Anyone willing to give a thoughtful, honest, yet respectful, critique is welcome.  Many topics, genres and forms are welcome (Ex. chapter of a novel, short story, play, poem, article, essay, etc.).  While publishing is a worthy goal, the focus of this group is helping writers fine tune works, which either have literary value or are otherwise substantive (i.e. scholarly).  All such works are welcome. Those concerned with poverty, and / or human and animal rights and welfare, and similar issues (i …

The Pivotal Tracker User Groups are a forum for product managers, project managers, entrepreneurs, and developers to share techniques and discuss the real day-to-day issues surrounding software project management. We’ll talk about upcoming Tracker features and look at third-party integrations. We'll discuss story estimation techniques and talk about what makes a good story. We’ll share our experience with agile planning, discuss patterns and anti-patterns of story management and acceptance, and …

Data Science Chicago brings together people interested in data science: the analytical "statistics and machine learning" side, the creative "visualization and design" side, the verbal "communication and story-telling" side, and especially the areas in-between those extremes. This group is organized by Datascope Analytics. Members are professionals, students, consultants and entrepreneurs that love data and understand the potential value it brings for society, business and government. Meeting t …

We think Chicago is the best city in America and we want to change the way people live in the city. In each and every neighborhood there is a story. I'd like to find people who would like to create a new way to tell that story thru NFC (Near Field Communication). Whether its food at a local dive or a park that describes how the Chicago Fire started, lets figure out a way to use NFC to engage people, their experiences and their lives for the better. Heck, Chicago deserves it. We would like to bri …

The mission of NoStigmas is to raise awareness and erase the stigmas of suicide and mental illness by sharing stories of hope and inspiration from those touched by suicide and mental illness and educating the general public about mental health issues. This group is for NoStigmas volunteers a.k.a. Stigma Erasers. If you want to help build a community of hope & understanding and be an advocate for those touched by suicide & mental health issues, join our group to learn more about how to get involv …

Chicago Photography Groups, Collections of Chicago-Centric Photography For anyone interested in traditional street photography, historical/social documentary photography, or photojournalism - the art of capturing life as it happens, and telling stories with images. We use every kind of camera, from cameraphones, DSLRs to traditional film. The group is open to anyone and is an opportunity to hang out with other photographers and sharpen your craft, or just to be creative with a group of friendly …

Meet friendly local moms to share experiences, get advice and most importantly have fun! We're moms with infants to school age kids who are looking to do playgroups and other kid friendly outings in the City. Our goal is to have at home playgroups several times a month as well as outings such as the zoo, museums, parks, story time, picnics, and coffee.  Members are encouraged to host events by coming up with ideas and serving as a contact person for these events. In order to maintain an active g …

Chicago Japanese Language Meet Up group is for... Practicing speaking Japanese, finding out more about the culture or just hanging out and trading travel stories from Japan.  It is a very relaxed group with speakers of all levels. To join our Meet Up group, please send your photo, self introduction and answer a few basic questions. Once you are accepted, you will have full access to all the member profiles and access to our discussion boards. You will see some of the events we offer below... p …

The Chicago Lean Startup Circle is a group of smart and driven high-tech entrepreneurs that have learned how to discover customers and build products they want. Lean Startups (which can include for profit and not for profit organizations, new product/innovation organizations within larger companies and even government agencies) achieve success faster than most because they get out of the building to talk to customers, validate business model assumptions as quickly and cheaply as possible, use ag …

Welcome to The Original Chicago English Bulldog Meetup Group where awesome bulldogs and their Moms and Dads unite to share their love and interest in this great breed! At over 1,900 members that literally circle the globe, we are the largest and one of the oldest English Bulldog Meetup Groups in the US and within the worldwide Meetup network. Our knowledgable members interact through our Message Board sharing wonderful stories and valuable health and behavioral information about owning and carin …

Welcome to the Chinese (primarily Mandarin) Meetup Group. This is a small organization built by people with a common interest (Chinese) to meet each other, share thoughts on China, speak Mandarin, find language partners, find classes, and share stories and resources for people who plan on going to China.

This group is for Magento users, developers and business owners all over the Midwest - from Chicago to Milwaukee and beyond. The goal is to meet and share insights, challenges, best practices and success stories. If you're interested in e-commerce using the open source Magento platform, this is the group for you!

The worlds of hackers and journalists are coming together as reporting goes digital and Internet companies become media empires. Journalists call themselves "hacks," someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code. Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds. This group is to bring all these people together -- those who are working to help people make sense of their world. It's for hackers exploring technologies to filter an …

Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire, and connect local entrepreneurs. Each month we welcome an amazing speaker who shares their story with our community and tells us what worked, what didn't, and what they'll do differently next time. It's an amazing opportunity to learn from the best, network with other members of the startup community, and improve your chances of entrepreneurial success.

FOR ADOPTION INFO PLEASE VISIT SHIBA INU RESCUE ASSOCIATION'S WEBSITE http://www.savingshibas.com CASIM was featured on the news! To view the video please click this link http://www.wciu.com/youandme.php?section=home&assetID... We are a group of Chicago area Shiba Inu owners who meet once a month for a few hours of Shiba romping. This group is meant to build the Shiba community in the Chicago area by means of community outreach including offering advise, tips and sharing stories with fellow …

This group was created to bring together a diverse group of business professionals with a goal of helping each member to improve critical business and networking skills. As a basic outline for our meetings, the intent is to provide regular attending members with the following.. 1) Professional advice and speaking engagements from experts in their field (e.g. - Sales, Networking, Leadership, Presentations, LinkedIn and many more). Each month a new speaker will help us to further refine the skil …

This is a group for anyone interested in Reiki and Energy Healing in the Chicago area. Everyone welcome, from those who are Reiki attuned, to those who are curious about Reiki and to those who practice another energy healing modality. I started this group as a way to connect with other people in Chicago to practice Reiki and energy balancing as well as share our stories and do other like minded activities such as meditation. Members are welcomed and encouraged to share their own events relating …

This is a group of Scrum Masters from throughout the Midwest who are getting together to share stories, tips, and ideas. They are passionate about the role of Scrum Master and the impact they can have on organizational culture, Agile transformation, and through coaching Agile teams. As this is a Community of Practice, the only criteria for attending would be that you are currently and actively filling the role of Scrum Master on an Agile team. Looking forward to sharing and learning with all of …

We are about inspiring, empowering, and helping screenwriters and filmmakers reach their goals and be more successful. We're on a mission to bring more production, from start to finish, to Chicago. We're expanding to connect to funding opportunities in Chicago and around the world. We've opened this group up to screenwriters, writers, directors, producers, filmmakers, and funding resources. Please be part of it. Reach out and make this a community to help each other.

Assalam-alekum! (God's peace upon you) Are you a born Muslim, a convert or revert Muslim, or, want to rejuvinate your Islamic values?  Are you a non-Muslim wanting to join Islam? Do you believe in one God? Or do you want to explore your spirituality or learn more about the Quran? Are you a single Muslim seeking a social circle to find a Muslim companion?  Are you a Muslim professional looking to network? Or do you just want to have safe and halal fun in Chicago with fellow Muslims?  These may al …

If you're a woman who is seeking your higher self in some capacity - recognition, deeper-more meaningful relationships, more money, better home environment, a healthier body, mental stability, emotional wellness, or spiritual healing - then look no further! This group is all about empowering your whole self. We do this through regular gatherings where industry leaders educate us on how to be truly unstoppable women. It's a safe, fun, and harmonious environment where we can be our authentic selve …

Inspired by the crazy group on How I Met Your Mother... We’re a fun, rowdy bunch… Think... that big, random group of crazy friends in college that always had the best stories. We're 25-40 mostly, men & women, gay, straight, single, coupled… as long as you can hold your own at a Karaoke bar, tell a good dirty joke or pull the crazy answer to that final trivia question out of your a**, you’ll fit right in. I have a feeling you'll enjoy Bros & Chicks if... You find the only word in the Urban Dicti …

Both current and past UIC special educators (and non-UIC graduates), come meet fellow educators the 2nd Friday of every month at 5pm at Jaks Tap (901 W. Jackson Blvd- just a couple of blocks north of the Education building). See this as an opportunity to unwind from the work (or study) week, share stories, network, laugh, and get some ideas or advice. Let's face it, it truly is challenging being a teacher and it's better if we can just relax with a drink and support one another. So come, drop a …

Meet other local skiers and snowboarders to socialize and participate in Midwest & Western Ski Trips. Pine Point Ski Club is an athletic, recreational and social club of about 200 members. We schedule three Western ski trips annually as well as a number of local Midwest ski trips.  Most of our members are between the ages of 25 and 55, are single, and live throughout the Chicago area. We also have a number of married couples, some having first met at the club! Although skiing is our main intere …

If you believe in a fulfilling career outside of traditional paths, then you are ripe for "Uncubing"! Join the movement. If you are a talented dev, designer or hustler looking to access a whole slew of great opportunities in one single place, then you'll fit right on in! Be the first to learn about upcoming events, early bird discounts, exclusive workshops, and advice for getting face-time with some of the leading startups in across the US. About Us: Wakefield is a media company that publishes …

The Chicago Mobile App Testing Meetup Group is an informal professional group focused on what else but "Mobile App Testing". This group is a forum to share experiences - success stories and challenges alike, explore best practices - what worked for you and your organization, explore the available tools that cover this technology segment, and anything that would be related to testing Mobile applications.

Meet with other local floor and online traders (face to face or online to your PC through our state of the art webinar tools) who engage in futures, index's, stocks, commodities and forex trading. The goals is to create a supportive environment where all group members can share their ideas, learn something new and ultimately achieve success in their trading plan. Our group includes experienced local floor and online traders and newbie’s looking to start out on the right trading foot. We will …

Get INSPIRED!!! Join the BABC Chicago (a non-profit, business-forward, international organization) at our monthly event, The Speaker's Series. Each event features a fascinating speaker from all corners of the business world. You are bound to be inspired and motivated by their stories. A personal Q & A session allows you to pick the minds of some of today’s great business leaders! We have been graced by the presence of great minds such as, Laurence Geller of Strategic Hotels, Martin Radvan, Presi …