E-Democracy

\-\-\-\-\-\- [REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE (ON LU.MA)!](https://luma.com/pqog5iij) \-\-\-\-\-\- Join us for an evening of collaborative problem-solving as we work on a variety of civic tech projects together. Project needs vary but often include brainstorming, researching, writing, coding, or analyzing data. Check out [our website](https://www.civictechdc.org/projects) for a list of projects which may make an appearance! Meet other civic tech enthusiasts. Learn new skills. Contribute to a project to improve a local civic issue. **All are welcome and collaboration is encouraged.** Laptops are recommended but not required. **Where do I register?** To better serve our growing community, we’re transitioning our event registrations to [Luma](https://luma.com/civic-tech-dc)! **We still love Meetup** Meetup has been an incredible platform for us to build and connect with our community. We’ll continue sharing upcoming events there so that new people can find us, but [Luma](https://luma.com/civic-tech-dc) will be our primary registration platform moving forward. **Why we're making the switch** Meetup’s registration system has some limitations, and we need more flexibility to manage sign-ups and engagement. \-\-\-\-\-\- [REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE (ON LU.MA)!](https://luma.com/pqog5iij) \-\-\-\-\-\-

Local foodies and coffee lovers! This is for anyone who wishes to network and make new connections monthly all the while supporting a local business. Join us for a laid back mingle with members of the community. Brought to you by [The Comeunity Project](thecomeunityproject.com).

Do you like having a reason to get up and get out the door in the morning? How about regular events to make part of your routine? If that's you, join us on Wednesday mornings! Drop in for as long as you like during the session, just leave a comment in the event here if you plan to arrive more than an hour after the start time. And please update your RSVP if you can no longer attend.

What if the best product requirement was a working prototype? Amazon built an empire on one principle: start with the customer and work backwards. Identify the durable need. Resist building until you know what you're solving - and for whom. Vibe coding doesn't abandon that discipline. It supercharges it. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how natural language becomes structured specs, specs become architecture, and architecture becomes working software - in real time, in the room, on your machine. Whether you're validating a product idea or accelerating a team's delivery, this is where the “Working Backwards” mindset meets the AI-native development stack. **Featured speaker:** * [AJ Bubb](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbubb/), Innovation Strategist and AWS veteran - for a hands-on session exploring Spec-Driven Development with AWS Kiro. \~ "*We're not just talking about it. We're building with it*!" **Location:** AWS Skills Center, 1550-G Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202 **Drinks and Networking After:** Tacombi, 1550 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202 **Description:** Join us at AI Innovators Network for our upcoming meetup in the Mosaic, which is dedicated to exploring the latest trends in Artificial Intelligence. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a professional, or someone curious about the intersection of technology and AI, this event is perfect for networking, learning, and sharing insights. Connect with like-minded individuals from DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland as we dive deep into the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation driving innovation and progress in Artificial Intelligence.

**HOW DOES THE TENNISDC TOURNEY WORK?** **EVERY MATCH COUNTS** **Tennis Tourney Basic Concept** Our tourneys are a single elimination format with a consolation bracket. Meaning you are guaranteed at least 2 match-ups. This tourney format will not be played at a single location over a weekend instead players are given 7 to 10 days to play each round's match. **Expectations - Updated 3/30/21** Our tourneys will be mixed gender unless we have particularly strong female enrollment in a city. The tourneys will be singles based until we receive enough response to open it up for doubles. This is the most competitive format we are offering. We now won't guarantee leveling in Tourney's. If we have enough players we will create two draws based upon perceived level. We strongly advise low level players NOT to join the format as there will be higher level players in the draw. **Our Guarantee** We need at least 6 players to make a tourney bracket. If we can NOT reach this criteria we'll send you an email offering a refund or we'll enroll you into the next tourney with your entry fee. Our hope is to run multiple skill level brackets for multiple draws. **The 7-day money back guarantee expires as soon as the tourney starts.** Tourneys will NOT allow for late enrollment. Players will be entered into the tourney that associates with their TLN's Player Rating. If a **NEW** player (Someone whose played less than 6 matches with our service) wants to join the tourney they will **agree to be placed** in the tourneys highest bracket. (This is admin's discretion) The League reserves the right to remove a player from a bracket if it is determined by match results that said player has more likely underrated their playing ability. **Your Schedule and Availability** We give first round opponents two weekends to play the first match and then each following round will have a full week to play the match. Players need to be available to play for at least the first 3 weeks after kickoff. Players with 1-week work trips or week long vacations during the first 3 weeks shouldn't participate in the tourney. **Seedings** The TennisDC staff will seed 25% of the participants based veteran status (Most number of matches played in their career) with the program. If we have 8 players enrolled we'll seed the top 2 players, 16 players the top 4 players. The rest of the players will be randomly entered into the draw. **Consolation Bracket** We will run a consolation bracket for the players who lost their first match. Seedings for the consolation bracket will be randomly selected by the TennisDC staff. The winner of the consolation bracket will receive at least a $25 Gift Card. Matches need to be played to crown a consolation bracket winner. **Where to Play?** Because the seeding of the tourney is mainly randomize the higher seed will NOT have home court preference. The league strongly suggests you meet half-way to cut the commute in half for both players. We provide an extensive list of [tennis courts](https://www.tennisdc.com/TennisCourts) that have user submitted ratings. If two players need guidance they can certainly email our staff for suggestions. Playing Format The preferred playing format for tourneys should be 2 sets with a 3rd set tie-breaker or 2 out of 3 sets. If the two players can't agree the default format will be the 2 sets with a 3rd set tie-breaker. In NYC we will accept 10 game pro set results mainly due to court availability. **Target Audience** This will be our most competitive format. The target audience is for the player who are good sports and love to play competitive matches. Prize Pool Starting in 2022 all Tourney's will now have a Cash Reward option. 70% of the proceeds will be awarded back to the Winner, Finalist and Consolation Bracket Winner. The players can choose a Paypal payment and/or items from the Prize Pool at the nominal value of $25 each. Prize Pool is a choice of a combination of Free Seasons, $25 Gift Cards, Items from the Swag Page or donations to Cancer Research Institute or Boston Food Bank. All tourney champions will be receive an entry into the End of the Year National Tournaments at the champions discounted rate. Cost to Participate First fifteen players will pay only $29.95. Following players will pay $34.95. A low cost way to play competitive tennis. **[JOIN TODAY](https://www.tennisdc.com/join)** So [Join Page](https://www.tennisdc.com/join) and we'd be happy to get you enrolled into the next tournament. **Finer Details** \* If a player doesn't respond to their opponent for the main bracket match they will NOT be placed into the consolation bracket unless we hear from the player. \* A match needs to be played in the consolation bracket for a gift card to be distributed. \* A player who doesn't give a reasonable availability (Most matches are played evenings and weekends in this program) to play the match within the deadline window will be at risk of defaulting the match.

We are a President's Distinguished Club and welcome new guests! Meeting is every Wednesday.

Using New Technology to Improve Trust from the Government Blockchain Association Webinar at Noon April 23. GBA Webinar for Civil Servants from local to state officials including those in uniform on how to use New Technology to improve trust in government Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EDT/NYC time zone) https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85762266787?pwd=ApBzwTv1QvG9qEnT5R8a5aNf3jae89.1 Join the Government Blockchain Association (GBA) for a webinar, "From Transparency to Trust in Public Governance," tailored for elected, appointed, sworn, or employed government workers. Discover how blockchain technology can revolutionize your work by boosting: \- Election integrity \- Ensuring representative transparency \- Strengthening fiscal responsibility \- Most importantly\, making your job easier than ever\. Why Attend? Learn practical ways to leverage cutting-edge tools to drive efficiency, solve critical challenges, and build public trust all from the comfort of your desktop or phone. CIVIL SERVANTS including those in uniform at all levels of government and all branches of service Free Access: No cost to join the webinar or the GBA! Actionable Insights: See real-world applications of blockchain for local governance. Ongoing Education: Gain exclusive access to free, continuous training with GBA membership. Critical opportunity to be more efficient, accessible, transparent and to make your job simpler! Presenters include Jonathan Baha'i Architecting Sovereign Infrastructure for Government & Enterprise \| Founder: Toto & Woof \| Owner: The Diefenbaker \| SSI & Civic Trust Layers Senator Michael "Big Mike" Fesi Louisiana State Senator for District 20 Gerard Dache GBA Founder & Executive Director Nimit Sawhney Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Voatz, Cybersecurity/AI/ML Engineer Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EDT/NYC time zone) https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85762266787?pwd=ApBzwTv1QvG9qEnT5R8a5aNf3jae89.1 For More Information Contact: Bob Miko, bmiko@pacificdialogue.com 203 278 2803 About GBA The Government Blockchain Association (GBA) is a nonprofit (501c6) organization committed to advancing blockchain technology standards, facilitating industry education, and ensuring a trusted, secure ecosystem for blockchain solutions. For more information, visit https://gbaglobal.org/. For more information contact Bob Miko, bmiko@pacificdialogue.com 203 378 2803.

[https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44182368](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44182368) 23 miles. Toilets in the beginning, middle and end of the trail. This trail is approximately 23.2 miles with two short but steep inclines and one very shallow water crossing. It took considerable time to design this route, showing the best Reston offers. Our challenge was to cross the Dulles Access Road in an e-bike-friendly way. Most miles are on protected cycling paths, including the W&OD trail. Even if you live in Reston, most connecting trails may be new to you. Just some 30 minutes from Washington DC is Reston. We will be e-biking from the Water Mine Family Swimming Hole to Reston in the vicinity of Reston's man-made lakes. Reston is a recently established urban area. It was founded in 1964 to revolutionize postwar urban planning. It is known for its two golf courses, lakes, ponds, a high density of trees, and open spaces. We will visit the Vernon J. Walker Nature Education Center during lunch. The trail is on asphalt roads and paths with occasional short, but steep inclines and declines. Please bring snacks, lunch and plenty of water. **Free Ride With GPS for E-Bike Lovers** The Ride With GPS E-bike Lovers club membership is now free as www.ebikelovers.com generates sufficient income from ads to cover the costs. Here is the link to activate your free membership: [https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN](https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN) **More information about using GPS files:** [https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/](https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/) **More information about e-bike ranges:** [https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/](https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/) The group stops a few times for slower riders to catch up. The distance will be 23.2 miles or shorter any time you are fully satisfied with biking for the day. For the E-bike Lovers group to succeed, we must carefully grow our membership. Please feel free to invite other E-bike lovers, spread the word, and let's have fun. As usual, non-assisted bikers are most welcome. DISCLAIMER LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, RICHARD CAMER, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS. See for the full disclaimer: https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer

Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.

**Deep Learning Adventures** and the larger **Data Community DC** are thrilled to collaborate with **www.compiled.sh** by **Transpose Platform** and co-organize the largest AI hackathon event in DC so far! We are excited to collaborate with Truc Phan as well as Jeff Hale and Will Angel to make this large scale effort a reality. If you are an AI enthusiast, builder, product manager, UI/UX designer, student or simply enjoy using AI tools effectively, this event is made for you! We are looking for talented individuals and teams to showcase their skills and build awesome products during our hackathon event. There are significant monetary ($5K+) and swag prizes for you as well as direct feedback from selected **Y Combinator** startups. Join us today!!! PLEASE RSVP ON LUMA: [https://luma.com/bmabw4qr](https://luma.com/bmabw4qr) If you have any questions feel free to reach out directly! Thank you, **George Zoto, Truc Phan**, **Deep Learning Adventures** and **Data Community DC**

“Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.” (Paulo Freire) Featuring newly unearthed archival footage of Brazil in the 1960s, this fascinating excursion into the early work of Paulo Freire shows how he implemented the ideas of democratic, non-hierarchical education that made him the internationally revered education philosopher he became. “Learn to read in 40 hours” was not a slogan but a promise Freire and his teaching corps made to illiterate farmworkers in the Brazilian countryside, and that they made to themselves. Simply put, instead of rote memorization, educators used familiar surroundings and objects to construct meaningful vocabulary. Moving interviews with some of the hundreds whose lives were forever changed by learning to read, sign their name, and thus vote personalize the link between education and democracy. Both were upended by the 1964 military coup that exiled Freire for 16 years and gave him to the rest of the world.—Judy Bloch Ticket Info/Price: Single Admission: $15 ($10 for ages under 25). Director’s Pass: $110 (10 tickets)

This Happy Hour is devoted to professionals in the International Affairs and Development community, to grow, interact, and learn from each other. It is designed to provide a professional environment to meet other International Affairs professionals to broaden one's career. It is also for those interested in International Affairs and Development careers and are studying or intend to enter the dynamic world of global development. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented INDUSTRIES/SECTORS/SPECIALIZATIONS and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All industries are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular field, you would like to exchange experience. PLEASE BRING YOUR SOFT/HARD COPY BUSINESS CARDS. Rules to abide : 1\. Event is 21\+ \(bring ID\)\. 2\. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well\. 3\. We all specialize in one or two fields and be willing to engage others and try to accommodate as much as possible\. 4\. If you don't specialize in the other person's required discipline\, LEAVE THEM ALONE\. 5\. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion\. 6\. This is a face\-to\-face event\. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting\, by using the comment box or direct message\. 7\. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box\. Since it sends notification to all attendees\. If you have any questions\, send a message to the organizers\. Don't write in the comment box\. 8\. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation\. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event\. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via \(info@merevents\.com\)\. 9\. When you get there\, we greet you and take you to your respective group\. 10\. Don't be shy of your specializations\. We have diplomates assigned to different countries\, who would love to learn more from your experience\. 11. ***Please be patient for the first 30 minutes, up until we form a group with your respective industry/sector.*** ***AFTER THE SOCIAL, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!*** ***N.B. : We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)).***

Have you seen the movie “**The AI Doc**: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist” and are left with questions and thoughts that you're longing to express? A group of friends went to see this documentary and couldn’t stop thinking or discussing about it. Now we want to hear from more people who have seen the movie! Come share your thoughts about AI and the world. **NOT from a technological perspective but where our future lies ahead**. We will start from the key **questions** asked in the documentary, including but not limited to: \- Is it the worst or best time to be born now\, at the age of AI? \- Are you an apocaloptimist or pessimist? \- Did anything in the film challenge your previous beliefs about AI? \- Do you think AI will reduce or worsen inequality? \- What can we\, as the general public\, do to ensure AI safety? 💡Disclaimer: We aim to create a thoughtful, open, and respectful space for sharing ideas. You may encounter perspectives that differ from your own—and that’s part of what makes these conversations meaningful. Sometimes, it’s through contrasting viewpoints that the most interesting insights emerge. We encourage everyone to listen with curiosity and engage with respect. 📍We'll be meeting at Conference Room 2 at West End Library near Foggy Bottom.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

Start your week the right way with Manic Mondays. Giving you an enjoyable Bachata lesson with a push of cool moves. The second hour has Beginner/Intermediate Salsa on 1. You must understand basic Salsa skills to participate. 730pm-830pm Bachata Cool Moves 830pm-930pm Salsa On 1 (Beginner/Intermediate) $15 for One Class $20 for Both Free Parking & Plenty of Dance Space.

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas ***NOTE:*** Pre-registration is required for this event. **Please arrive 10 minutes early** to check in at the security desk.

Feeling down? Sometimes depressed? Can't focus? Negativity & stress? Recent losses? Creativity in career and personal life hindered by mental blocks? Sometimes we never fully recover from traumatic experiences. Whether it was yesterday, last week or a year ago, traumatic experiences - a loss of a loved one, losing a job, a breakup - can leave you scarred. You talk about it and feel a little better, but it never goes away. After you hang up the phone, it's still there; the sadness, the cloud, the over-thinking, the worry, the guilt. You try to focus, but you're blocked. You try to look forward into new experiences, new relationships but a cloud is hanging over you, casting a shadow on what you once considered a bright, cheerful future. What happened to your courage? Your strength of character? You're 'why not' attitude? Whoever said 'time heals' must have had a special time machine, because after weeks, months, years, you're wondering - when exactly does that kick in? Sometimes it seems like drinking or drugs are the way to go. But they wear off, and now the problem is still there with added side effects from the drugs. At this free local Meetup event we will talk about: * What causes grief, anxiety and depression to become chronic. * Is it possible to regain your joy and happiness even after traumatic experiences? * How to break away from negativity and focus on the future * What are the steps to take to get control of your mind and your emotions? Learn about a safe, gentle, do-it-yourself counseling that can be done in the comfort of your own home. Let's explore safe, effective solutions for healing from traumatic experiences. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to the event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center.

Communication is everything in life! Attend this free lecture about how to be a better communicator. You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!