#BOSSBABESATX COMMUNITY MEET-UP
AUGUST 14, 2019 FROM 6:30 TO 9:30 PM
AT THE NATIVE HOSTEL BALLROOM IN AUSTIN, TEXAS :)
We're back with one of our classic quarterly meet-ups on August 14, 2019!
Featuring guest vendors, mingling opps and more, this meet-up will begin with three stories on finding your flow state from inspiring thought leaders living and working in Austin, Texas. After our speakers hit the stage, we’ll feature 25+ community announcements from women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. Come through to hang out, meet new friends (or reconnect with old ones) and learn more about the community you live in.
All people and professions welcome.
— ON THIS SEASON’S THEME: FLOW —
A flow state, also known as “being in the zone,” is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement and enjoyment.
In life and in business, we know that we’ll face ebbs and flows. It’s natural and normal to go through stages of decline and regrowth, as technology, the market, or our own vision changes. What mindsets do we need to make sense of these cycles?
— MEET-UP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS —
6:30 to 7:30 PM
This is the time to check in and get comfortable for the evening. Browse our makers and tabling organizations. Play some Babe Bingo (our classic networking game). Stop by the #BBATX info table to shop merch and contribute your thoughts around this meet-up’s theme. Learn more about networking with Bumble Bizz. Visit STUFF’s portrait station for a commemorative snap with one of our guests artists. All while listening to tunes from a set by DJ I WANNA BE HER, one of our resident DJs.
7:30 to 8:30 PM
We’ll pause on networking to hear stories of synergy from three different speakers, as well as our Babe Announcements. (What are Babe Announcements? At every meet, we get 20 attendees on the mic to give a one-minute spiel on the creative, entrepreneurial or cause-related ventures.)
8:30 to 9 PM
Continue mingling! Grab people’s contact information. Explore how to get involved at #BBATX. And enjoy. :)
— FEATURED SPEAKERS —
Keisha Gillis recently accepted a position with the Office of Police Oversight as a Community Engagement Specialist. Her role is to inform the public, educate the community and engage community members and partners. Prior to OPO she worked in the financial industry for the past 5 years and is passionate about helping her community, friends and family financially thrive. When she’s not talking money, she’s out collaborating with members of her women’s group Ladies in Alignment. Together her group provides opportunities for women to connect socially, through volunteer opportunities and via personal/career development workshops.
Keisha serves on the board of Youth Rise Texas, a nonprofit that works with teens who have a parent who has been incarcerated or deported. She’s also on the BossBabes ATX committee assisting with community outreach and an active member of Black Women in Business.
(As a #BBATX committee member, Gillis will be emceeing this meet-up.)
Carina Magyar has been performing stand-up comedy in Austin since 2010. She was the runner-up in the 2017 Funniest Person in Austin contest. Recently, she's performed at the Moontower Comedy Festival, roast battled at SXSW, riffed movies with Doug Benson, headlined the Velveeta Room three different weekends, and been featured in the Amazon Prime documentary "Funniest." She's the showrunner for the longest-running standup showcase in Austin, Live at Coldtowne, every Friday night. She has opened or featured for Jen Kirkman, Michael Ian Black, Joe DeRosa, Kate Willett, Maggie Maye, Chris Cubas, Johnny Hardwick, and many more. By day, she's a Senior Content Strategist for Springbox, and has led workshops on content strategy for private clients and conferences around the United States. She's also the mother of two small children and one very small freelance journalism career. She wrote a children's book and runs the Austin comedy website Last Gas Comedy. For SEO reasons, she will now mention that she's a transgender standup comedian.
Recently given the title “The love child of Oprah, Beyonce, and Michelle Obama,” Briona Jenkins is a public speaker, activist for the LGBTQIA, female, and people of color communities, and has years of experience using her platform to evoke change.
Originally from Hamden, Connecticut, Bri grew up very involved in extracurricular activities in particular volleyball and student government which is how she first learned of her leadership skills. She attended Albertus Magnus College, a small Liberal Arts college rich in the Dominican Tradition, which is where she completed her undergrad as a Sociology major with a concentration in Social Work.
From 2012 until now Bri has been working at nonprofit organizations where she has been able to work with a wide variety of individuals including adults and children with development disabilities, single adults and families experiencing homelessness, and now working in development at an organization that serves LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults.
When not at work Bri is very involved in the Austin community. She recently completed New Leaders Council six-month institute and signed on to be the Co-Director of the Austin Chapter’s Board. She has served on the boards of Keep Austin Fed and Austin Black Pride. You can also find her on panels all around town or guest hosting on podcasts. She was, most recently, nominated for the 2019’s Austin Forty Under Forty Award. She was also a featured speaker at STATE OF THE UTERUS 2019.
Fun Facts: Bri reads tarot cards, hosts a podcast called Queer For It with three of her friends, and is always ready to sing some Adele, Celine Dion, or Whitney Houston at karaoke.
Ashland Viscosi is the Founder of Creatives Meet Business and its annual three-day event, The Experience (CMBXP). In addition to being an Event Producer and Podcaster, she's also involved with several film and creative events around town, teaches on Building an Impactful Network, and assists clients with one-on-one goal planning support.
— FEATURED MAKERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS —
Coco Coquette
”Since 2010, Coco Coquette has been the destination for everything feathered, teased, bejeweled and whimsical. Like if Marie Antoinette and John Waters had a love child; we're decadent and irreverent and we want to put a wig on your head!”
Official Tee Baby
Official Tee Baby specializes in vintage tees and custom lettering.
RAW PAW
Raw Paw is a custom screen-printing studio and art collective in Austin Texas.
NEPANTLA USA
Nepantla, USA collaborates with printmakers, designers and visual artists in striving to reflect the diversity of Austin.
Shop See Phillips
See Phillips is a creative community focused on art, self care, and sustainability by Coco Phillips.
STUFF The Zine
STUFF is a female-run cannabis culture magazine that showcases Texas artists and entrepreneurs. At this meet-up, STUFF will be creating a custom photobooth. :)
East Side Paddle
East Side Paddle is a woman-owned paddle-boarding company in Austin, Texas.
The Settlement Home for Children
The Settlement Home For Children will be accepting donations for their Clothing Closet. They are looking for clothes, shoes and accessories for teens 12-18 years old—all sizes and seasons wanted. In addition, they are in need of books, specifically ones with main characters of color and books that represent and highlight LGBTQIA+ characters and issues. Since it’s back to school season they could also use all general school supplies such as pens, pencils, sticky notes, notebooks, loose leaf paper, highlighters, etc. Please bring anything you’d like to donate the meet-up! Settlement Home will be tabling the event and available to answer any questions.
— GET YOUR TICKET —
Online pre-sale RSVPs are $10 and $15 tickets will be available at the door.
*All proceeds are contributed toward our nonprofit and the event’s production costs.
— VENUE ACCESSIBILITY NOTES —
This venue is wheelchair accessible and all activities will occur on the ground floor. We highly encourage utilizing rideshare or carpooling as there is limited self-parking available onsite. If you have a question about the building's accessibility, shoot us a line at thebabes@bossbabes.org, and we're happy to answer. :)
— MEET THE PRODUCERS —
About #bossbabesATX: We’re a Texas-based nonprofit that amplifies and connects women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and organizers. We create space to share our crafts, catalyze multi-industry coalitions, promote intersectionality across disciplines, seek guidance and provide each other with practical and emotional resources. Anyone interested in our mission, core values, and initiatives are invited to participate—and learn more about how intersectional gender equality can improve their daily lives. We provide 1500 opportunities to women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and community organizers per year. More than 15,000+ community members also annually attend our showcases, markets and dialogues—and in the last three years, our programs generated an additional $1million for the Austin economy. So, whether you apply to participate in one of our programs, attend our workshops, conferences and dialogues, or come out to a festival or market to support the community we’re building, you’re a member of this movement. All babes, all people, are welcome. :) Learn more at bossbabes.org.