Typeface Design

Please join us for our first social gathering of 2026! This month, we'll be gathering at Busboys and Poets, Takoma Park. Located only a short walk from the Takoma Park metro, Busboys and Poets is a restaurant, bar, bookstore and community gathering place. First established in 2005, Busboys and Poets was founded by owner Andy Shallal [(@andyshallal)](https://twitter.com/andyshallal), an artist, activist, and restaurateur. After opening the flagship location at 14th and V Streets, NW DC, the neighboring residents, and the progressive community embraced Busboys and Poets, particularly activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys and Poets is now located in nine distinctive neighborhoods in the Washington D.C Metropolitan and Baltimore areas. Busboys and Poets is a cultural hub for artists, activists, writers, thinkers, and dreamers. This is a new venue for our meetups, so please note that all accessibility information was gathered over the phone and has not been verified in person as of yet. Service animals and companions are welcome!

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“How Africans Fought Slavery,”** on the hidden history of resistance to the Transatlantic Slave Trade among those targeted by it, with Richard Bell, professor of history at the University of Maryland, College Park. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/africans-fought-slavery](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/africans-fought-slavery) .] The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the largest forced migration in human history. In all, more than 12 million African men, women, and children were kidnapped and made to board European ships destined for the New World. Generally left out of our history books is the fact that African people fought the Transatlantic Slave Trade from the moment raiders approached their villages throughout every stage of the deadly Middle Passage. Join Profs and Pints fan favorite Richard Bell for a talk that turns the slave trade’s history inside out by examining the huge varieties of African resistance to this 400-year-long nightmare. He’ll discuss how African people fought capture through fortified villages, armed flight, and deception awareness. Their struggle to stay free involved rebellions inside African coastal forts, hundreds of shipboard mutinies, hunger strikes, and mass drownings. You’ll learn how African suicides and revolts, as well as the constant threat of captive rebellion, forced European traders to spend enormous sums on weaponry, guards, surveillance, and ship redesign. Such costs, historians now calculate, saved more than a million Africans from ever being trafficked across the Atlantic. Far from being helpless victims of an unstoppable system, African captives proved relentlessly defiant, leaving a record that reshapes our understanding of the trade and the roots of African American resistance. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: The slave ship La Amistad, site of a famous mutiny by the slaves on board. (Artist unknown / Wikimedia Commons.)

We typically start with mindful movement and a guided meditation, followed by some group discussion and a talk about meditation and how it can help us life more kind, peaceful and happy lives. Scattered throughout is sharing and discussion. We have a hybrid meeting, both in person and on Zoom. #### Join us in person. We meet at[ Seekers Church](https://seekerschurch.org/) in Takoma/Takoma Park. Here's [a map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seekers+Church/@38.9749329,-77.018418,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7c884a0b4136b:0xab23c73db1a1d9ed!8m2!3d38.9749208!4d-77.0162303). Please be aware of the following things you will need: * Have had the COVID-19 vaccination. * Wear a mask covering your nose and mouth when you are in the building. * Enter the space thru the back entrance of the church (the door by the rear parking lot). * Arrive 10 minutes early if possible to acclimate to meeting in person. * Please ring the backdoor bell to be let in as the door automatically locks. * We won't be able to let you in more than 15 minutes late. Please do not attend if you have any COVID-19, cold, or flu symptoms. In-person events are offered as fragrance-free as possible, so please do not bring or use any products with “parfum” or “fragrance” in the ingredients. The meeting space is **wheelchair accessible**. Chairs will be set up, and feel free to bring your own sitting gear if you would like. The location is Metro accessible – a 3-minute walk from the Takoma Metro on the Red Line. There is street parking and also limited parking in the lot at the back entrance of the church. If you are attending in person, please note that class begins at 7 PM ET and you will need to arrive by 7:15 PM to be let in as the door is kept locked. A volunteer stays close by for the first 15 minutes of class. #### Join Zoom meeting [https://zoom.us/j/861079179?pwd=Tmw2VlhsUmVkSXA5V0NVS00vVXRRQT09](https://zoom.us/j/861079179?pwd=Tmw2VlhsUmVkSXA5V0NVS00vVXRRQT09) To use phone for audio: +1 301 715 8592 Meeting ID: 861 079 179 Password: 182356

**When**: Tuesdays, 6:00-9:00 pm **Where**: Pyramid Atlantic's Helen Frederick Gallery (2nd Floor) Pyramid Atlantic Art Center\* 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781 Convenient cheap parking in several nearby municipal parking lots including the lot near Franklins. Only 0.50cents/hour until 8pm; please enter through the rear doors. **What**: Each Tuesday session begins with five 5-minute warm-up poses. We then draw from a sustained pose for the remainder of the session. Please bring your own art materials, paper and portable easel (if needed). Chairs and drawing boards provided. **Cost**: $20/session or $75/5-session punch card Walk-ins and late arrivals welcome, no experience necessary! **Etc**.: Age 18+ **Contact**: Milena- hyattsvillefiguredrawing@gmail.com \*Membership to Pyramid Atlantic, though not required, is enthusiastically encouraged! [Pyramid Atlantic Membership](https://pyramidatlanticartcenter.org/support/membership/) *We are not looking for new figure models at this time, no inquiries please. Thank you.*

📚 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.

Happy New Year, Crafters! It's been a rough start to the new year, but someone reminded me today that SOCIAL STITCHING is a good treatment for existential dread. so let's get together at friendly and bright (as in well-lit) Aslin Taproom in Alexandria for a knit night! I will be sticking with Aslin until we can find something better. Aslin has a full kitchen and a wide selection of craft beer and soft drinks. I hope to see you there!

**Important! Please register on [Luma Page](https://luma.com/n7h7ynr4)** This event is organised by Projector Institute community and Ukrainian Tech Space DC MD VA Join us for an exclusive evening dedicated to exploring what it truly means to be a Product Designer — and how to manage this role more effectively in today’s fast-changing digital landscape. ​ During this session, we’ll dive into: • The pros and cons of working in product vs. non-product companies • Communication as one of the main design tools • Business-oriented approaches to product design • Practical insights for both junior and senior designers • The use of AI tools and workflows — backed by real-world examples ​ Speaker: [Misha Rybachuk](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-rybachuk/) — Co-founder of [Projector Institute](https://prjctr.com/en/about), Art Director at [Lezo.io](https://lezo.io/en), and former designer at Accenture. With over 10 years of experience in interface design, Mike has helped build impactful digital products by merging creativity, strategy, and technology. ​ This event is your opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, gain hands-on insights, and see how design bridges creativity, communication, and business success.

Mimic the great skaters who gracefully carve an ephemeral numeral “8” in the ice—but instead of skates, use the steel wheels of the Metro system! We’ll start at Metro Center, make our way to Ft. Totten on the Red line, transfer (in a very cool way) to the Yellow or Green lines; then go down to L’Enfant Plaza, where we’ll switch to the Blue, Orange or Silver lines to take us home to Metro Center and complete our ”8”. Then off to Potbelly Sandwich Shop for lunch and reflection on our feat!

Whether you're new to Insight meditation or an advanced practitioner looking for like-minded people to sit with, you're welcome to join us at our Sunday morning drop-in group, sponsored by the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. Insight meditation cultivates our natural wisdom and compassion. Meditation practice develops concentration, which allows us to calm and steady the mind. This class includes a 30-minute lightly-guided meditation, followed by a short talk and time for questions and discussion. The size of the group usually runs somewhere between 25-40 people in-person and between 12-25 online. Chairs are provided, or you may bring a sitting cushion or bench. You may also use the blankets and bolsters offered by the yoga studio. **We offer both in-person and online attendance.** To learn more about our topics and teachers, view our videos or **get the Zoom link**, visit our [class page](https://imcw.org/event/?eventId=735&utm_source=MeetUp&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=vienna-drop-in).

* We meet inside Compass Coffee. * Details on parking below. * Bring something to read, as we often take some time at the beginning telling each other about what we're currently reading. * I have a favor to ask of you. To offset the cost of Meetup fees (\~$200 a year), I kindly request that you consider a small donation to my my [Pledge account](https://www.meetup.com/a-different-type-of-book-club-arlington/#pledge). 😊 **NOTE: NO DISCUSSION OF POLITICS: 12/31/21 UPDATE** For the sake of polite company, moving forward, we will avoid the discussion of politics at meetings of the book club. Please let me know if you have any questions. **PARKING** On Saturdays and Sundays, parking is free on 16th Street N. (near Hillside Park, 1601 N. Pierce Street, Arlington, Va.), and also on the adjacent N. Pierce Street (between Clarendon Blvd. and Fairfax Dr.). Likewise, on weekends, parking on N. Queen Street (between Clarendon Blvd. and Fairfax Dr.) is free. **NON-ATTENDANCE / NO-SHOW POLICY** If you have said that you will attend this event, but no longer are able to attend, please kindly update your status to "Not Attending" so that someone on the waitlist is able to RSVP. **Because this Meetup group is popular, and typically has a waitlist, effective immediately, I'm instituting a two-event no-show policy. If you RSVP as "Attending" but do not show at two events, you will be removed from this Meetup group.** We look forward to seeing you! Best, Jay

**$60/2\.5\-hour Class \| Class Limit: 5** Hamiltonian Artists Second Floor, Studio 2 [Registration Link ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://trishaart.com/classes/p/drop-in-classes&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw07rgL9h-rFd3JRP7l9BSDN) In this introductory course, students will learn the history of Indian woodblock before using the technique for themselves to create a printed piece of fabric from start to finish. I will demonstrate the process before allowing students the opportunity to ask questions and practice. Various examples of patterns and motifs will be shared with the group that they can emulate for their own projects. We will provide a handkerchief for the final project, but students are encouraged to bring their own light-weight cotton objects to use instead.

♠️😲♠️ W.O.W. Spades Night ♠️😲♠️ Washington on Wednesday (W.O.W.) - 3rd Wednesday Spades in DC 🌟Spades in DC! 😀 Hang out with a friendly and welcoming group. Meet new people and have a great time! ✅️ No partner needed! Find one onsite. All skill levels are welcome. 📌 Nando's Peri-Peri Chicken - Navy Yard 300 Tingey St SE #150, Washington, DC 20003 ❤️ **Posted in multiple groups. So, expect a nice crowd.** 🚌 One block from Navy Yard Metro Station 🚗 Street and Garage Parking available. **** 🍷 Alcoholic beverages are available! 🍗 Please support the business by purchasing food/drinks. 🌟 The fun starts at 5:30pm! RSVP today.

Let’s hang out and journal together, trade stationary and stickers, and have a good time! Please note, we do not have a reservationtion, so we will do our best to find some good spots when we get there. The address is:

**\*This is an in-person event\*** Most people hold their ideas too tightly. They refine too early, hesitate to share half-formed concepts, and wait for “perfect” before putting anything in front of a user. Frankie Abralind works the opposite way and that mindset is a big part of why his projects succeed. In this session, Frankie walks you through his real creative process: messy drafts, discarded versions, surprising user reactions, and the moments when he threw out something he loved because the evidence pushed him in a new direction. You’ll see firsthand how treating ideas as *disposable, not precious* accelerates learning and leads to better outcomes. You’ll also get to examine real artifacts from the development of his games **BrainSpin**, **DIEKY**, and **eckso**. Explore prototypes, dive into design dilemmas, and hear candid stories of iteration, failure, and breakthrough that have earned former DT:DC director Frankie Abralind a reputation as an “entrepreneur who ships.” **What you'll learn** • What you need to test an idea quickly • Where to find real users (beyond friends and family) • How to ask non-leading, non-biasing questions • User-testing methods that uncover meaningful insights • Best practices for rapid iteration • How to log feedback, share modifications, and track updates • How to receive feedback with openness and use it productively • How to build, and reward, a network of testers and supporters **Agenda** **6:00pm** – Snacks & connection **6:30pm** – Case Study 1: *BrainSpin* — finding user testers **6:50pm** – Case Study 2: *DIEKY* — play tester appreciation **7:10pm** – Case Study 3: *eckso* — rapid prototyping **7:30pm** – *Zenmo* — live user testing **8:00pm** – Debrief & questions **8:30pm** – Adjourn **About our presenter** **Frankie Abralind** is an experience designer, artist, and neurodiversity advocate. He earned his MBA from the University of Maryland, where he has taught “Innovative Thinking” to graduate students since 2014. He also served as co-director of the Innovation Hub at Johns Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital. In 2018, Frankie co-founded **The Good Listening Project**, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening psychological safety in healthcare. He is the inventor of the bestselling game **BrainSpin**, which showcases the power of divergent thinking and collaboration. Today, he leads the stealth startup **Zenmo**, which helps people connect through color. He’s Autistic (and proud!)

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Satanic Panics,”** a look at waves of fear of demonic activity as an American tradition, with Luxx Mishou, cultural historian and former instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and area community colleges. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-satanic-panics](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-satanic-panics) .] The 1980s found the United States gripped by fear of Satanic cults targeting children. They were believed to be corrupting young ones in daycare centers and tempting teens through subliminal messages on heavy metal albums or through the quiet inclusion of demonic rituals in role-playing games. Satanic serial killers supposedly stalked the suburbs. Doctors helped patients uncover what were claimed to be repressed memories of ritualistic satanic abuse. Parents, police, and politicians were urged to protect impressionable youths from both moral and physical danger. With Satanic cults deemed to be a real and material threat, it was a frightening time for everyone, including those who suddenly came under suspicion for doing evil deeds. Then, suddenly, it all faded from public consciousness, just as surely as did eighties fads such mullet haircuts, leg warmers, and Cabbage Patch Kids. Why did it all start? Why did it stop? And has this happened before or since? Hear such questions tackled by Luxx Mishou, a cultural historian and media specialist who has long researched the devious and villainous in cultural artifacts. She’ll discuss moral panics as a longstanding cultural tradition, with each new one stemming from fear of cultural shifts and shaped by the time and place where it occurred. Among the panics we’ll look into are the Red Scare of the 1950s and the public response to the gruesome 1969 murders committed by the Manson Family. Delving into the 1980s panic, Mishou will describe how it began with the 1980 publication of psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder’s memoir *Michelle Remembers*, detailing the suppressed memories of ritualistic abuse reportedly suffered by a patient. As that book quickly became a best seller, its ideas saturated American culture. A California daycare center became the focus of a three-year investigation, followed by three years of trials, based on allegations that its owner had engaged in secret ritualistic abuse of the children in its care. Mishou will lead you through the media that convinced the public that devil worshipers were among them, and she’ll talk about how reactions to imagined threats can have very real social costs. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.

HYBRID EVENT, VIRTUAL SPEAKER In this talk, Sean Hoar will explore the transformative journey of AI’s role in modern software engineering, from rapid prototyping (“Vibe Coding”) to strategic AI integration by skilled practitioners. It clarifies the distinctions between AI-assisted, AI-enabled, and practitioner-led approaches, offering insights into how developers can effectively adapt to and harness AI tools. The presentation also highlights recent advancements and practical strategies for leveraging AI in daily workflows and long-term development.

We will be meeting at Starbucks to learn together. Come with an online class you're already going through or an interest and we will try to connect you with a course where you can learn it. Already have a skill you want to contribute to a Kaggle Datascience competition? We will work on these too! Laptop required :)

**Looking for a group you can write with *whilst sipping your fave coffee*?** ☕✍️ Then come join **Shut Up & Write!** on **Saturday, January 24th from 1:30pm to 4:00pm** at **Ridgetop Coffee & Tea**! Whether you're cranking out a novel, journaling, looking for new friends, or just trying to get that stubborn paragraph right—we’ve got a cozy seat and a supportive group waiting for you! **No critiques, no peer review, no pressure—just a chill space to get words on the page.** 📝 **What to expect:** 1:30–2:00pm – Grab your coffee or tea, find your seat, and meet your fellow writers. 2:00pm–3:30pm – Silent, focused writing time 3:30–4:00pm – Debrief, celebrate any writing wins, commiserate on any obstacles, and head out feeling accomplished. **RSVP Info:** The room seats only 8 people comfortably! RSVP as soon as possible to secure your spot!! If you are unable to attend, please cancel your reservation **ASAP** so those on the wait list are able to RSVP and attend!!! **Meeting Room:** Enter the coffee shop, walk straight towards the play area and on your left you will see a meeting room just past the bathrooms. The room has a TV, white board, and walls are painted green. **What to Bring:** Whatever helps you focus, and be productive. There is a wall outlet at each end of the room, so you're able to bring your laptop to write. You're welcome to bring headphones if you enjoy listening to music while working. **Parking & Accessibility:** there is a large parking lot out front and it is free! There are no stair cases when entering the coffee shop or when inside. This coffee shop is incredibly spacious with many seating options. If you have any questions, please message me through MeetUp. I'm happy to help. **Dietary Information:** many GF, Vegan, and SF options. Just ask your barista when ordering for specifics! Can’t wait to see you there! 🎉