Multiracial Adoption

This is a regularly held in-person integration circle and a supportive container that centered on psychedelic experiences. We co-create a space of inclusivity, compassion, and care for all. We gather to help each other integrate our journeys, find "the others", and or seek wisdom about altered states of consciousness. Arrive ready to share honestly, openly, and from the heart. Bring your insights from journeys to unpack or your questions about plant medicines and psychedelic experiences to ask the more experienced journeyers. At 7 pm we will do a short grounding exercise and a brief check-in/ice breaker. At 7:15 pm we will begin the integration circle with honest and open processing of psychedelic experiences. Your facilitators are trained in psychedelic integration and or other coaching/facilitation modalities but we are not mental health professionals, we are community members called to service in mutuality. The event is by donation as we do need to pay for the space and supplies used. The suggested donation is $10-$20/person (cash, Paypal or Venmo). Surplus above and beyond covering costs will go towards future community event facilitation and or materials.

Join us for our May happy hour! For those that don't drink, the bar has mocktails and sodas. **Getting there:** * Punchbowl is on the end of the building, **across from South Block** We plan to be on the first floor bar, right when you walk in. * **Metro:** PB is a block and a half away from the Ballston Metro stop * **Parking:** there is street parking and the mall also offers really cheap parking. $1 an hour for the first three hours.

Partnering with M&T Bank to help out at Baltimore Station feeding veterans.

**\*TO ATTEND REGISTER AT [-** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13388#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13388#tix) (\*Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so RSVP's shown are just a small % attending. ABOUT: **Let's take it back to a simpler (and a lot more fun) time! Our 80s & 90s Trivia Night is of our most popular and well attended online meetups. Categories will be 80s & 90s Movies, Music, Sports, Pop Culture, Television). Prizes include Amazon Gift Cards and more!!** HOW IT WORKS: You can attend via a computer & Webcam or Smartphone/Ipad/Tablet. This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. In addition you get to meet and interact with other participants. At game time, your host will read off 80s & 90s Trivia questions. Your goal is to come up with the right answer to each question and write it down on your paper. Once the round is over (about 6 questions), we will go through the answers and determine who had the highest score for the round. They will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize at the end of the event. We will have multiple rounds of play and have a system to also virtually introduce you to other participants. HOW DO YOU FIND THE VIRTUAL ROOM: After you purchase your ticket, you will get a confirmation with the zoom link ON DAY OF THE EVENT. RSVPS ON HERE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL ATTENDANCE as this is a multi group event. **\*TO ATTEND REGISTER AT -** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13388#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13388#tix) Cost: $15- $20 depending on how early you register. **For more fun events:** **Follow: [https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283](https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283)** **Click: [https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/](https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/)**

***Unemployment and Labor Exploitation Facing Black Women in DC*** Learning lessons from Black women in the Black Panther Party, local struggles in DC, and international liberation movements for alternatives As unemployment, unaffordability, and displacement continue to deepen across Washington, DC, Black women remain among the most exploited and economically marginalized sectors of the working class. These conditions are not accidental but rooted in a long history of racial capitalism that pushed Black women into low-paying, unstable labor while excluding them from wealth, protections, and economic control. This **Assata Shakur Popular Education (ASPE)** session will examine how the exploitation of Black women’s labor impacts entire communities, including the ability to care for families, the expansion of state surveillance through child welfare systems, and broader systems of incarceration and displacement. Drawing from the organizing traditions of Black women in the Black Panther Party, local struggles in DC, and international liberation movements, we will explore what democratic, participatory, and community-controlled alternatives could look like—from worker cooperatives and guaranteed childcare to women-led organizing structures capable of transforming our communities. *Food will be provided!* The ASPE are hybrid sessions with the option to participate via Zoom. **To join via Zoom use this link [https://tinyurl.com/africansstudy](https://tinyurl.com/africansstudy)**

Join StepMoms of the DMV for an in-person coffee meetup! This casual and supportive gathering is a space for stepmoms to share experiences, offer advice, and connect with others navigating similar challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned stepmom or just beginning your step-parenting journey, this event is open to all. Grab your favorite coffee, settle in, and let’s chat about the unique dynamics of blended families and how to thrive as a step-parent. Let’s celebrate StepMother’s Day together with people who truly get it — building community, encouragement, and connection along the way!

We have many cats and kitties hoping to find their fur-ever families. Come meet them at [Pet supplies Plus](https://www.petsuppliesplus.com/store/va/sterling/4487-sterling/4487) in Sterling from Noon to 2pm on Saturday, May 17th. For a sneak peek of our adoptable animals, please visit the [Humane Society of Loudoun County website](https://humaneloudoun.org/adopt/)! If a particular fur-baby (or two) catches your eye, [complete a no-obligation application today](https://humaneloudoun.org/adopt/adoption-process/) to expedite the application process.

Second Saturdays, [asyouare](https://asyouaredc.com/) from noon 'til 2. (May is moved back a week!) Here's the menu: [Click & scroll down a page to see the menu](https://asyouaredc.com/pages/the-space) or at [Toast](https://www.toasttab.com/as-you-are/v3) As you are is a block from the Eastern Market Station on the Blue/Orange Lines.

Your cat might be under 21, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t drink! We are bringing the cats to the beer garden. Feel free to come with or without a cat and get ready to socialize and raise a glass with fellow cat lovers! 🍻 This is a great opportunity to make new friends. I will be bringing one or both of my cats and they would love to meet you! If you bring your cat, make sure they are wearing a collar, harness, leash, in a backpack, carrier, and/or stroller. Cats should also have all their vaccinations up-to-date. We will be meeting in the side tent called the “special events tent” opposite of the entrance. We have the tent fully reserved for our group! Just a heads up that there will be loud music playing at the tent next door starting at 9 PM. You are welcome to stay as long as you like but that is why the event officially ends at 8:30 PM. It is also Misty’s birthday celebration!!🐱🎂 I will be bringing party hats for both kitties and humans. 🅿️: From the Shipgarten website, “Our free parking can be found at 1651 Old Meadow Rd McLean, VA 22102. We have a complimentary shuttle which has continuous service after 3pm on weekdays and starting at 11am on weekends.” Ⓜ️: The venue is a 7 minute walk from the McLean station on the silver line.

Join us for an exclusive Bowie, MD Property Tour on Sunday, June 17th from 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM! We’ll visit 3–5 homes, including a mix of townhouses and single-family properties, to give you a real look at what’s currently available on the market. This event is designed to help buyers better understand pricing, features, neighborhoods, and what to realistically expect when searching for a home in today’s market. Whether you’re planning to buy soon or just starting the process, this tour is a great opportunity to get informed and feel more prepared before making a move. 📍 Exact property locations will be provided the day before the event. ⚠️ Space is limited. To reserve your spot and receive location details, please send your contact information to: 📧 [cassey.coul@gmail.com](mailto:cassey.coul@gmail.com)

Face-to-face Role Playing Game Session

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

**Not everyone will come. That is exactly why you should.** **Two for Tuesdays** is for the people who actually want to get out and do something instead of just talking about it. We’re kicking off the night with a one-hour social walk before Duckpin Social. **Expect a laid-back** But an Intentional 1 hour walk (2-3 miles), good people, and a better way to spend your Tuesday than staying home and doing the same thing you always do. **If the weather does not cooperate, we’ll move indoors.** **This is a paid event.** A small contribution helps keeps events sustainable and ensures those **who RSVP actually show up.** Payment **Link Found in comments** or you can pay on Venmo, Paypal, @WiseUnlimitedLLC or Cashapp $WiseUnlimitedLLC. Walk RSVP **$2** Walk / DuckPin Social **$5** Walk / DuckPin Social + 1 game of duckpin **$12** Please be sure **to Put Event and Event Date** in the note when paying RSVP Fee

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Welcome, readers! Our May read is **_Kindred_ by Octavia E. Butler.** The story follows Dana, a Black woman living in 1976 California, who is suddenly pulled back to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War. She learns her survival is tied to a white slaveholder’s son. Forced to move between centuries, she must endure the brutal realities of slavery while fighting to hold on to her identity. Tense, intimate, and unforgettable, Kindred explores how the past refuses to stay buried. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!