RSVP for the very first meetup of AI for Nonprofits - Portland.
• Short talks (5 minutes): someone shows one thing that actually worked - a prompt that improved a real donor letter, a privacy rule a real board adopted. Real work, shown working. No slides required.
• One deeper conversation: this month - what we're actually using AI for and where we've drawn the line. Small groups, honest notes.
• Field Notes follow up: within two days, everyone gets the write-up from the meetup. Prompts discussed, ideas shared, and more. Lessons travel; names don't.
Bring one thing you've learned, or one thing you're trying to understand.
You do not need to be an AI person.
Free, no vendor pitches, no technical background needed.
We wrap at 1:30 - conversations that want to keep going can move out to Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Questions, or something you'd like presented for you (anonymously is fine): westoncoxpdx@gmail.com
This event will be co-hosted by Weston Cox (TomorrowLabs) and Surj (PunkWorks) - both human-centered technologists with experience in nonprofits and mission-driven organizations.
Join us for Hacktoberfest Hack Day Portland x Portland AI Devs — a one-day, in-person community hack day focused on learning, collaboration, and open-source contribution, part of Major League Hacking's Hacktoberfest. Whether you're new to open source or an experienced contributor, come connect with fellow developers, explore real-world projects, and build together. Participants will work on pull requests, issues, and open-source contributions, with hands-on hacking using open-weight models and open-source AI tools. Schedule: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Check-in and welcome 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM: Collaborative hacking and open-source contributions 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Project demos, wrap-up, and networking Hosted by Portland AI Devs at the Portland State Business Accelerator. Light food will be provided. Just bring your laptop, curiosity, and a desire to build something together. MLH event page: https://events.mlh.com/events/15552-hacktoberfest-hack-day-portland-x-portland-ai-devs
## Details \#\# Mentorship Saturdays Partnership Because of the big overlap between our communities, we’ve partnered with Mentorship Saturdays. As a result, we’ll now be hosting two Code & Coffee events per month — at this location \#\# What to Expect: Roseline Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. Drink some coffee, bring your laptop, and have engaging conversations. This is a great opportunity to learn from others, share your knowledge, and possibly collaborate on side projects, online courses, or even your day-to-day work tasks. Still uncertain? Let's chat on Discord! \#\# Venue: The Venue is at Roseline Coffee, who is graciously allowing us to host a space. WIFI, power outlets Recommended Parking: Smart Park, $7 all day https://www.portland.gov/transportation/parking/smartpark \#\# Agenda: 10 AM - Arrival: Head to the couches or the big table 10:15 AM - Introductions: Share your name Discuss your current projects or interests. If you don’t have a specific project, share what intrigues you! Mention your expertise and how you can assist others. Are you job hunting or hiring? Let us know! Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. 12:30 AM - Wrapping Up: You can stay longer, but we'll officially be done! We usually grab lunch as a group at near by food carts \#\# Online Link
Students are already using AI. This panel conversation will tackle what's actually happening: the different ways students are using it, what it might be doing to how they think and learn, and what it means when a chatbot becomes a student's go-to when they're stressed or stuck, not just a source of homework help. Three things we'll get into: The range of ways students are actually using AI, and why one story doesn't fit them all Whether AI is changing how students think, not just what they turn in What it means when students reach for AI instead of a teacher, tutor, or someone else, when they're overwhelmed or need support This is for anyone who teaches, parents, or works with students, or just cares about where education is headed. Panelists: Seth Fleischauer, Founder & President of Banyan Global Learning, host of Make It Mindful: Insights for Global Learning Mohan Nair, author of Unreachable: How Not to Lose Your Mind in an AI-Obsessed Era More panelists to come...