Develop Author & Speaker Platforms

Pitch your idea, get feedback, give feedback, meet with a mentor and most importantly, take action. Come to the meetup with a specific issue you are stuck with. **10:30 am Introductions:** 2-minute pitches tell us who you are? What you're working on? and what you need help with? **11:00 am Problem Solving:** Let's figure out how we can help, and what action you can take today to move forward. **12:00 pm** Open Networking: Keep the discussion going and connect with other attendees. Bring yourself, notebooks, laptops and anything else you need to pitch your idea and get work done. Interested in joining the Studio? [APPLY NOW](https://unstucklabs.com)

Hope to see you Tuesday night at Colvin Run Dance Hall for **Ed and Gail's Tuesday Night Dance for Everyone**! Our Tuesday night dance features a delightful music mix that includes Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Rumba, West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Two-Step, Tango, Salsa, Bachata, Hustle, and more - a bit of everything and something for everyone! This Tuesday we welcome back Ann, who will teach a Tango lesson (easy intermediate level) at 7:00. Those who attended Ann's Cha Cha lesson last month know she is an excellent instructor! **Ed and Gail's Tuesday Night Dance for Everyone** Tuesday, June 30 (and every Tuesday!) 7:00-8:00 Tango Lesson with Ann 8:00-10:00 Dance (Variety: Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Country, everything!) $15

Join us for another optional writing session! Feel free to bring a project you're already working on or start something new with us. If anything interesting comes up while you're writing, you can share it with the group, but no pressure!

**Curious about Bitcoin but tired of the hype, the jargon, and the noise?** Join us for the very first meetup of **Wealth Building and Alternative Investments** — an evening built for everyday investors who want to understand Bitcoin clearly and, just as importantly, learn how to hold it safely. Whether you already own some Bitcoin, are thinking about your first purchase, or just want to understand what all the fuss is about, this session meets you where you are. No prior experience needed. **What we'll cover:** * Why money keeps changing — and what inflation and rising debt mean for your savings * What actually makes Bitcoin different from the thousands of other "cryptos" out there * The crucial difference between *owning* Bitcoin and holding an IOU (the lesson FTX taught the hard way) * ETFs vs. true ownership — what you really have when you "own" Bitcoin * How to store and secure your Bitcoin so your keys are truly yours * Practical first steps you can take right away **About our speaker:** Niko Stines is a Bitcoin security consultant and the founder of Hard Block Consulting. Drawing on nearly a decade in the Bitcoin industry, he specializes in helping everyday investors understand and secure their Bitcoin — without the hype or the jargon. His work centers on a simple idea: self-custody is a skill anyone can learn, and owning your keys is the difference between holding Bitcoin and holding a promise. Come with your questions. Leave knowing more than most investors ever will. ☕ Free to attend · All experience levels welcome 🗓️ Tuesday, June 30, 2026 3 PM to 5 PM 📍 Perfect Office 14502 Greenview Dr. Suite 500, Laurel MD 20708

📚 Do you love reading, but wish you had a structure and a community to share your insights with? Join our small circle of curious minds (just 4 members per gathering) as we come together for an hour of focused reading—in the calm setting of a library or the cozy atmosphere of a café. Here’s how it works: First part: Quiet reading on your own—bring a book you’re exploring, whether it’s philosophy, history, psychology, literature, or anything meaningful to you. Second part: We regroup and each person shares key takeaways, insights, or questions sparked by their reading. This sparks a structured yet free-flowing conversation around ideas, perspectives, and personal reflections. Why join? Add structure to your reading habit. Discover new books, authors, and ideas through others’ choices. Build real connections by sharing and listening deeply. Socialize around something meaningful instead of small talk.

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/arlington-va/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

After hosting successful events, I always think that we could have done better and relate it to our day to day life and make it educational. In this connection, I wanted to show off my investment and trade hat and organize series of Happy Hours around Investment & Trade. We will have speakers from different sectors and industries, at each Happy Hour. At this particular event, the speakers will discuss retirement savings with an overview of annuities and how they can be used in retirement. Topics will include: * Today’s retirement savings challenges and approaches * Sources of income in retirement * Annuities and how they can be utilized for retirement savings and income • RSVP is required. The address will be sent to members who RSVPed, before the Event. Enjoy!

Hey Poetry Lovers! This group is on a roll. Here’s the gist: We meet at the **Capital One Café in Chinatown** from **12pm - 2pm** every other week. For enrichment, we start by reading and reflecting on a **“published poem”**, suggested by someone in the group. No advance preparation is necessary. But feel free to check out some of the poems we’ve read [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSyE_wCLQCPHRrKmN5F9tOIeeRQUZESxjRXGVBoCF2uU8Gm0_d0uECiCBCQXEy6ksxfsBOhtRIOpW3T/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true&widget=true&headers=false%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E). Or submit suggestions for future meetings [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexGc2Z2Kp6bZW0D3_hfJ7NUUkfNHf7TXX-43FglCeBd9EF2Q/viewform?usp=send_form). Next, we **share our work and offer feedback**. Depending on attendance, everyone gets \~10 minutes to use as they like. (No need to share, though; you’re welcome to come even if you prefer just to listen.) We maintain a **Discord server** to help share our work and communicate outside our bi-weekly meet-ups. If you haven’t used Discord before, take a moment to download it and create an account before arriving. When we meet you on Saturday, we will add you to our server, the “DC Poetry Workshop”, and can help you navigate the app if you have questions. Finally, if you plan on sharing a poem, consider how you will do so. Some options include: * Print 5-10 copies to distribute in person * Take and share screenshots in the Discord chat. * Copy the poem into a google doc, change sharing settings to “anyone with link”, and copy the google doc link into the Discord chat. Most importantly, we’re excited to meet you! Catch you on Saturday, Diego / Ian / Cayden / Nate / Otasha / Lia / An

\*\* 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 \*\*\*

On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy...and Black people.

**Sunday Texas Hold-Em Tournament** **Cost: no cost to play** **Time: 11:30am- 1:30 pm** **Starting Stack: 30,000 chips** **Bonuses: 5,000 for arriving early, 5,000 for new players, 5,000 for registering online** **Blind structure** **Level 1: 100 chips / 200 chips** **Level 2: 200 chips / 400 chips** **Level 3: 300 chips / 600 chips** **Level 4: 400 chips / 800 chips** **Level 5: 500 chips / 1,000 chips** **10 minute break / chip up** **Level 6: 1,000 chips / 2,000 chips** **Level 7: 2,000 chips / 4,000 chips** **Level 8: 3,000 chips / 6,000 chips** **chip up** **Level 9: 5,000 chips / 10,000 chips** **Level 10: 10,000 chips / 20,000 chips** **Level 11: 15,000 chips / 30,000 chips** **Level 12: 25,000 chips / 50,000 chips** **chip up** **Level 13: 50,000 chips / 100,000 chips** **Level 14: 100,000 chips / 200,000 chips** **Level 15: 200,000 chips / 4000,000 chips**

**Sunday Texas Hold-Em Tournament** **Cost: No cost** **Time: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm** **Starting Stack: 30,000 chips** **Bonuses: 5,000 for arriving early, 5,000 for new players, 5,000 for registering online** **Blind structure** **Level 1: 100 chips / 200 chips** **Level 2: 200 chips / 400 chips** **Level 3: 300 chips / 600 chips** **Level 4: 400 chips / 800 chips** **Level 5: 500 chips / 1,000 chips** **10 minute break / chip up** **Level 6: 1,000 chips / 2,000 chips** **Level 7: 2,000 chips / 4,000 chips** **Level 8: 3,000 chips / 6,000 chips** **chip up** **Level 9: 5,000 chips / 10,000 chips** **Level 10: 10,000 chips / 20,000 chips** **Level 11: 15,000 chips / 30,000 chips** **Level 12: 25,000 chips / 50,000 chips** **chip up** **Level 13: 50,000 chips / 100,000 chips** **Level 14: 100,000 chips / 200,000 chips** **Level 15: 200,000 chips / 4000,000 chips**

Join us for a special post-AWS DC Summit **“Meet the Community” evening** with **AWS DMV User Group** with special guest, AWS Principal Developer Advocate, Aaron Hunter! This casual networking session is a great way to connect with fellow builders, cloud enthusiasts, and AWS community members after the AWS DC Summit. Whether you’re a student, developer, architect, or just curious about cloud, this is a perfect space to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and grow your network. Expect light conversations, meaningful connections, and a relaxed atmosphere as we bring the community together after the big event. 📅 **Date:** July 2, 2026 🕠 **Time:** 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM 📍 **Venue:** Amazon HQ2, WAS19 2.103 + 2.104. 525 14th St S, Arlington, VA 22202 Looking forward to seeing everyone there and discussing the summit with great energy and conversations! Please RSVP with the same name as is on your state-issued ID, which will be required to check in at security.

The topic for July is "Shoes" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.

*We'll update this with the specific topic(s) once they're set for the month.* A relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup. No strict agenda — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas. Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest): * Frame Debugger & performance tooling * Addressables & additive scene workflows * Input System, localization, responsive UI * AI integration approaches * DevOps & LiveOps experiences * Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing * Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems * Weird Unity quirks we've all run into Nothing is locked in. Bring a project if you'd like, bring a question, bring a lesson learned — or just come hang out and meet other developers. All skill levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.

**Practical Curiosity: Learning from Everyday Data** How do we actually get better at utilizing our day-to-day data? Fancy dashboards and complex models might look nice and draw attention, but that’s not where most of us spend our time. In fact those shiny outputs frequently sit unused, while the real insights are drawn from the analyst’s daily practice. Sometimes it’s as simple and as powerful as noticing that a segment is shrinking, a channel is underused, or certain links keep getting all the clicks. There’s many different places that the spark of insight can come from, but you have to keep your head in the data and know where to look. In this session, we’ll explore real-world examples of how segmentation, testing, and click behavior can uncover practical digital marketing opportunities. You’ll leave with inspiration for your own use cases, along with a few simple ways to ask better questions, spot meaningful patterns, and make smarter decisions without overcomplicating it. **About Our Speaker:** [Elaine Armbruster](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainearmbruster/) is a Director of Digital Experience at the [American Diabetes Association](https://diabetes.org/), where she focuses on using data and insights to create smarter, more effective digital experiences. A lifelong Columbus resident, she has built her career in email marketing and the broader digital user journey, and is finding she most enjoys working in the messy middle where systems, data, and big ideas don’t quite line up yet. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates for this series are simply placeholders at the moment. We are working on our 2026 schedule, and adjustments are forthcoming. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. 4. As the Etch toolset evolves, so too will the class outline below. **Introduction:** Our Site Building with Etch class provides detailed instructions on the philosophy of the Etch development framework, as well as in-depth, hands-on instruction on using the Etch environment and associated tools. Anyone familiar with Kevin Geary and the Digital Gravy set of products will tell you that they offer ground-breaking approaches to professional WordPress site development. As we write this, the Etch toolset and environment are rapidly taking shape, with weekly quantum leaps forward in WordPress development methodologies. As early investors in the Etch product offering and its development process, we are actively testing and evaluating the toolset as it takes shape. We are beyond excited to see how WordPress site development is being modernized, and can't wait to bring this course set to you. It will be a paradigm shift in page and site development within WordPress, as well as moving your development mindset light-years forward. Join us as we explore Etch and dive deep into development approaches that will genuinely elevate your craft as a website developer and agency provider. Scalable, responsive, compliant websites are now within easy reach, and Etch provides both the platform and toolset to take you there. **The breakdown of the 10-class series is as follows:** * Class 01 - TBD * Class 02 - TBD * Class 03 - TBD * Class 04 - TBD * Class 05 - TBD * Class 06 - TBD * Class 07 - TBD * Class 08 - TBD * Class 09 - TBD * Class 10 - TBD Throughout the class sessions listed above, we cover the following key areas of web development with Etch: * **Introduction to Etch Interface:** * Familiarization with the toolset's layout and understanding how to navigate and interact with its various components. * **Visual Site Building:** * Techniques for creating layouts using Etch's interface, incorporating sections, divs, containers, and elements to build semantically correct page structures. * **Styling and Design:** * Utilizing Etch's styling approach to customize elements, apply global CSS classes for consistent design, and leverage features like Flexbox and CSS Grid for responsive layouts. * **Dynamic Content and Custom Fields:** * Integrating dynamic content from custom post types and custom field plugins (like ACF, Meta Box, and even built-in fields) to build data-driven websites. * **Component Building:** * Creating and managing reusable components for headers, footers, post type layouts, and other site-wide elements. * **Performance Optimization:** * Understanding how Etch contributes to fast-loading websites and implementing performance best practices. * **Advanced Features:** * Depending on the class level, it might delve into advanced topics such as conditional logic, interactions, and custom code integration to enable more complex functionality. The series aims to equip participants with the skills to efficiently build, customize, and maintain WordPress websites using Etch, catering to both beginners and experienced web developers alike.

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/