Thursday, March 30th, Hackforge welcomes TechTown Detroit Diversity and Inclusion Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Marlin Williams to speak and participate in How To Build a Better Tech Community. This free evening talk and panel discussion starts at 7:00PM at Hackforge (255 Ouellette) and will discuss practical steps companies and teams can make to improve diversity and inclusion.
Marlin Williams has over 20 years experience as a Global Diversity and Inclusion Officer for two Fortune 500 Organizations, professional speaker, STEM Advocate, and media contributor. She will be speaking on her experiences, building diverse teams and creating environments where all people feel included.
The panel discussion will feature Williams; Elana Freeman, a project manager for Thyssenkrupp; Lori Dunford, a local computer programmer, and Sarah Mushtaq, an MBA candidate at the Odette School of Business. Moderated by Hackforge Managing Director, Sarah Morris, the panel will focus on practical measures and policies that can improve the working situation for a diversity of people in tech.
This is the final event under the Computer Girls initiative, in partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training INC. (WEST), funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Join us after the panel discussion for a small reception for the program.
Details of event: How to Build a Better Tech Community
Date of event: Thursday, March 30th: 7:00 – 8:30PM
Location: Hackforge (255 Ouellette, Windsor ON)
Cost: Free Register Here // Facebook Event
Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon Saturday, March 11: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Hackforge, Arts Council Windsor & Region and The School of Creative Arts at the University of Windsor invite people of all gender identities to take part in Windsor, Ontario’s first Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon!
This event is made possible by the Computer Girls program,coding classes for women by women. In partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) and funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, these classes are taught by female professional computer programmers with the aim to get more women interested in coding. Reserve your spot & learn more here
Hackforge Annual General Meeting Monday, March 13: 7:00PM
Windsor Hackforge will hold it’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 255 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario. At this meeting, all members deemed to be in good standing by the Managing Director as of March 1st, 2017 are eligible to vote in the election of Directors and Volunteer Representatives. More Detail Here Facebook Event
Board Game Night
Tuesday, March 14: 6:00 PM – 10:00PM
Join us for a night of board games and card games from 6-10PM. This event is free and open to everyone. If you’re new to board games, we encourage you to come by as we will have trusty Hackforgers there to help get you started. Facebook Event
Grand Circus Intro to Coding Workshop
Wednesday, March 15: 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Join us March 15th as we host a *free* Intro to Code Workshop with Grand Circus at Hackforge in Windsor. We’ll introduce you to the basics of programming in this three-hour class. JavaScript is the most widely used programming language in the world. Explore what it takes to use code through hands-on exercises and instructor-led lessons.
RSVP at goo.gl/36mg7Z
Open Coding Night Monday, March 20: 7:00 PM
Working on a project? Need to bounce ideas off other programmers? Bring your laptop and get coding! Great event for beginners as well! Tutorials will be available and the event is facilitated a real life computer programmer. Facebook Event
Project Management Group: the First Meeting! Wednesday, March 22: 7:00PM
This group is for all professionals from any industry, and business owners to come together and exchange ideas and good practices in Project Management, Agile Product Development and Process Improvement, in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Let’s get connected and brainstorm on what we want to discuss and see happening in this group. Facebook Event
HTML & CSS: Free Coding Class for Women
Saturday, March 25: 1:00 – 3:00PM
A match made in heaven! Come learn how to bring together these two programming languages into a functional, stylish way. Perfect for beginners. Bring your laptop to this free workshop.
Computer Girls is coding classes for women by women. In partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST), these classes are taught by female professional computer programmers with the aim to get more women interested in coding. Reserve Your Spot Here Facebook Event
The Great Canadian Game Project March Meetup Sunday, March 26: 1pm – 4pm
The game jam is on from February 1 to July 1! Participants have 150 days to conceive and create a game that is proudly Canadian! Drop by the monthly meetup to discuss your ideas, ask questions, watch tutorials from mentors to help you get started, find existing projects to join, see progress of other developers and more!
More information to be updated at http://canada150game.ca/ Facebook Event
Border City Data: Organize! Intro to Google Forms
Monday, March 27: 7:00PM
Google Forms are easy to use, easy to collaborate, and already part of your Gmail account. Join us for a beginner friendly introduction to collecting data with Google Forms, a cloud based version of Excel. Perfect for small businesses, students, and those in the non-profit world! Facebook Event
Software Guild: Let’s Encrypt! RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL
Wednesday, March 29th: 7:00 – 9:00PM
It’s over-the-wire encryption night at Hackforge! Join John Haldeman and Randy Topliffe to gain an understanding of how encrypted websites with HTTPS work and get some practical advice on how to encrypt your own websites with Let’s Encrypt. Facebook Event
How to Build a Better Tech Community Thursday, March 30th: 7:00 – 8:30PM
We’re pleased to present Marlin Williams, TechTown Detroit’s Diversity and Inclusion Entrepreneur-In-Residence to speak on her experiences and advice for companies and teams. After, we will host a panel discussion with Ms. Williams; Elana Freeman, a project manager for Thyssenkrupp; Lori Dunford, a local computer programmer, and Sarah Mushtaq, an MBA candidate at the Odette School of Business.
While focused in the tech industry, the practical steps discussed can be applied to any organization looking to improve gender and racial diversity.
This is the final event under the Computer Girls initiative, in partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training INC. (WEST), funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Join us after the panel discussion for a small reception for the program.
Windsor-Essex .NET Developers: Running .NET in Docker Tuesday, November 1: 6:30PM
Join Nik as he shows how to start running your .NET applications in a Docker Container. Full .NET Framework on Windows or .NET Core on Linux. You now have options! The wonderful folks at Microsoft have sponsored this event with Subway. Find out more here
DIY Audio Group Wednesday, November 9: 7:00 PM Microphones, amps, synthesizers, oh my! Come out to learn all about sound. Whether you’re interested from a music or electronics perspective, there is something for everyone. Facebook Event
Computer Girls: Beginner’s Guide to Twitter Saturday, November 12: 2:00 – 4:00PM
Ever wanted to start your own Twitter account? Want to learn more about the features within this popular social media platform? Come out to a casual workshop and get tweeting! Bring a smartphone or laptop.
Computer Girls is an initiative to get more women in technology – from beginners to professionals. This program is in collaboration with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training and funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Due to the intention of the program, emphasis and priority is given to women, but anyone is welcome. Register here!
Board Game Night Tuesday, November 15: 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Join us for a night of board games and card games from 6-10PM. This event is free and open to everyone. If you’re new to board games, we encourage you to come by as we will have trusty Hackforgers there to help get you started. Facebook Event
Open Coding Night Wednesday, November 16: 7:00 – 9:00PM
Working on a project? Need to bounce ideas off other programmers? Want to just practice coding in a supportive environment? Bring your laptop and get coding! Tutorials are available for beginners looking to get started in programmer. Facebook Event
Electronics Club: Hack the Vending Machine Saturday, November 19: 1:00 – 4:00PM
Early in 2016, Hackforge bought a Rowe International Model 5900 JR vending machine on the cheap, and we want to hack it until it does our bidding. We need your help! Come out to this month’s Electronics Club meeting to brainstorm a list of kits & bits to stock it with, figure out how to interface to it with an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi (bonus homework: Google the service manual and read it!), and spec out a web-based payment system we can kick over to our software allies. Facebook Event
Order of the Indie Game Developers: iDream Interactive Chat
Monday, November 28: 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Join us for a casual chat with Jacob Duhaime, founder and CEO of iDream Interactive. He’ll be talking about the proudly independent, Windsor game studio and answer questions from the audience. Great opportunity for devs, designers, and fans alike. Facebook Event
Book Club
Tuesday, November 29: 7:00 PM
“Neuromancer is a 1984 novel by William Gibson, a seminal work in the cyberpunk genre and the first winner of the science-fiction “triple crown”—the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award.”
Join us for casual discussion on this classic cyberpunk novel. Facebook Event
Software Guild:
Wednesday, November 30: 7:00 – 9:00PM
The group for professional developers meets monthly to discuss best practices and professional development. Topic TBA. Stay up to date here!
Windsor-Essex .Net Developers: Cross Platform ASP.NET Core with VS Code Tuesday, August 2: 6:30 PM
Live coding walk through of using VS Code to create a ASP.NET Core application. If you have a Mac or use Linux, you can follow along too! More info here!
Board Game Night Thursday, August 11: 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Join us for a night of board games and card games from 6-10PM. This event is free and open to everyone. If you’re new to board games, we encourage you to come by as we will have trusty Hackforgers there to help get you started. More info here!
Intro to CSS: Coding Class for Women Tuesday, August 16: 6:00 -8:00PM
Get stylin’ with CSS! This styling sheet language works with HTML to bring design, layout, and variation of display. No previous coding experience needed. Please bring your own laptop!
Computer Girls is coding classes for women by women. In partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) and funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, these classes are taught by female professional computer programmers with the aim to get more women interested in coding. Register Here
Open Coding Night Thursday, August 18: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
Working on a project? Need to bounce ideas off other programmers? Bring your laptop and get coding! Great event for beginners as well! Tutorials will be available and the event is facilitated a real life computer programmer. More information here!
Intermediate HTML & CSS: Coding Class for Women Tuesday, August 23: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
A match made in heaven! Come learn how to bring together these two programming languages into a functional, stylish way. Perfect for beginners. Bring your laptop to this free workshop. Part of the Computer Girls Program. Register now!
Electronics Club: SMD Soldering Techniques & Demo Saturday, August 27: 1:00 – 3:00PM
Check out demonstrations on how to use a flux pen, tack parts, point solder, drag solder, clean up bridges with wick or a solder sucker, and desolder/rework using hot air. The target board has 0603, SOD-123, SOT-23, and SOIC-14 packages.
If you’re at least a little familiar with through-hole soldering and want to learn more about surface mount, join us for this afternoon of learning. Learn More!
Order of the Indie Game Developers Monday, August 29: 7:00 – 9:00PM
Join likeminded designers and dreamers for an evening of demos and discussion on the world of game design. This group is for those interested in creating games both digital and tabletop. More info here!
Intro to JavaScript: Coding Class for Women Tuesday, August 30: 6:30 – 8:30PM
Get to know this practical computer programming language that is essential for the web. No previous coding experience needed. Please bring your own laptop! Part of the Computer Girls program. Register Here!
Software Guild: NoSQL with John Haldeman Wednesday, August 31: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
What ever happened to tables with rows and columns?: Whether it’s MongoDB, Hadoop, Cassandra, CouchDB, Solr, Spark, Redis, or Neo4j – database and data processing technology has experienced a dramatic increase in specialization over the last few years. We’ll take a look at some of the more popular NoSQL database technologies out there, show some examples of accessing each, discuss where they are being used, and look at the tradeoffs in using them. Find more info here!
* Drone Night, StartUp Windsor, and the DIY Audio Electronics Group are all on hiatus for the summer
Windsor-Essex .Net Developers Tuesday, July 5th, 6:30PM
Live coding demo using the Nancy Web Framework. Learn how to create MVC and Web API’s using Nancy and Owin/Katana. Feel free to bring your laptop if you want to follow along (will require Visual Studio 2013 or 2015) but not required. More information here
Members Day Potluck Saturday, July 9th: 11:30AM – 1:00PM
Come by for the Hackforge Potluck! This is an opportunity for our members to get-together, talk shop, and meet and mingle. Interested in Hackforge? This is your chance to see what we’re all about! More info here
Anita’s Network: Lunch and Learn
MOVED TO AUGUST Wednesday, July 13: 12:00 – 1:00PM
The networking group for women who work in tech invites you to the session of mentorship and professional development.
Board Game Night Thursday, July 14: 6:00 – 10:00PM
Join us for a night of board games and card games from 6-10PM. This event is free and open to everyone. If you’re new to board games, we encourage you to come by as we will have trusty Hackforgers there to help get you started. Facebook Event
Drone Build Night Friday, July 15th: 6:00 – 9:00PM
Join Windsor Drone Corps for a night of drone building, drone videos and pizza. Bring down your machine to work on or to ask the pros some questions. Everyone welcome! Facebook Event
DATE CHANGE w.a.v.e.s 2016 Festival Design Time: Lantern Art NEW: Sunday, July 17th: 11:00 – 1:00PM
Fun for the whole family! Join us for a day of drawing art at Hackforge.
Your beautiful images will be used to create wooden lanterns which will be displayed at the WAVES festival in September. We will cut the best designs into wood using a laser cutting machine on a date after the workshop.
The City of Windsor’s Cultural Affairs Department is a partner on this initiative in anticipation of the w.a.v.e.s 2016 – Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 4-11 PM – FREE ENTRY, Rain or Shine! w.a.v.e.s. (Windsor’s Artists, Visions, Energies & Sculptures) is a two-day festival connecting communities through waves of art, culture and technology.
Intro to HTML: Coding Class for Women Wednesday, July 20: 6:00 – 8:00PM
Get the fundamentals down for this practical and simple coding language. This is a great introduction for anyone who wants to get started with code. Bring your laptop!
Computer Girls is coding classes for women by women. In partnership with Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) and funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, these classes are taught by female professional computer programmers with the aim to get more women interested in coding. Register Here
Open Coding Night Thursday, July 21st: 7:00 – 9:00PM
Working on a project? Need to bounce ideas off other programmers? Want to just practice coding in a supportive environment? Bring your laptop and get coding! Tutorials are available for beginners looking to get started in programmer. Facebook Event
Order of the Indie Game Developers Monday, July 25: 7:00 – 9:00PM
Join likeminded designers and dreamers for an evening of demos and discussion on the world of game design. This group is for those interested in creating games both digital and tabletop. Facebook event
Software Guild: Wednesday, July 27: 7:00 – 9:00PM
The group for professional developers meets monthly to discuss best practices and professional development. Keep up to date on MeetUp
Electronics Club Workshop: Connect Arduino to the Internet of Things Saturday, July 30: 1:00 – 3:00PM
Connect an Arduino to a Wifi network. This will allow you to try fun new things, such as using a smartphone to change the colour of groovy LED mood lighting. For the cost of admission, you will receive an Adafruit Feather M0 with Wifi to take home.
Hackforge Members get $10.00 off with the special offer code. Register now!
* StartUp MeetUp is on hiatus for the summer!
** DIY Audio Electronics Group is on hiatus for the summer!
