discussion, and consultation, where everyone is welcome to be a protagonist, share, listen, and think together. And because meaningful connection also happens around the table, this is also a potluck-style gathering: feel free to bring something to share! Food for the soul… and for the body ;) Come as you are. Bring your openness and curiosity, meet new people and recharge your spirit! The Details: * 📅 **Date:** Friday, 24th April * ⏰ **Time:** 6:30pm * 📍 **Location:** 17, Allée Léopold Goebel, Luxembourg City In case you have further questions, feel free to contact us via email ([meaningfulafterwork@gmail.com](https://meaningfulafterwork@gmail.com "https://meaningfulafterwork@gmail.com")). Warmly, Your Meaningful Afterwork Team P.S.: As spaces for the upcoming Meaningful Afterwork will be limited, please sign up via the link below to let us know if you’re coming, if you’re bringing a colleague, and what treats you might be bringing for the potluck: 🔗 [https://forms.gle/h5StC78h6WqByhA79](https://forms.gle/h5StC78h6WqByhA79)

Want to practise French 🇫🇷 German 🇩🇪 English 🇬🇧 Luxembourgish 🇱🇺 — or ANY language you can find a partner for? Then join our crew of friendly expats & locals for a night of chats, laughs & global energy 🎉 In Luxembourg, speaking multiple languages is basically a superpower 🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️ — but this meetup is all about connection, not perfection. Beginners, pros & “I understand but can’t speak” people — all welcome 😄 Don’t feel like practising a language? 😎 No worries — you’re STILL totally welcome! come hang out, meet people & enjoy the international vibes anyway 🥂✨ Come for the languages — stay for the laughter, friendships & drinks 🍹 ✨ What You’ll Find ✔ Super chill atmosphere 😌 ✔ Expats from everywhere 🌍 ✔ Zero pressure — just vibes ✨ ✔ “How do you say…?” moments 🤔😂 ✔ Old friends & new — ❤️ 🍹 AFTER-EXCHANGE APÉRO 🤩 Languages warm-up… Drinks cool-down… Balance restored 😌🍺 Most weeks we wander to another bar afterwards for beer, bites & bonus socialising. Just follow the organisers — they know the 🔥 hotspots 😉 🪧 HOW IT WORKS ➡️ Sit with the group for the language you want to practise ➡️ Look for the table signs 📍 ➡️ Switch groups anytime — totally chill ➡️ Rare language? Post in the group & find your match 💫 ➡️ Luxembourgish shows up too 🇱🇺 ⚠️ By attending, you agree organisers can’t be held liable for regulation violations (or accidental grammar crimes 😜)

A warm Sunday afternoon, somewhere in Luxembourg City. A room for listeners, where songs are carried by voice, words and acoustic sound. Folk and storytelling shared without distance — intimate, unfiltered, and felt as much as heard. Discover the venue just 36 hours before the event 🤫 Limited seats - Tickets 🎫 https://www.sofarsounds.com/events/64837

Life gets busy, and meaningful connections don’t always happen by chance. That’s why our Fast Friending social brings like-minded ladies & gents together in a relaxed, welcoming space designed for easy, natural conversations. In just one evening, you’ll meet multiple people face-to-face — whether you’re looking for new friendships or something more meaningful, it’s a simple and genuine way to connect. **You will need to buy a ticket for attending -** [https://lux25thapril.eventbrite.co.uk](https://lux25thapril.eventbrite.co.uk) \*You can use any debit or credit card to purchase your ticket at PayPal checkout. It will ask you for your email address but that is only to send you a receipt. You do not need a PayPal account. TICKETS:- Early Bird - €5 / person Regular Ticket - €10 / person Cash at meetup: If you do not purchase a ticket in advance then you can pay Shye cash of €15 when you attend. **Here’s how your evening will flow:-** **7:00 PM – Welcome** Arrive at 7:00 PM and be welcomed by your host, Shye, who will guide the evening and help with introductions. Feeling shy? Come a little early and she’ll ease you into small-group conversations. You’re also welcome to bring a lady friend along for free. **7:30 – 8:30 PM \| Fast Friending** Chat with a new attendee every 3 minutes, ensuring you meet a variety of like-minded ladies and gentlemen. **After 8:30 PM \| Open Mingling** Reconnect with those you enjoyed speaking to and continue meaningful conversations at your own pace \- We are not a close knit tight group\. Our evenings are warm and comfortable for members attending for the first time and those coming alone\. You will not feel alone\! \- We have many groups in this city\. Members of our other groups who RSVP are included as guests of the organisers in order to give you an indication of expected people\. \- This evening is for ladies and gents in the 21 to 45 age group\. While some will be at the younger end of this range there will also be others at the other end of the range and lots in\-between\! You will naturally gel with others of your own age range and so you will always find many attendees who fit your range\. \- We are not a dating group\. Our events are not organised to manage your dating life\. Our group is created to help ladies and gents meet other like minded ladies and gents\. Please do not attend our event if a perfect gender balance is important for your enjoyment of our meet\-up\. Why do we have tickets? 1. Cover our costs - Our host is compensated for their time and work. We also pay meetup and have dedicated staff to manage our events, hosts, venues and communication. 2. Group Safety - By securing your ticket we have a record and you contribute to a well organized evening where everyone is more committed and better behaved. 3. Management - Tickets help us better manage attendee group size, book suitable space and activity. ABOUT [fastfriends.co.uk ](https://fastfriends.co.uk/)- We have connected members successfully for the past 10 years in over 30 cities (operating as Expatsclub, MeetConnectDevelop and fastfriends.co.uk). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- You can contact our founder Dan on +447715705005 with any questions or ideas. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Here are some videos which will give you some guidance and comfort to make your attendance more productive.** Secrets of socializing at our meetups - [http://bit.ly/secrets-socializing ](http://bit.ly/secrets-socializing) How to make new friends - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6GB0Hc_bSs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6GB0Hc_bSs)

Let’s meet in late April for a gentle, warm, and slightly unpredictable afternoon together.✨ As spring slowly unfolds, we often notice that certain thoughts keep returning, questions, ideas, small concerns, quiet curiosities, or reflections about life that don’t always find space in everyday conversations. This time, we’ll take a moment to explore: **What has been on your mind lately?** ☁️ Not everything needs to be fully clear or resolved. Sometimes it is enough to notice what is present and to hear how others experience their own inner worlds. ⭐ What to expect A small circle of open-minded people, with tea, coffee, or food in hand, sharing reflections, philosophy, psychology, or simply ideas and inspirations that arise naturally in the moment. The topic is gently suggested, and the conversation will flow organically. 🪄 We’ll explore the questions step by step, from light to deeper, in a roundtable format. For example: • What’s your name, where are you from, and what are you doing in Luxembourg? • What has been on your mind lately? • Is there a topic or question you find yourself returning to again and again? • Is this something new in your life, or something that has been present for a long time? • What makes this topic feel important for you right now? • Does this thought feel more exciting, heavy, confusing — or something else? • When this topic comes to your mind, do you usually want to act, understand, or simply observe? • Do you feel you already have clarity about it, or are you still exploring? • Is there something you wish you understood better about this topic? • Has anything recently influenced the way you see this topic? • If this topic evolved in a positive direction, what might feel different in your life? … and whatever else naturally emerges. There’s no pressure to share deeply…listening is just as welcome as speaking. ✨ 📌 Practical details 📍 Venue: Le Quai Steffen – Gare de Luxembourg | Restaurant 📅 Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026 ⏰ Time: 15:00 – 17:00 👥 Group size: Up to 12 people ☕ Food & drinks: Everyone orders and pays individually Since the topic invites reflection, the group will stay intentionally small. If you find that you can’t attend, please cancel your spot so someone else can join. If you enjoy authentic connection, gentle humour, openness to different perspectives, and curiosity about others — not just what they do, but how they see the world — you’re very welcome to join. 🫶

**AI & Everyone** is the open and the most exclusive format of the AI & Coffee community. Open to all, this in-person gathering welcomes **everyone**. Join us for an afternoon where **AI enthusiasts** and curious minds come together from the entire country and even behind the borders! This is your opportunity to connect, get inspired, share ideas, and explore the world of artificial intelligence with people from all walks of life. Whether you're a pro or just starting out, everyone’s welcome. \*\*\* **AI & Everyone** is one of many formats hosted by the AI & Coffee Team - but this one is the biggest one that only happens once a month in a special setup. There is **a limit on attendees**, so make sure to reserve your spot as early as possible. Our next gathering will be on **Sunday, 26 April**, at **Chiche! Limpersberg** **(20 avenue pasteur, 2310 Limpersberg · Luxembourg City**). The official event is **from 15h00 to 18h00**, but **make sure to come a bit eariler so you can make the most out of it**. We’ll have announcements and a couple of guests from our community sharing their projects, businesses, or initiatives during the first part of the event (30-45min). Afterwards we have the people showing demos in different corners, interviews, networking and drinks happening. After 18h00, the gathering is free to continue **as long as the restaurant is open**, so there’s space for organic conversations, networking, and community building. 💡 **Special feature:** If you would like the opportunity to pitch your ideas or share your project at the beginning of the event, please contact one of the hosts or via the Whatsapp group that AI & Coffee has for the community. (This Whatsapp group is only accessible for people who have attended one of our events.) ☕ **We’ll gather for open conversations about:** • AI news, trends, tools, and real-world applications • Personal projects, ideas, and reflections • Ethics, creativity, and the societal impact of AI • Connecting, learning, and building community 👥 **Who’s welcome?** Everyone. Students, developers, creatives, entrepreneurs, researchers, or anyone simply curious about AI. No experience required. 💡 **What to expect** • Casual, open atmosphere • Guests from the community presenting at the start • Free-flowing conversations and networking • No pressure, no presentations (except for invited pitches) 🎉 The event is free. Drinks or food are at your own expense. Bring your curiosity, questions, and an open mind — and let’s explore AI together.

**The idea for this group is to build a community where men can gather together and build connections & learn and grow from each other.** How we start each meeting is by each of us checking in with our "roses and thorns" aka what are the good things and the bad things going on in your life recently? Then we will go into a topic discussion. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS** \*\*THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR NO-SHOWS. IF YOU RSVP TO A MEETING AND FAIL TO SHOW UP WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP. THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP\*\* 1. Confidentiality - EVERYTHING that is shared NEVER leaves this space so that this space remains safe and sacred. There is a zero tolerance policy for this. If a man is in violation of this, they will be permanently removed from the group. 2. Non-Judgement - we respect and honor every man’s truth so that we may receive the same from others. While we may not agree on everything, we commit to respecting every man’s perspectives and engaging in honorable discussion with one another. 3. Be committed - honor your commitment to this group and to yourself. If you attend a meeting, please commit yourself fully to the meeting. Also be committed to your own journey. When we fail, we own it & clean it up. 4. Speak from the heart - this is NOT a space to “look good”, have the “right” answers, and have it all together. Relax and know you are not alone. Be exactly who you are within the safety of this space. 5. Be supportive - This means always willing to provide encouragement to your fellow men, encourage action and momentum in each other’s lives.. Be willing to challenge each other. Be willing to hold each other accountable. 6. Participation - what you receive from this community will be a reflection of what you put into it. Period. We ask that you share your perspectives, reflect on others, and give/receive support when and where it’s needed.

We connect you with up to 30 Men or Women tennis partners close to your PLAYING REGION and skill level. This program is less competitive, no champions crowned, no league standings just dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts. Players will meet up to play a tennis match or just to hit around. Just go through the [Join Page](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program) to enter this program. [https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program)

When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches. * **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason. * **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes. ## Discussion Questions 1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie. 2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?** 3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome? 4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend? 5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles? 6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way? 7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time? 8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?

A very unusual choice for his group... Unknown Number: High School Catfish is an American [true crime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_crime "True crime") documentary film directed by [Skye Borgman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye_Borgman "Skye Borgman") and released to [streaming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_media "Streaming media") on [Netflix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix "Netflix") on August 29, 2025. The documentary explores the events and investigation into an unknown person [cyberbully](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberbullying "Cyberbullying") and [harassing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harassment "Harassment") teenagers in [Beal City, Michigan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beal_City,_Michigan "Beal City, Michigan") using an unknown number via insults and sexual claims. It also explores the increasingly great impact of the harassment on the community, the eventual reveal of the culprit, and the trial that followed. IMPORTANT INFO: I strongly suggest not reading anything about it online before seeing it. It's best viewed with no previous knowledge. This documentary contains crude terminology and deals with cyberbullying, which may be a trigger for some folks. PLEASE NOTE - WE ARE STARTING AT 6:30, WHICH IS THIRTY MINUTES EARLIER THAN USUAL.

This is an in-person meeting. Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance. Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues. So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them? That is what this meeting will be all about. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.