First of all, thank you to every single person that attended our social hours throughout the year.
Whether it was your first or one of many, you all are so valuable to the Chicago graphic design community. It truly warms my heart to see creatives show up and connect.
When I first began thinking about starting social hours, I did not think I could do it. I was a shy and quiet person my whole life. But then it started to bug me the first few months of the year, I wanted to go out and finally meet other graphic designers, didn’t everyone else too? I blame the pandemic and the lack of connection (pun intended). So, I took it upon myself to bug Christian about why the CGDC didn’t have more in-person events after attending the Design B&B studio tour. It finally got to a point where he suggested that I become a member and start organizing.
So I did. I had zero experience with community organizing, especially in a social setting, with the encouragement of Christian, Cheryl, Jeffrey, Carson, and my partner. I got to business. I’ve attended a few “networking” design events at that point, and they felt so forced. How can I evoke the opposite feelings of a networking event? Relaxed, laid-back, no pressure, a place for the Chicago graphic design community to exist and chat? Well, going to places where you’re outside of a literal box, free of forced interaction, where people can decide to show up or not. That’s when Chicago became our playground.
The first official social hour was at Dark Matter’s Star Lounge in Humboldt Park on April 10th. Sometimes, life happens, so we don’t require registration. I had no idea about the number of people to expect; it was just that Star Lounge had enough seating (nice!). Thankfully, Christian was able to help facilitate the event, two is better than one. Right at 6 PM, a few people started showing up, and then more, and then eventually, 15 people. I could not believe it. I definitely had to keep cool, ensure everyone felt welcomed, and chat all around. By the time the night ended, it felt like the beginning of one of many wonderful events to come.
This year has been the most rewarding, with the Chicago Graphic Design Club welcoming me and launching our series of in-person social hours. Every month, more and more community members came through, and we always had a great time. It’s heart-warming to see creatives come together, especially seeing new creatives form acquaintances and even friendships. Thanks for all your patience with this first-timer.
Cheers to 2025, we hope to continue to bring y’all together and check-out sweet spots in Chicago.
Sincerely,
Alexis Gonzalez
