Build Automation

Donderdag 21 mei 2026 is het weer tijd voor onze Techday: hét vaste moment waarop we kennis delen, elkaar inspireren en nieuwe ideeën direct in de praktijk brengen. Deze editie pakken we het aan als een conferentie in het klein. Drie sprekers, drie verhalen, één middag – drie verhalen voor de prijs van één. Wat kun je verwachten? **Dirk neemt een kijkje onder de motorkap van AI** AI voelt voor veel mensen als magie. In deze talk probeer ik de magie weg te nemen door een kijkje te nemen onder de motorkap. Een essentieel bouwblok van moderne AI is een neuraal netwerk. Als je begrijpt hoe een neuraal netwerk werkt, is het een stuk makkelijker om te begrijpen hoe en waarom een LLM werkt. De beste manier om iets te begrijpen is door het te bouwen, vanaf scratch. Dus dat gaan we in deze talk doen. Door dat te doen leren we over artificial neurons, activation functions, backpropagation en meer. **George vertelt hoe AI Cyberaanvallen verandert** George Schizas (extern), voormalig IT Manager, nu werkzaam als CISO, vertelt over zijn ervaringen in de Cloud Cyber Security en hoe hackers met behulp van AI nieuwe aanvalsmethoden kunnen gebruiken om kwetsbaarheden op te sporen en te exploiteren. Hij geeft voorbeelden van manieren om in Kubernetes omgevingen in te breken en noemt manieren om dit tegen te gaan. **Roland duikt in de wereld van de fraude fabriek** Als ontwikkelaar kom je dagelijks in contact met technologie en de laatste jaren natuurlijk ook vaak met AI. JIJ snapt heel goed wat de voordelen en de gevaren zijn, maar hoe leg je complexe onderwerpen als AI gegenereerde afbeeldingen, Voice Phishing en Hallucinaties uit aan je ouders, de buurvrouw, of je kinderen? Ik neem jullie mee in een realistische situatie waarin Anna en haar familie opgelicht wordt met behulp van verschillende technieken en hoe dit oplichters-landschap met behulp van AI verandert. **Wanneer:** Donderdag 21 mei 2026 **Wat:** Techday – conferentie-editie “AI kansen en valkuilen” **Voor wie:** Iedereen (!) die nieuwsgierig is en wil leren **Agenda** 14:45 - 15:00 - Inloop 15:00 - 16:00 - Neurale netwerken 16:15 - 17:15 - AI risico’s en kansen 17:15 - 18:00 - Eten 18:00 - 18:45 - Fraude fabriek We zien je graag op de Techday!

**RSVP here via EventBrite [here](https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/you-and-your-brand-a-casual-networking-hour-tickets-1984283125243).** Expand your visibility. Join a casual online time to share about you, your brand and business, and learn more about other business owners, locally and globally. Share upcoming events and workshops, too. After each business owner gets the spotlight to share, we then move into a topic-oriented discussion. This month, the topic is begin chosen by [Isabella Maria Noguera, MSc](https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellamarianoguera/) over of Be Your Brand Consulting. Every session closes with gratitude and a creative activity, so have a pen and paper, tablet, or something available in case we write/create/draw. **RSVP here via EventBrite [here](https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/you-and-your-brand-a-casual-networking-hour-tickets-1984283125243).** *-* *\*\*\*The only requirements are a minimum age of 18 years old, be a business owner or preparing to launch,* *and **at least three attendees** register to make it a worthwhile hour for everyone.\*\*\**

**AI Agents Working Together by Freerk Kalsbeek** What happens when multiple AI agents start collaborating with each other? At the next Almere Tech Meetup, [Freerk Kalsbeek](https://www.linkedin.com/in/freerk/), co-founder of [Whisperline](https://whisperline.nl/), will share his experiences with building AI-driven workflows in which multiple agents work together to solve problems, automate processes, and support decision-making. This session will go beyond demos and theory. Freerk will provide a practical look behind the scenes and openly share lessons learned, challenges, architectural considerations, and opportunities that emerge when working with collaborating AI agents in real-world environments. An evening for developers, architects, innovators, and anyone interested in the future of applied AI. As always, there will be plenty of time afterwards to network and connect with fellow tech enthusiasts. The program is as follows: * **17.30** Door open, welcome drinks * **18.00** Word of welcome by [Stijn Sprenkels](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijnsprenkels/), serving of snacks * **18.15** Talk by [Freerk Kalsbeek](https://www.linkedin.com/in/freerk/) * **18.45** Q&A, discussion * **19.15** Networking drinks * **20.00** End **Almere Tech** is the meetup for the larger Almere area for startups, entrepreneurs, developers and those interested to discuss new technology. Everybody can join in for a drink and hopefully interesting and inspiring conversations.

We’re excited to welcome everyone attending RustWeek 2026 for another collaborative day of coding! This year, we’re partnering up with [Zed](https://zed.dev/) and [Kiesraad](https://www.kiesraad.nl/) (Dutch Electoral Council) to bring you some fun challenges to hack on. Your friendly hackathon organizers are still pulling together details but we'll open the Discord channel soon with more details including hackathon tracks, prizes, and schedule for the day. And you will not be alone! * **From Kiesraad**, the Electoral Council’s Abacus engineers will be on-site to collaborate with you on software for election results and seat allocation, with several good first issues and challenges, and they would love your input and proof-of-concept ideas! * **From Zed**, we will have no less than seven devs from the Zed team ready to pair with you. This will be a great chance to get started with Zed (if you don't use it already), and work on some cool issues and projects together. You do **not** need a ticket to the RustWeek conference to attend the hackathon. The hackathon is free of charge; we will provide coffee, tea, lunch and refreshments. The hackathon will be held at Kinepolis, the same venue as the conference. Schedule Doors open: 9:00 Opening: 9.30 Hacking Begins: 10.00 Demos and wrap up: 6.00 We will keep you supplied with food and drinks during and after the hackathon. Looking for more fun things to do during RustWeek? Take a look at our activities page: https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/.

We’re back! On **May 21st**, PuXu returns to Acato in Utrecht for a meetup dedicated entirely to **Research**. **Speaker 1: Emmanuelle Savarit** Emmanuelle is a UX researcher with 20+ years of experience. She's built and led research teams at Facebook, Just Eat Takeaway, LSEG (Refinitiv), and Thomson Reuters. She ran her own UX research agency for 10 years. She's written two books, hosts the UX Research Club podcast, and now focuses on helping researchers increase their strategic impact, including navigating AI. In short: she knows what it takes to move research from tactical to strategic, and she's coming to Utrecht to talk about it. **Special Offer:** Emmanuelle is the author of *The UX Research Powerhouse*. As a PuXu attendee, you can [pre-order your copy](http://clicks.meetup.com/ls/click?upn=u001.NY3oBFzZ5LJDG7YcnfSAKt-2FPbu0mdbClRwu8GKKRoO80nKlP-2FLm90aUF5CQqytHZ3qPz_74u5-2F-2BkTZmgMdnIu03cC4mmjtImPovdZ1zhiEax5tCGl-2BX4fyxb41gNAMGCWV5p-2F3ZXnrHzXrYb-2FEX1gm6iU0hCqBeZf0X8TDiJ-2FF2Pb5b0AYKY0z73yUDJwsJeyVUq2KtnZTX6IPrsDNa2UkzczY3hKG3S2HRTZ-2F-2F-2B5qIwx3CPXatPQFxQ52SkLNZ5jtWr2BsPEXqg9XUqI4UVveDZFOzr6Jpxsj6HpP5WPTNn9JfRQGsEK6lvy8Funa0EQyQ5-2Fcs-2B47BimpzF-2BEXne3mS-2BZNzrupqrFFi2fX4yIrWqpynPk6sL8GL1wQYphmXVe60iss42yhd4nNcrL3QnxXpmXREmBBaQDTLdBvlEgh-2BlmcKlZdw6YOLqURK9zvY-2FZT5KaZSep0LjLq0ckOBsBXggyUAiy01ioYfPSic9ypG0U9487DG53iY3jWQMuNSrHZokvJpDhdJ90J3JwMV8sFus1jAghL1xl0LlFTEJpqn6t0IDZ1Yply0uZ5X2veN2tA6ExM9KeLmTIDEk7ps7HLzVl7BhlE3HPR0nzpsaeXQjsAOoU-2BnH0eHPtBMoFi4jTJ-2BzcDaUWHmnZT1Xq5B2aktBwrvpQR2rC-2B2F3HcHTn3UrTwP8UrRAlyo7TVk8S34miQEhNN6-2BmmpLC1LwWfU-2FC5CHRq0sQuuBynnS2qztg0oS1no5qCyhZ0QvtvBawQvEzT9) at a **15% discount** and get it signed during the event! **Speaker 2: Sabine Bakker** Sabine is an inclusive user research consultant at the Accessibility Foundation, supporting organizations with making their products and services accessible for users of all (dis)abilities. She knows the challenges that UX teams face in demonstrating their added value from her 10+ years of experience at the tech start-up Blendle, cybersecurity scale-up Zivver, and low-code SaaS Mendix. She now helps teams with gaining a competitive edge through inclusive research and co-creation “from a to y”. Her talk will point you to the importance of user experiences that are not reflected in the training data of LLMs and the “curb cut”-effects to be gained which no synthetic persona will provide. **Speaker 3: Bo Kusters** Service Designer at the Dutch Tax Administration. With millions of users, the team often sees the same generic functional and emotional needs recurring in their user research. To avoid reinventing the wheel every time, they developed an interactive, tarot-style card game. With this clever deck, they make complex user insights tangible, allowing internal teams to apply this data directly in their daily work. Learn during this session how to successfully translate abstract research data into a practical design tool that actually works for your team. **Event details** **When:** May 21 \| 18:30 – 22:00 **Where:** Acato, Oudegracht 231, Utrecht **Cost:** Free \(Includes snacks & drinks sponsored by Visma \| ProActive\) **Capacity:** 50 spots Stay tuned for more updates! Later this week, we’ll also share our *Utrecht Visitor Guide* for those traveling in to make a day of it. See you there!

In a world where new frameworks, tools, and trends seem to appear every week, it’s easy to forget where true technical strength and innovation come from: the fundamentals. At Back to the Future of Code, we invite developers to **explore the foundational building blocks behind modern software**. Three speakers will each offer a different perspective on these fundamentals and highlight why they’re still at the heart of great engineering. Talks: 🎤 **Frontend Framework Dependency: Are we skipping the hard part** → Ramona Domen (Software Engineer and Impact Leader) Ramona shows how modern frontend frameworks still depend on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. And why mastering these foundations makes you a more deliberate and powerful engineer. 🎤 **Why Great Engineers Don’t Just Write Code** → Sarah Gruneisen (Engineering Leader & Leadership Coach ) Sarah’s talk highlights how many engineers, especially women, have their strategic and technical strengths overlooked in favor of their “people skills”. She reveals how those very skills drive real technical impact and invites us to broaden our definition of engineering excellence. 🎤 **Women in Tech: Bug or Feature?** → Maaike Wachters (Software Engineer) Maaike uncovers the hidden history of female tech pioneers whose groundbreaking ideas laid the foundation for the way we code and innovate today. **Program** * 17:15 – 18:00 Walk in and dinner (vegetarian options) * 18:00 Intro WeCode and KVK * 18:20 Talks and Q&A (in English) * 20:00 – 21:00 Snacks and drinks **Who should attend?** This event is especially designed to spotlight and elevate women’s voices in tech by giving them a place on the stage. Everyone is welcome to join. **How to get there** KVK is located at Sint Jacobsstraat 300, 3511BT Utrecht. (KVK has two buildings on the same street, so look out for number 300) * By car: Paid parking is available at Q-Park La Vie or Paardenveld. * By train: The nearest train station is Utrecht Centraal, about a 10-minute walk. * By bus: Take lines 1, 3, 6, 7 or 27 to bus stop Sint Jacobsstraat. * By bike: There are bike racks available close to the location. You need to bring identification because we're in a goverment building. (ID-card, drivers license, passport). **Change of plans?** Please cancel your RSVP so someone on the waiting list can take your spot. Thank you! **Photography** We will be taking photos during the event to capture the atmosphere and share highlights afterward online. If you’d rather not be photographed, let our team know. **Questions** If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact us at wecode@kvk.nl.

¡Compartamos juntos con el grupo de personas más divertido de la ciudad!... ¡en español! No necesitas ser un hablante fluido o nativo.... ¡Solo atrévete a compartir! Te esperamos a las 20hrs.... ¡Entrada gratuita! ¡Nos vemos! ¡Hasta entonces! 😃 Let's share together with the funniest group of people in town!... in Spanish! You don't need to be a fluent or native speaker.... Just dare to share! We wait for you at 20hrs ....Free entry! Nos vemos! Tot dan! 😃 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/habladores/ Meetup Link: https://www.meetup.com/nl-NL/los-habladores/ Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/los_habladores_utrecht/ Los Habladores!

Come along, lovely queer hikers! 🌿✨ This time we’re serving an easy-going queer nature moment with a short loop through **Landgoed Heidestein** near Zeist. Think dreamy forest paths, shimmering fens, a peaceful forest pond, and heather fields - a lot of diversity for such a short walk :) We’re teaming up with **Cocktail (COC’s group for LGBTQIA+ refugees & asylum seekers)** for this event, so besides soaking up nature, we’re creating space for connection, sharing stories, and learning from each other’s journeys and experiences. Expect a vibe that’s part hike, part picknick, part wholesome community exchange. 🌈 Bring your snacks and blankets, as we’ll pause along the way for a relaxed picnic moment together. Because queer joy isn’t just about where we go, but who we walk with. 💖 **Practical info** 📏 **Distance:** 5 or 7 km (loop walk) 📍 **Start:** Bus stop Prinses Margrietlaan, Zeist (5km option) Driebergen-Zeist station (7km option) 🏁 **End:** Back at the starting point 🥾 **Level:** easy - chill pace 🤝 **Meeting point:** outside the train station **Driebergen-Zeist at 13:45** or bus stop **Prinses Margrietlaan (Zeist) at 14:20** ❗You’re welcome to join from another direction. If you come by car you can park at P+R Driebergen-Zeist. Please note: we published this hike with Cocktail simultaneously, which is also why we lowered the participant number from Hiking Queer NL's side. Pack your: 🍱 snacks 🚰 water 🧥 rain coat/umbrella ☀️ sun screen 🏳️‍🌈 anything else you might need ❌ If you signed up and cannot make it in the end, please cancel your RSVP attendance so we know how many people will show up and someone else can take your place instead. 💗 A voluntary donation helps us to keep the Meetup group up and running :) you can either pay via a Tikkie or in cash after we finish the hike. *Hiking Queers Netherlands & Cocktail (COC)*

(english/german below) **Bitcoin Pizza Dag!** Op 22 mei 2010 betaalde programmeur Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC voor twee pizza's — de eerste gedocumenteerde aankoop met bitcoin. Hij plaatste een bericht op een forum waarin hij BTC aanbood voor pizza; een andere gebruiker ging akkoord, bestelde de pizza's en leverde ze af. Die transactie werd later bekend als "Bitcoin Pizza Day". Laszlo bewees dat Bitcoin als ruilmiddel gebruikt kan worden. **Sluit je bij ons aan voor pizza-avond bij De Pizzabakkers! (vanaf 18:00)** RSVP zo snel mogelijk; we moeten reserveren bij De Pizzabakkers en er is beperkte plek. Zorg dat je je geladen Lightning-wallet meeneemt! *** **English: Bitcoin Pizza Day!** On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — the first documented purchase using bitcoin. He posted on a forum offering BTC for pizza; another user accepted, ordering pizzas and delivering them. That trade later became famous as "Bitcoin Pizza Day," Laszlo proved that Bitcoin can be used as a medium of exchange. **Join us for pizza diner at De Pizzabakkers! (from 18:00)** Please RSVP as quick as possible as we need to make a reservation at De Pizzabakkers and there is only limited space. Be sure to bring your loaded lighting wallet along with you! *** **Deutsch: Bitcoin Pizza Tag!** Am 22. Mai 2010 zahlte Programmierer Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC für zwei Pizzen — der erste dokumentierte Kauf mit Bitcoin. Er postete in einem Forum und bot BTC für Pizza an; ein anderer Nutzer akzeptierte, bestellte die Pizzen und lieferte sie aus. Dieser Tausch wurde später als "Bitcoin Pizza Day" bekannt. Laszlo bewies, dass Bitcoin als Tauschmittel verwendet werden kann. **Begleite uns zum Pizza-Abend bei De Pizzabakkers! (ab 18:00)** Bitte antworte so schnell wie möglich; wir müssen bei De Pizzabakkers reservieren und es gibt nur begrenzten Platz. Nimm unbedingt deine geladene Lightning-Wallet mit!

We'll start into the weekend with some Sport and what is better than having a bike tour on Friday 22nd May? If you'd like to bike along, sign up here! We expect this to take about 4 to 5 hours. On the route, we will see at least two beautiful castles, and we’ll have a pause in Breukelen where we will get a snack! **This tour is for everyone. You don't have to prepare anything, it's enough to be at the bike rental at the time.** The following information is for the curious: You can see the [tour](https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2884792439?share_token=aCVbZHeYrkmmS52GP5uwrR7Q3EweCrOv65hA2MpYgtf4nSaL8V&ref=wtd) on the app [Komoot](https://www.komoot.com/). It's approx. 46km, **we may adapt it as a group on the day. As last year we’re very flexible and adaptive!** The bike rental is payed by Stichting Rust Nederland. Many thanks to Erik Jonkers for the sponsoring and to Jana Dönszelman for helping with the meetup page and organization. **Agenda** 1. We'll meet at the bike [rental place](https://willemstraatbike.nl/contact/) it is near to the conference venue. (5 Minutes by bike) 2. Everyone receives their bike. 3. We’ll go over “Hogeweidebrücke” 4. We’ll see Kasteel Nijenrode and get a snack at the marketplace of Breukelen 5. We’ll see Schloss Zuylen 6. We ride back to Utrecht and return the bikes! Looking for more fun things to do during RustWeek? Take a look at our activities page: [https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/](https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/)

Discover Utrecht on foot with our friendly tour guides! This tour will take place at 10:00 AM on Friday, the 22nd of May, and will take one and a half hours (until 11:30 AM). There are 35 spots available. The tour is free of charge for RustWeek attendees. The tour starts at Kinepolis (the conference venue). Feel free to join our Discord at https://discord.gg/FSwaWZdk6k if you have questions! Our Discord and the RustWeek website, https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/, offer more activities.

[Get your tickets here!](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111653443?utm_campaign=more-than-human-meetup&utm_source=meetup) Creative Coding Utrecht invites you to an evening of presentations and discussion on artistic and research projects at the intersection of AI, bioacoustics, and symbiotic relations. This meet-up explores more-than-human intelligences: how algorithms, birds, and other beings interact, communicate, and co-create. The event foregrounds the act of listening as a relational practice, one that spans species and technologies. **Presentations:** **BioacousticAI** This project develops deep learning methods for wildlife sound monitoring, enabling more precise and scalable assessments of animal populations. By analysing acoustic data, BioacousticAI contributes to biodiversity research and conservation efforts, offering new ways to “hear” ecosystems and their inhabitants. *Presented by Céline Angonin, a researcher and musician whose work bridges machine learning and bioacoustics, with a focus on the sonic dimensions of ecological systems.* **Chorusing Symbionts** An investigation into interspecies music, this project bridges humans, robots, and animals through ecoacoustics and embodied interaction. Inspired by AI and bioacoustic research, it proposes a form of “sensorial science-fiction,” where artificial creatures evolve in symbiotic relationship with their natural counterparts, blurring boundaries between organic and synthetic life. *Presented by Matteo Holyoke Marangoni, an artist whose practice integrates music, visual art, robotics, and new technologies to create immersive, multisensory environments.* **Vogelluisterstation** A sensor station that records, analyses and visualises bird sounds, making them accessible to both citizen scientists and professionals. The project aims to democratise ecological data, offering insights into local bird activity while lowering technical barriers to engagement with non-human worlds. *Presented by Niels Jansen, an artist, creative coder, and educator whose work explores digital improvisation in music, dance, and interactive installations.* **Program:** 19:30 - doors open 20:00 - presentations 20:45 - break 21:00 - Q&A 21:30 - informal drinks 22:00 - end event [Get your tickets here!](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111653443?utm_campaign=more-than-human-meetup&utm_source=meetup)

NOVA Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal, co-working session. People of all skill levels are invited. The concept is simple, bring a laptop and ideas, we'll provide the coffee and donuts! Here's how it works: 1. At 10:15 everyone introduces themselves and briefly describes what brought them to Code & Coffee today (project, homework, networking, etc) 2. For the rest of the day, folks work in the communal space on their projects providing one another help and conversation as needed. Oh and they usually drink coffee and tea too! That's it! Hope to see you there! **Location** Our hosts are the Fairfax City Economic Development Building: [10300 Eaton Pl, Fairfax, VA 22030](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=d7298231ca2df594df822003f9a93517c788fceefe1fcbb79c8976696e341bc6JmltdHM9MTc1MzIyODgwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=180d0745-3b7f-69a1-23a2-11433a7868e5&u=a1L21hcHM_Jm1lcGk9MTA5fn5Ub3BPZlBhZ2V-QWRkcmVzc19MaW5rJnR5PTE4JnE9RmFpcmZheCUyMENpdHklMjBFY29ub21pYyUyMERldmVsb3BtZW50JnNzPXlwaWQuWU44NzN4ODI4MTk2Mjg0NTk5MDM4MTU0MiZwcG9pcz0zOC44NjE0NDYzODA2MTUyMzRfLTc3LjMwMjE3NzQyOTE5OTIyX0ZhaXJmYXglMjBDaXR5JTIwRWNvbm9taWMlMjBEZXZlbG9wbWVudF9ZTjg3M3g4MjgxOTYyODQ1OTkwMzgxNTQyfiZjcD0zOC44NjE0NDZ-LTc3LjMwMjE3NyZ2PTImc1Y9MSZGT1JNPU1QU1JQTA&ntb=1) Conference Room A- Large, Floor 1 This is a new venue for us, so give us some time to get more details about it. Driving is the best option. There is plenty of free on-site parking. Otherwise, we are a 22 minute bus from the Vienna Metro Station. Bicycling from Vienna is possible but difficult, though once you are here, there's a bike rack in the garage behind the building, and there's also a Capital Bikeshare dock 15 min walk away. **Sponsored by:** Thank you [Fairfax City Economic Development](https://gofairfaxcity.com/) and [Mason Enterprise Center](https://enterprise.gmu.edu/) for making this event possible! **Thank you so much to our wonderful sponsors!** Organized by [DMV Petri Dish](https://www.dmvpetridish.com/) **[Code of Conduct](https://github.com/NoVACodeCoffee/admin/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md):** We value the participation of each member of the community and want all attendees to have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. To make clear what is expected, all delegates/attendees, organizers, and volunteers at any Nova Code & Coffee events are required to conform to our [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/NoVACodeCoffee/admin/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md).

Join our new group’s third meeting. Meet fellow tech enthusiasts west of the beltway. ​Because our group is new, we have a poll for the direction we want to take this new group. ​[https://submatrix.net/article/Meetups/e9ym4fr8Ca](https://submatrix.net/article/Meetups/e9ym4fr8Ca) ​For this event, we will be running a working meetup. ​Our meetings are a great place to work on and show off what you do. We are always welcoming. ​Our format is great for people who have started on but not finished one or several side projects. ​We will start off with basic introductions and what we are working on and what our goals are. We’ll break the rest of the meeting into two working sessions. In between, we’ll do a quick check-in to see how folks are going. If the RSVP is full, come anyway. We'll likely have space.

\*\* Please go to [Ticket leap](https://events.ticketleap.com/events/greentara/women) to confirm registration \*\*\* In ancient Indian traditions, Chakras are seven spinning energy centers aligned along the spine that connect your physical body to your emotional and spiritual well-being. Each center represents a specific aspect of the human experience, ranging from physical safety to emotional connection to higher intuition and spiritual consciousness. In this series, we are going to explore the meaning of chakras and how to nurture them in our lives. This event is for women only. **January 4** Root chakra: security and foundation **February 15** Sacral chakra: Body and sexuality **March 15** Solar plexus chakra: Power **April 12** Heart chakra: Love **May 24** Throat chakra: Creativity **June 28** Third eye chakra: Knowledge and wisdom **August 2** Crown chakra: Spirituality Authentic Relating Women's Circle is an opportunity for women to be their authentic selves in a supportive and inclusive environment. In our society, women are often expected to take care of others and ignore our own needs. At Women's Circle, we give each other permission to voice our desires, frustrations, joys, and take up space. How do you REALLY feel? What is it that you want? How can we help you get there? Let us support you in finding out. Clarity, confidence, laughter, and friendship are likely outcomes. **What Is Authentic Relating?** Authentic is being real, honest, revealed, and transparent, allowing others to see, hear, and know our inner world. Relating is welcoming the other person's authentic self and weaving their reality and experience with our own. Authenticity and vulnerability are possible in an environment absent of judgement where we are confident that we will be received with openness, empathy, and compassion. Authentic Relating is about intentionally creating a space of equity, belonging, and inclusion. In a world where we often wear a mask, presenting some aspects of ourselves and hiding others in order to be accepted, Authentic Relating invites us to show up as we are. All parts, dimensions, emotions, and aspects that make us human are welcome in this practice. When we share from our authentic selves, we create the opportunity for genuine connections and self-understanding. The result is often moving and therapeutic. ### **Principles and Practices for Authentic Relating** Mindfulness: Slowing down, being present and aware of our inner state and surroundings. Empathy: Being aware of and releasing judgement, employing empathy, curiosity, openness, and recognition of multiple perspectives. Authenticity: Vulnerability, honesty, voicing our truth, self-awareness. Centering the other: No interrupting, giving advice, fixing, or telling your own story. Ask for permission to share your opinion, advice, your own story, and questions. Validating: acknowledging, appreciating, reflecting, empathizing, and presencing. Structure: Timed interactions where people take turns sharing, listening, and reflecting. Everyone has an equal amount of time to talk, listen, and be heard. Equity: Conversation partners are assigned randomly in order to avoid choosing partners based on personal preference. Group conversations typically involve going in order around a circle rather than popcorn style. Prepared questions: Directs conversation towards meaningful topics and deeper reflection. ### **Additional Information** What is Authentic Relating? [2 minute video ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJG7R7Da5xA)/ [15 minute video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJG7R7Da5xA) This event is open to woman identifying individuals. All ages, abilities, and sexual orientations welcome! If you would like to participate, please arrive early so we can start on time. Late arrivals jeopardize the emotional safety and flow of the event. Everyone who attends is invited to join a WhatsApp group to stay in touch and connect with others one-on-one. ### **Testimonials** "WOW OH WOW! It was total magic for me! When I got home last night and looked in the mirror, my face was aglow! At least 20 years were melted away! My face was glowing and beautiful! In the morning, I was happily surprised to see the same glow on my face! Somewhere deep inside of me was touched with healing energy. I had dropped my usual protective guard which I wasn’t even aware was there during the meeting. That you, Clara Fang! See you at the next meeting ☺️" "THANK YOU THANK YOU for hosting this event! It was amazing to connect with brilliant, authentic, and caring women, in person. I could not have asked for a more supportive and healing space. My heart is full. Everyone everywhere needs this, but especially here and now!" "Most social events are like fast food--stimulating but insubstantial. Authentic Relating feels like a carefully crafted and nutritious meal, made with love for you." "Clara is a warm and engaging facilitator who makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable to be their authentic selves." \*\* Please go to [Ticket leap](https://events.ticketleap.com/events/greentara/women) to confirm registration \*\*\*

\#\# Details ## What to Expect: A Laid-Back Environment: Brew, Food, and Like-Minded Individuals. Grab a beer at the bar and join in! Networking: Short and Sweet Introductions to Kick Things Off. Connect with fellow tech professionals, exchange ideas, and broaden your network horizon. Our meetups are designed for meaningful interactions and creating a supportive community. (Just talk and have fun!) Agenda: 1\. Introductions 2\. Talk and Meet New People 3\. Enjoy Drafts\, Food\, and Conversation 4\. \*Drive Home Safely\* \*\*\ *ATTENTION \*\*\* We are meeting at Bunnyman Chantilly. Address: 14140 Parke Long Ct A-C, Chantilly, VA 20151

\*\* Please go to [Ticket Leap](https://events.ticketleap.com/events/greentara/authentic) to complete your registration \*\*\* Authentic Relating is for those who want to get beyond small talk and connect more deeply with others in a substance-free, inclusive, and supportive environment. Most social events throw a bunch of strangers into a room to fend for themselves, which disadvantages people who have social anxiety and with marginalized identities. Authentic Relating intentionally disrupts this dynamic with strategies that facilitate equity and inclusion. In a world where we often wear a mask, presenting some aspects of ourselves and hiding others in order to be accepted, Authentic Relating invites us to show up as we are. All parts, dimensions, emotions, and aspects that make us human are welcome in this practice. When we share from our authentic selves, we create the opportunity for genuine connections and self-understanding. The result is often moving and therapeutic. ### **What Is Authentic Relating?** Authentic is being real, honest, revealed, and transparent, allowing others to see, hear, and know our inner world. Relating is welcoming the other person's authentic self and weaving their reality and experience with our own. Authenticity and vulnerability are possible in an environment absent of judgement where we are received with openness, empathy, and compassion. It is also a journey, one where we take the time to get to know each other and feel comfortable enough to reveal ourselves (no one is forced to be vulnerable or share anything they are uncomfortable sharing). Authentic Relating is about creating a space where that journey can happen in a spirit of delight and discovery. At a facilitated Authentic Relating gathering, one can have a meaningful interaction with every person, practice deep listening and sharing, and feel a sense of belonging. Guided activities encourage participants to be playful, curious, empathetic, thoughtful, and vulnerable. Facilitation and prepared questions help people practice active listening and self-reflection. Everyone has an equal amount of time to talk, listen, and be heard, and no one can dominate the conversation or be a wallflower. ### **Principles and Practices for Authentic Relating** **Mindfulness:** Slowing down, being present and aware of our inner state and surroundings. **Empathy:** Being aware of and releasing judgement, employing empathy, curiosity, openness, and recognition of multiple perspectives. **Authenticity:** Vulnerability, honesty, voicing our truth, self-awareness. **Centering the other:** No interrupting, giving advice, fixing, or telling your own story. Ask for permission to share your opinion, advice, your own story, and questions. **Validating:** acknowledging, appreciating, reflecting, empathizing, and presencing. **Structure:** Timed interactions where people take turns sharing, listening, and reflecting. Conversations range from 5 to 10 minutes. **Equity:** Conversation partners are assigned randomly in order to avoid choosing partners based on personal preference. Group conversations typically involve going in order around a circle rather than popcorn style. **Prepared questions:** Directs conversation towards meaningful topics and deeper reflection. ### **Sample Agenda** 5 min: Partnered conversation to land 5 min: Loving kindness meditation 10 min: Introduction to authentic relating 10 min: Opening shares 10 min: Movement activity 45 min: Facilitated conversations 10 min: Break 45 min: Facilitated conversations 15 min: Closing circle ### **Sample Conversation Prompts** What are you passionate about? What do you struggle with? What are you most anxious or fearful about? What gives you hope? What is a difficulty or challenge that you’re struggling with? What is something that you long for that you don’t have? What do you need? ### **Additional Info** Advanced registration required. No walk ins. NO REFUNDS unless the event is cancelled. Everyone who attends is invited to join a WhatsApp group to stay in touch and connect with others one-on-one. This event is not exclusively for singles! All ages, genders, sexualities, abilities, identities, etc. welcome! The event is capped at 20 and will be cancelled if there are fewer than 6. This helps us create an intimate atmosphere and get to know everyone in the group. If you would like to participate, please arrive early so we can start on time. Late arrivals jeopardize the emotional safety and flow of the event. ### **Videos to Learn More** [2 minute video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJG7R7Da5xA) [15 minute video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYdvLo8UMZU) ### **Testimonials** "I live in an intentional community where I am friends with all the residents and we never lock our doors, but even here, we don't reach the depth of connection that I experience at Authentic Relating in 3 hours. This is a heart filled, nourishing practice for everyone who desires genuine connection and community." "Thank you so much for organizing the event today. I was extremely apprehensive about the experience but you created a safe, joyful, and meaningful event. Your passionate, kind, and gentle spirit helped to create a beautiful and loving environment. I also gained skills that will help me deepen my relationships and connect with more people. I was really pleasantly surprised and moved by the experience." "I was very surprised with how much I both needed and enjoyed the workshop. As someone who is pretty good with people, I have found that finding friends has been difficult since moving to the DMV for school. I never thought of attending a workshop made specifically for helping people meet new friends would be something I needed, let alone something I would enjoy. The facilitator was kind yet direct, and led the time well, and the activities we fun and varied. Most importantly, real connection was generated, and while obviously follow up is our responsibility, being able to attend a space that helped get us past the meeting phase was worth its weight in gold. I would happily attend again." "This was amazing! I'm definitely coming back and inviting my friends next time!" “I will never experience social gatherings the same way again!” "Most social events are like fast food--stimulating but insubstantial. Authentic Relating feels more like a carefully crafted and nutritious meal, made with love for you." "I went to this event last month and enjoyed it so much ❤️ I formed a lot of bonds in a short amount of time. Time well spent. Highly recommend it!" "Authentic Relating is life changing!" "Clara is a warm and engaging facilitator who makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable to be their authentic selves." ## **About the Facilitator** Clara Fang, Ph.D. is the founder of [Green Tara Consulting](https://greentaraconsulting.com/blog/authentic-relating), a consulting firm that specializes in diversity, equity, and belonging. She has been working at the intersection of climate advocacy and racial justice for twenty years. She is an experienced facilitator of authentic relating, meditation, and ecstatic dance. She lives in Germantown, MD. [bio.site/cfang](https://events.ticketleap.com/events/greentara/dating) To learn more about my approach to creating inclusive social gatherings, please read [Creating Equitable and Inclusive Social Gatherings](https://greentaraconsulting.com/blog/authentic-relating-update) [Subscribe](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCxVlNMAWTLRBI_e3OtwQdZLoZE9M7Dy8VUiFVQaMpg3tIKQ/viewform?usp=sf_link) to the email list to receive notification of future events and connect with other members.

VIRTUAL PRESENTER. NOTE SPECIAL DATE: 2ND TUESDAY IN THE MONTH .NET 10 is here alongside a practically rewritten Visual Studio 2026. Learn about the new C# 14 features, VS2026 niceties, and more!