Design Groups New York

AIxUX Virtual Summit 2026

2 half days. Real builds. An exclusive, hands-on virtual summit designed for UX professionals who want to master AI integration in their practice. Become an Agentic Designer—one who doesn't just use AI tools, but shapes systems, orchestrates complexity, and builds with intention. **What makes this summit unique?** * You’ll build something real * Make friends & build partnerships * Find your place in the AI landscape * Shift from passive prompting to deploying specialized agents that automate research, accelerate prototyping, and scale your output. * Explore new perspectives: See how different UX designers use AI tools in their workflow. * Spark career momentum: Grow your network and confidence with an active, ambitious community. **Workshops & Agenda Highlights** * Welcome * Keynote: Designer's New Mandate * Create Your Summit Agent * Trust, Transparency, & Control * Multimodal Futures * Orchestrating Complexities * Building Your Process * And more surprise sessions! **Featured Facilitators** [Danny Setiawan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dnystwn/), [Suyen Stevenson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/suyenlyn/), [Volkan Unsal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/volkanunsal/) , [Alexis Brochu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbrochu/), [Renata Rocha](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rerocha/) , [Silvia Balu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/silviabalu/), [Corey Malone](https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymalone/), [Esther Greenfield Jakar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-g-j/) **Ready to shape the future of UX with AI?** Reserve your spot, build your network, and get inspired to level up your impact in the UX and tech community! Get your ticket : [https://uxsupportgroup.com/summit](https://uxsupportgroup.com/summit)

SDNNYC: The Work Beneath the Work

**Wednesday, June 10th, 6:00-8:00 PM EDT** **Presentation** The Work Beneath the Work: On the enabling, connecting, and sense-making layer of service design **Event Description** There's a layer of design work that exists inside almost every organization, but rarely has a name. It's not design ops. It's not strategy, at least not in the way those disciplines are usually understood. It shows up in the conversations that shift how teams think, the workshops that don't produce a clean output but somehow move things forward, and the quiet act of connecting people who should have been talking months ago. This talk is about that work. Through examples and honest reflection on what it costs to do it: politically, emotionally, and organizationally, we'll explore how service designers often find themselves doing organizational change work without realizing it. And why naming that matters, both for the work itself and for the people doing it. The second half of the session is a conversation. We'll use the room's collective experience to sit with a simple question: What do you call the work that would fix that gap? **About Our Speaker** **Dhea Sekararum** Dhea Sekararum is a Service Designer and Design Strategist at Verizon, where she works inside a large design organization helping teams build the conditions for more coherent, customer-centered work. Her path into design began in clinical psychology and behavioral science, a lens she still brings to her thinking about organizations, people, and the gaps between them. She holds an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons and has spent over 10 years working across UX research, digital product design, service design, and strategy in tech, travel, healthcare, logistics, and education in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the US. She's drawn to the work that makes other work possible: the sense-making, the bridging, the slow organizational change that rarely gets a job title. **Agenda** * 6:00-6:30PM Meet & mingle over food and drink * 6:30-7:30PM Presentation & Demo * 7:30-8:00PM Discussion & Networking * 8:00PM - ? After-Party **Address** Intuit 51 Astor Place New York, NY 10003 **After-Party**: Cuna Bar The Standard 25 Cooper Sq **Financial Transparency & Scholarships** As a non-profit, we do our best to strike a balance between making our events available to all and ensuring we keep the lights on. For this event, we are charging $10. * If this amount is prohibitive for you to attend this event, please message [Barry](https://www.meetup.com/sdnnyc/members/267573171/) on Meetup and we’ll provide you a scholarship to this event. You can also email us at sdn.newyorkchapter@gmail.com as we may miss messages on this platform. * If you’d like to provide scholarships, please message [Barry](https://www.meetup.com/sdnnyc/members/267573171/) on Meetup and he will follow up with you. See you there :) David, Francesco, Yasmin, Cameron, Lynn, Nicholas, & Barry

Scaling Accessibility with Design Systems

This event will be online on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/_4k16DgOUMA) and in-person (New York City). **The speaker and live stream starts at 7:30 pm ET**. In-person attendees may arrive as early as 7 pm ET. If arriving late, please leave a comment on this page and someone will come down ASAP. **Description** Twenty million New Yorkers. Forty-five agencies. Tens of thousands of web pages, forms, and applications. What does it take to scale accessibility across an entire state? Jesse Gardner leads the Design System and Accessibility teams for the State of New York. He'll share what his teams have learned about scaling accessibility: resources and education to grow team maturity over time, manual accessibility reviews as a service, and a shared design infrastructure with built-in accessibility. He'll spend most of the talk on the design system. It's already helping teams scale accessible design, and it's increasingly serving as a foundation for accessibility in AI-assisted code-generation. This talk is for the full A11yNYC community: engineers, designers, advocates, content strategists, lawyers, librarians, researchers, and anyone who wants to understand where accessibility is headed in the next few years. Topics include: * Why a design system is one of the highest-leverage accessibility investments any organization can make * A live, plain-language demonstration of how AI tools interact with this kind of shared guidance (you don't need knowledge to follow along) * Why AI tools often produce inaccessible work, and what it looks like when you give them clear instructions and accessible building blocks * Honest lessons from coordinating accessibility work across the state * Practical advice for any accessibility program, no matter the size or budget Attendees will gain: * A real-world perspective from large-scale government services * Practical examples for scaling accessibility beyond "just work harder" * Guidance for harnessing AI to ensure accessible output **Presenter bio** [Jesse Gardner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/plasticmind/) is Director of Accessibility and Design Systems at the New York State Office of Information Technology Services, where he leads two teams serving more than 45 state agencies and 20 million New Yorkers. He built the New York State Design System from scratch and led the state's response to the DOJ Title II accessibility compliance deadline (recently extended to April 2027). Before joining the public sector, Jesse spent more than two decades in software engineering and design leadership. He speaks regularly on the intersection of design systems, accessibility, and AI (most recently at Into Design Systems 2026) and writes at plasticmind.com. He lives in upstate New York with his wife and four kids. **Accessibility** The presentation will have human captions [CC], not automatic captions. For ASL preferred speakers, learn about the [Aira ASL App](https://aira.io/aira-asl-app/), and download it before the event. For the Blind and Low Vision community, learn about the [Aira Explorer App](https://aira.io/aira-explorer-app/) and download it before the event. To access the online webinar for audio description, use the A11yNYC Access Offer to call, or simply inform your Visual Interpreter that you'd like that offer applied when you connect. For additional accessibility requirements, please email meryl@equalentry.com **two weeks** **before** the event. **Livestream** [YouTube link](https://youtu.be/_4k16DgOUMA) Provided by Internet Society Accessibility SIG. **Location details** The event is on the 4th floor. Everyone must be accompanied to the event on the 4th floor. Because everyone needs to be escorted, please arrive early or on time. When you enter the ground floor, a representative from A11yNYC will be there to provide elevator access. The building is near several transit stops: 6 train * Spring Street (non-accessible stop): 100 feet * Canal Street (accessible stop): 0.4 miles B/D/F/M * Broadway-Lafayette St., 0.2 miles NQRW trains * Prince Street (non-accessible stop): 0.2 miles * Canal Street (accessible stop): 0.3 miles M1 / M55 Bus lines * Broadway/Spring Street stop: 500 feet Cabs and rideshares can let passengers out right near the building entrance **Important note** Google Maps currently incorrectly pins the location around the corner on Crosby Street. The entrance is not on Crosby. The entrance is on Spring Street, inside the Marc Jacobs International building. It is roughly halfway between Crosby and Lafayette, almost directly across Spring Street from the Chipotle restaurant. **Traveling to the event?** We recommend [Hotel on Rivington](https://www.hotelonrivington.com/) or [Crosby Street Hotel](https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/crosby-street-hotel). **Accreditation** All A11yNYC meetups are pre-approved for IAAP Continuing Accessibility Education Credits (CAEC). **Sponsors** Thanks to [Aira](https://aira.io/), [AKQA](https://www.akqa.com/), [Deque](https://www.deque.com/), [Evinced](https://www.evinced.com/), [Equal Entry](https://equalentry.com/), and [Fable](https://makeitfable.com/) for sponsoring. Want to be a sponsor? Contact meryl@equalentry.com

Socializing and Networking / North Jersey edition

Summer is officially here, and what better way to kick it off than over pizza & a drink with fellow designers, devs & researchers? Join UXPA NJ — first-timers and familiar faces alike — for good eats and good company at The Wanderer in Jersey City. What are you up to now that we’ve already survived the season’s first heat wave? Are you starting a new project, or planning a trip to get away from it all? Whatever's on your mind, come out, grab a slice, and catch up with your neighbors and fellow designers. This month we're mixing things up again with a quick creative activity. Put your thinking cap on, and join us in a couple of weeks! More details to come. The Wanderer is a “caffeine to cocktails” bar tucked between Cafe Alyse & One World Pizza in the McGinley Square neighborhood of Jersey City. And lucky us, the Wanderer hosts a Happy Hour on Tuesdays! Discounted select beer & wines and $5 cheese pizzas from One World Pizza next door. *Did someone say Happy Hour?* There will be no agenda or speakers for this event. We just want to encourage informal socializing. **Agenda:** 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Socializing, networking, drinks & maybe pizza (cash bar) Feel free to stay later! **The Wanderer** **53 Baldwin Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07304** 🏃🏽‍♂️ **18 minute walk** from Journal Square Path station 🚌 **By bus:** NJTransit route #s 9, 8, 87, 80 🚲 **Citibike station:** Baldwin at Montgomery 🚗 **Street parking available**, with the Parkmobile app https://www.instagram.com/thewanderer_jerseycity [https://www.instagram.com/one_world_pizza/](https://www.instagram.com/one_world_pizza/) [ParkMobile Parking App | Find & Pay for Parking | On-street & Reservation](https://parkmobile.io/)

NYC Tech Week: Find a Start-Up to Help or Join (In-Person)

**Welcome!** If you are a developer, UX designer, marketer, or anyone else in the tech ecosystem looking to join or help a tech startup, or even just get involved in a project, this event is for you! We will be introducing projects for you to get involved with during the pitches. There is no group like this on Meetup or in the startup world because we filter out the BS and get you going on a project ASAP. No judges, no winner, and no time-consuming feedback. What happens first in the event is startup founders pitch their business or idea to the audience, which is full of the developers, designers, marketers, etc. If you are interested in one of the projects / startups, you can join one of the founders in a breakout room to continue building, workshopping, and/or onboarding the startup with attendees. People have been able to start and advance their businesses as a result of this process. Schedule: * 6:00 PM - Doors open for networking * 7:00 - Founders pitch * 7:30 onward - founders break off into break-out groups and attendees can move around and help one for the remainder of the time, similar to a hackathon. Startup Oasis was created to pierce the illusion of accessibility of startups and tech by creating a grassroots forum for early-stage founders to pitch to those in the tech ecosystem to get real-time feedback for their idea or business. Use this [link](https://lnk.bio/startup.oasis) to: * Follow us on LinkedIn * Join our community on Discord * Donate to our cause * Visit our website **FAQ:** **Is this event free to attend?** Yes - Startup Oasis will always be free for anyone to attend. If you would like to donate, you can do so directly on our [website](https://donate.stripe.com/eVa2a0dV27Nlb2ofYY). You can also talk to us about volunteer or sponsorship opportunities. **How do I sign up to pitch?** RSVP here. Right when the event starts, fill out the form and then raise your hand on Zoom. That will also determine the order. You can also buy a VIP ticket to support our cause and guarantee you a spot to pitch. To be eligible to pitch, you must be the cofounder of a technology-based startup. Agencies, consultants, coaches, MLM schemes, and nonprofits are not eligible to pitch, but you can still watch the pitches and join the breakouts. **What happens after the pitches?** The breakout groups open for the remainder of the event. Each founder gets a breakout room, and you can talk more about their business and needs with them. **Can I invite other people that I know?** Yes - please have them RSVP here or on the [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-oasis-global) event listing. **How do I get the most out of this event?** * Founders - In this event, no money is awarded nor are any winners named. We are not here to critique your pitch, just to help you find teammates, cofounders, and feedback from other professionals. Make sure your pitch is 3 minutes or less and clear about what your biggest needs are. * Attendees - If you are new to startups and tech, feel free to just watch with no pressure to participate. If you are looking to join a startup or find a side project, make sure you take notes during the pitches to join the group of the founder that you're most interested in helping. Most founders need help with either developing the product or with a go-to-market strategy. **Do we meet in person?** We do this event in Atlanta, GA each month in Midtown at ATDC. **Content:** We are looking for founders to be interviewed or people to interview founders for short videos. Let us know if you are interested! Python, Java, .NET, C#, C++, Javascript, IOS, Android, Ruby, AI

UX Happy Hour irl (open to all levels)

######## You need to bring a physical Government Issued ID to be allowed to stay. It's the Law. ######## Whether you're a seasoned UX pro, just breaking into the field, or simply curious about design — this is your invite to pull up a chair and join the conversation. UX Happy Hour is a laid-back, no-agenda gathering where designers, researchers, product thinkers, and anyone design-curious can connect over drinks in a low-pressure setting. No slides. No networking theater. **Why attend:** • Meet new connection in organic way • Get feedback and fresh perspectives on your work (i.e. portfolio) or advice for your career • Stay sharp on what's happening in UX, AI, product, and tech right now • Meet potential collaborators, mentors, or future coworkers • Cheap drinks ($5 Guinness) **What to expect:** • Warm, welcoming crowd across all experience levels • Candid conversations about design, careers, tools, and everything in between • A great chill bar in the East Village to do it all in **Where to find us:** We're usually tucked in by the ATM at the back of Mona's. If you're not sure where we are, just ask the bartender — they know us! Come solo, bring a friend, or drag a coworker along. The more the merrier. Interested in sponsoring this event? Reach out to Danny (one of the organizers) for our sponsorship rate card.

Signs of Creative Minds: "Arts" and Sign: HOST NEEDED!

Visual, Composition & Storytelling: Jun 13- 27, Sat. 12:30 -3:00 PM. In-person.

[Visual Composition & Storytelling Classes (3 sessions): Jun 13-Jun 27, Saturdays 12:30 PM-3:00 PM. In-person: Outdoors](https://www.photomanhattan.com/product-p/co-dp3.i-01.1.htm "Visual Composition & Storytelling Classes (3 sessions): Jun 13-Jun 27, Saturdays 12:30 PM-3:00 PM. In-person: Outdoors, CO-DP3.i-01.1") https://www.photomanhattan.com/product-p/co-dp3.i-01.1.htm \* Meetup RSVPs don't reflect the number of attendees as most Registrations come from our site: https://www.photomanhattan.com **This workshop is fully Outdoors.** Except, in specific instances such as rain / drizzle, it will be partially indoors or rescheduled. **Meeting location will be in Union Square Park or the Highline (at 14th street).** **👁️ VISUAL COMPOSITION & STORYTELLING:** The Art of Seeing Light and Design This is where your creative photography takes over. Master composition rules (Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines) and learn how to break them to forge your own artistic style. Focus on visual design elements like perspective, color theory, and dynamic framing. **What You Will Master:** \* **Compositional Rules**: Master essential composition techniques, including the **Rule of Thirds**, **Leading Lines**, **Symmetry**, and **Negative Space**. \* **Design Elements**: Focus on visual design elements such as **perspective**, **color theory**, **dynamic framing**, **pattern**, and **texture** to make every image captivating. \* **Creative Vision**: Develop your individual style and learn to identify and execute complex concepts that transform a snapshot into a compelling piece of visual storytelling. \* **Hands-On Practice**: In-class assignments and critiques focused on developing and refining your unique creative vision. This course marks the shift from simply operating a camera to truly creating art. Master the foundational rules of composition and learn when and how to break them to forge your own unique artistic style. Learn to communicate complex ideas and emotions through the frame. **Requirements & Notes:** \* **Requirements**: Any camera (DSLR, Mirrorless, or advanced Point & Shoot). \* **Assumed Knowledge**: Basic familiarity with camera operation.

Free OPEN Passes DeveloperWeek NY 2026

Hi All, > Register here: [https://www.devnetwork.com/registration/?event=DeveloperWeek%20New%20York%202026&utm_source=meetup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MU2174&discount=MU2174](https://www.devnetwork.com/registration/?event=DeveloperWeek%20New%20York%202026&utm_source=meetup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MU2174&discount=MU2174) > You must register at the link above (and not just indicate that you are attending here on Meetup). > [DeveloperWeek New York 2026](https://www.developerweek.com/newyork/ "https://www.developerweek.com/newyork/") (June 9-10, New York City, NY) is the East Coast’s largest independent software development conference & expo. DeveloperWeek New York brings together software engineers, architects, dev team leads, and product builders for two days of hands-on sessions, case studies, and conversations focused on production-scale systems. Learn from leaders at IBM, OpenAI, Salesforce, AWS, Google, NBC, Cisco, Tesla, Microsoft, Zoominfo, and many more! > **Choose from sessions across 8 Conference Summits:** > * AI DevSummit > * API & Microservices Summit > * Cloud-Native Summit > * Dev Innovation Summit > * DevExec Summit > * DevOps Summit > * DevSecurity Summit > * Product Summit Make sure to check in at ALLCREATIVE NY and let your fellow AllCreative NY members know that you’re going. Don’t forget to tell your friends to join ALLCREATIVE NY so they can stay up to date on “All Things Creative” in film, video and the arts.

High Line & Hudson Yards Spring Walk (50 & Over Social Stroll)

**\*To Attend Get Tickets At:** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/high-line-hudson-yards-social-stroll-50-over-tickets-1985775141905](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/high-line-hudson-yards-social-stroll-50-over-tickets-1985775141905) (\*First 5 save $5 by using discount code "5" at checkout. Multiple groups are co-organizing so don't go by the RSVP's Based on previous walks, we'll have around 20.) Kick off the Summer on an invigorating, scenic, and a healthy outdoor walk at NYC's most beautiful locations. Join others in your own age group at our stroll through the High Line & Hudson Yards landscape. It is the perfect location for our popular 50 & Over Social Walk. Get some fresh air, some exercise, and meet some new people in your age range. Plus, enjoy the views, unique architecture & cutting-edge art that is all a part of the High Line and Hudson Yards. Our social walks are an extremely popular way to meet others. This event very casual and non-awkward + our host will help to make introductions. During the walk, you will randomly be paired with others in the beginning then rotate at designated times so that you get to meet everyone participating. Afterwards, you're welcome to hang out and exchange contact info with others. FAQs: **Where to meet?** Exact meeting location with host contact info will be sent to all paid attendees day of the event. **How many will attend?** We will have enough attendees so everyone has enough time to meet and get to know all attending. **What if rains?** We will email attendees a new date. **Can I come alone?** Yes, about 90% come on their own. **Ages?** 50s & Over. Gender balance is not guaranteed but we usually get a good mix. **How much?** $15-$25 depending upon when you get ticket and spots left. 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)**

Protecting Your Ideas: IP for Makers, Builders & Founders

Join us at Fat Cat Fab Lab for a practical presentation on intellectual property and patent law tailored for makers, builders, hardware/software developers, and early-stage founders. Led by New York patent attorney and inventor Stefan Knirr, this session will explore the fundamentals of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets through the lens of real-world product development and commercialization. Topics will include: • What patents do — and do not — protect • Provisional vs. non-provisional patent strategies • Public disclosure risks and timing • Protecting prototypes, code, CAD files, branding, and creative assets • Common IP mistakes early-stage builders make • Practical considerations around cost, filing strategy, and commercialization The session is designed to be practical, accessible, and directly relevant to creators developing products, launching startups, collaborating with others, or preparing to bring ideas to market. 6:30–6:45 → Arrival / networking 6:45–7:30 → Main presentation 7:30–8:00 → Audience Q&A + project-specific questions Free and open to the community. Limited seating available.

ADOBE 99U 2026 Conference

Attending the conference in person requires payment BUT viewing via Livestream access is FREE fun with Adobe, sign up [https://event.adobe.com/adobe99u ](https://event.adobe.com/adobe99u) Make sure to check in at ALLCREATIVE NY (https://www.meetup.com/ALLCNY/) let other AllCreative NY members know that you’re going. Don’t forget to tell your friends to join ALLCREATIVE NY (https://www.meetup.com/ALLCNY/) so they can stay up to date on “All Things Creative” in film, video and the arts.