Engaged Citizen
Meet other local people interested in Engaged Citizen: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Engaged Citizen group.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out engaged citizen events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the engaged citizen events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find engaged citizen events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Engaged Citizen Events Today
Join in-person Engaged Citizen events happening right now
CMG Gives Back: Serve Dinner at FAITH MISSION GRANT KITCHEN!
Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “Create a better world” by helping serve those in need. NOTE: We’re switching it up this time and going with a DINNER shift on Mon, 7/6. Here are complete details and our plan for this event:
FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. For this event, our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces.
PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for DINNER from 4:30 to 6:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 4:20pm and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants.
LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1 (in the back of the building), indicated in the attached map. On-site parking in the adjacent lot and street parking are available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details:
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please try to update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. Our Partner Agency for this event is Lutheran Social Services! A huge THANK YOU to those volunteering at this (or any of our previous or future) CMG Gives Back events!
Look forward to seeing you there, Dan
Monday Night Meditation Practice
Join us on Monday nights at 7pm for two 25 minute quiet meditations, with one short walking meditation in between. There will be a brief and informal conversation afterward.
Stay for as long as you like and feel free to bring or share whatever is on your mind.
All Zen Center events are also available via Zoom at bit.ly/IndyZen.
Italian Conversation Hour
Ciao a tutt\*!
Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (Tremont Branch) in **Meeting Room A** to speak in Italian for 1 hour.
Free in-person event: Take Control of Your Mental Health
It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself.
Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went?
Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence?
Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.
Engaged Citizen Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
IxDA Chat n Pancakes
You can sleep in on the Semiquincentennial (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.
Latin City Wednesday - Cuban Salsa Lesson
Click Here For More Videos:
[https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17vTa7EuwG/](https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17vTa7EuwG/)
The Biggest Salsa Night to hit your mid-week is happening at Latin City Wednesdays. Get the feel of the Latin Beat as your hips and feet groove the right way.
Viva Dance Columbus (2809 Festival Lane Dublin, OH 43017)
830pm-930pm Cuban Salsa Lessons
930pm-Midnight Open Latin Dance Party
15 With Lesson
10 Just Open Dance
Free Parking, No Need to Bring a dance partner, No Sandals Please and Plenty of Space to Move Around.
Walk & Talk About Life's Big Questions
[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations.
If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!).
**HOW IT WORKS**
**Step 1: Bring a topic**
Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event.
**Step 2: Circle up & share**
We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds.
**Step 3: Walk, talk & float**
We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!"
**Step 4: Feel more alive**
Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times.
*For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)*
**HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC**
A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about.
Recent topics include:
* "What are you passionate about right now?"
* "What makes a good friend?"
* "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?"
* "How do you want to be remembered?"
* "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?"
Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter.
**WHAT TO EXPECT**
This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.*
But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here.
**FAQ**
* Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk!
* We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space.
* We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space.
* Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know.
* Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic!
**LOGISTICS**
* If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event.
* This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs.
* Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details.
* If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋
**IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...**
[The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up.
* This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).
BeComing Circle Initiates
http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg
Instructor - Crow, HPS
Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange
RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642.
Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online.
Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only
Please come prepared for ritual.
Blessings ~ Crow
Stop Guessing: How to Measure and Improve LLM Outputs
Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on.
That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable.
In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork.
This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it.
We’ll cover:
* Why “it looks good” is not enough
* How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints
* How to compare LLM outputs more systematically
* Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness
* How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results
* Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop
By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve.
LOGISTICS AND PARKING:
The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks!
The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.
America 250th Picnic!
***July is National Picnic Month*** (along with National Hot Dog/Baked Beans/Ice Cream Month)! So let's do it up by joining a giant PICNIC celebrating America's 250th Birthday!
Join us at Wyandotte Winery for an **America 250–Ohio Homecoming Picnic as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in true Ohio style!** Throughout July 2026, communities across Ohio are gathering for food, fun, and friendship to honor our nation’s history and reflect on the contributions of Ohioans over the past 250 years.
Our picnic will feature a relaxed atmosphere with food, live music (starts at 5pm), and opportunities to connect with friends.
***BRING***: ***Guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and lawn chairs*** and enjoy an afternoon of community celebration.
***FREE EVENT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC***: Food and beverages will be available for purchase from the shop and food trucks.
***PARKING***: limited near the wine shop. Most park one block away in the church parking lot.
[Wyandotte Winery](https://www.wyandottewinery.com/) has been part of the Central Ohio community since 1977, and we are proud to host this gathering during our 50th year of operation as a local place for connection and hospitality.
Engaged Citizen Events Near You
Connect with your local Engaged Citizen community
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Learning from Everyday Data
**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)
Unity GameDev Hangout (Topic TBD)
*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.
Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless – Volunteers Needed
The Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless is seeking compassionate volunteers who would like to help serve and uplift members of our homeless community. This group is dedicated to sharing kindness, resources, and support with individuals who may be experiencing difficult circumstances. Anyone with a heart for service is welcome to join us as we work together to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Community members are also invited to contribute by bringing helpful items for those in need. Donations of items can be contributed at the meeting and will be distributed to assist members of the homeless community. Please consider joining us and sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or associates who may also wish to help. Learn more about Unity of Columbus at www.unityofcolumbus.org
or call (614) 267-4959. Together we can extend compassion, dignity, and support to our community. 💛
Nature Loving Fest | Summer Edition
Join us for the Summer edition of [Nature Loving Fest](https://www.facebook.com/events/1575999320350910/), a small, thoughtfully curated outdoor gathering celebrating vibrant vegan eats, handmade goods, and the fullness of the season.
Formerly known as our Vegan Pop-Up, this gathering continues to grow as a space rooted in nature, community, and intentional living. Expect around 20 + local vendors offering refreshing seasonal vegan dishes, small-batch bakes, handcrafted goods, and earth-conscious products.
This is a welcoming space to slow down, connect, and enjoy the warmth and abundance of summer.
Come support local makers, share good food, and celebrate the height of summer with us.
Admission is Free.
NFT AI ART Columbus
NFT's are here to stay folks!
This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more.
**PLUS**
This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.



















