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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250512T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250512T200000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20250501T132306Z
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SUMMARY:THE AI CON: HOW TO FIGHT BIG TECH'S HYPE AND CREATE THE FUTURE WE WANT
DESCRIPTION:Is artificial intelligence going to take over the world? Have big tech scientists created an artificial lifeform that can think on its own? Is it going to put authors\, artists\, and others out of business? Are we about to enter an age where computers are better than humans at everything? \nThe answer to these questions\, linguist Emily M. Bender\, Ph.D.\, and sociologist Alex Hanna\, Ph.D.\, make clear\, is “no\,” “they wish\,” “LOL\,” and “definitely not.” This kind of thinking is a symptom of a phenomenon known as “AI hype.” Hype looks and smells fishy: It twists words and helps the rich get richer by justifying data theft\, motivating surveillance capitalism\, and devaluing human creativity to replace meaningful work with jobs that treat people like machines. In The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want\, Bender and Hanna offer a sharp\, witty\, and wide-ranging take-down of AI hype across its many forms. \nBender and Hanna show you how to spot AI hype\, how to deconstruct it\, and how to expose the power grabs it aims to hide. Armed with these tools\, you will be prepared to push back against AI hype at work\, as a consumer in the marketplace\, as a skeptical newsreader\, and as a citizen holding policymakers to account. Together\, Bender and Hanna expose AI hype for what it is: a mask for Big Tech’s drive for profit\, with little concern for who it affects. \nBender\, a professor of linguistics at the University of Washington\, and Hanna\, director of research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)\, will be in conversation with Timnit Gebru\, Ph.D.\, founder and executive director of DAIR. DAIR is an interdisciplinary and globally distributed AI research institute rooted in the belief that AI is not inevitable\, its harms are preventable\, and when its production and deployment include diverse perspectives and deliberate processes it can be beneficial. \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy The AI Con from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Bender and Hanna that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-ai-con-how-to-fight-big-techs-hype-and-create-the-future-we-want/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T193000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20240510T152921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250415T184817Z
UID:20005999-1747159200-1747164600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Art Impact Project: Concentric Circles
DESCRIPTION:Inspired by artist Wassily Kandinsky\, this concentric circle project fosters a relaxing environment.  We use acrylic paint on canvas to create a beautiful pattern\, representing the delicate and complex layers of human emotion. \nArt Impact Project uses this basic drawing technique to demonstrate how you can use this process to relax and let your creativity flow.  Using simple art supplies and water\, you’ll be given a prompt to create fun and colorful art.  You don’t have to be an artist to enjoy this unique wellness project.  All supplies provided. \nQuestions about this program or Art Impact Project? Please contact Cassandra\, Manager of Programming. Or\, visit the Art Impact Project website here! \nThis class is free\, but spaces are limited and participants must pre-register.  \n \nCelebrating their tenth anniversary\, Art Impact Project is a local 501c(3) with a mission of enhancing emotional wellness through creative expression.  They partner with organizations such as schools\, treatment facilities\, libraries\, and other community spaces throughout Lake County\, to facilitate art programming with a focus on better mental health.  Providing a supportive\, small group setting\, Art Impact Project guides participant step-by-step through the creative process so everyone can experience the benefits of art.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/art-impact-project-benefit-of-art/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Art,Classes,Specialty,Wellness,Youth
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T200000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20250505T133256Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250505T133256Z
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SUMMARY:THE FAMILY DYNAMIC: A JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY OF SIBLING SUCCESS
DESCRIPTION:An Olympic athlete. An award-winning novelist. A successful entrepreneur. All raised under one roof. What can we learn from those families whose children aim high and succeed\, sometimes in widely varied fields? Just as important: What were the costs along the way\, and what can we glean from their travails and triumphs? \nIn her new book\, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success\, the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Susan Dominus offers compelling profiles of six such families in search of the factors that led to their success—was it an inherited quality\, a specific way of parenting\, the influence of a sibling\, or a twist of luck? Inspired by the iconic Brontë sisters\, whose remarkable literary success prompted endless speculation\, Dominus\, the mother of twin teenagers\, sought out contemporary high-achieving families who shared intimate stories of their upbringing. She introduces us to the Chens\, young parents who fled their country’s one-child policy to open a Chinese restaurant in Appalachia—then sent four children to elite colleges and on to careers that give back in technology and medicine; the Groffs\, whose claim to fame is not just an award-winning novelist but an Olympic athlete and a notable entrepreneur; the Wojcickis\, whose daughters made inroads as STEM pioneers in Silicon Valley; and the Murguias\, who rose from exceptionally humble origins to become powerful jurists and civil rights champions. Woven into these and other stories is an account of centuries of scientific research into the ongoing question of nature versus nurture. \nElegantly written and extensively researched\, The Family Dynamic is more than a checklist of how-to’s. It’s a deep and moving exploration of the complexity of family life and the rewards—and burdens—of ambition. \nDominus will be in conversation with Lisa Damour\, Ph.D. (FAN ’19\, ’20\, ’21\, ’23)\, the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled\, Under Pressure\, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers\, which have been translated into twenty-three languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast\, works in collaboration with UNICEF\, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Damour authored the monthly Adolescence column for The New York Times\, is a regular contributor to CBS News\, and created Untangling 10to20\, a digital library of premium content to support teens and those who care for them. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-family-dynamic-a-journey-into-the-mystery-of-sibling-success/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T203000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20250501T205505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250505T211956Z
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SUMMARY:Ripples of Kindness: Rocks That Connect
DESCRIPTION:Small Stones\, BIG Impact – Spreading Joy Throughout Our Community\nJoin us for a delightful Mother’s Day mini-retreat where we’ll come together to create ripples of kindness throughout our community. This fun\, creative gathering invites women to connect\, create\, and contribute to a movement of joy that extends far beyond our circle. By painting inspirational messages on rocks and placing them around town\, we’ll create unexpected moments of happiness for strangers while building meaningful connections with each other. \nThe Experience: \n\nA welcoming circle led by Melissa Pas Blake of Pasitive Solutions\nFun community-building activities at the Gorton Center\nCreative rock painting with inspirational messages\nRefreshments\, connections\, and meaningful conversation\n$25 participation fee with 100% of proceeds benefiting Mothers Trust Foundation\n\nRock Message Ideas: “You’re loved\, “You matter\,” “You’re enough\,” “Kindness ripples outward\,” “Joy finds you today\,” “Pass the smile along\,” “Small acts change everything.” \nEach rock will include: “Keep me\, share me\, or place me somewhere new to spread the joy! #RipplesOfKindness” \nThis Pre-Mother’s Day\, Thursday\, May 8th\, 7-9:00 pm CST\, join us to create beautiful ripples of positivity that will spread throughout our community—one painted rock\, one found treasure\, and one moment of unexpected joy at a time. Remember\, every dollar goes directly to supporting the Mothers Trust Foundation and its important work for mothers in need! \nSponsored by: Susie Hempstead \nDate:  Wednesday\, May 14\nTime:  6:30 – 8:30 pm\nPlace: Gorton Center\, Art Room \n \n 
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/ripples-of-kindness-rocks-that-connect/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Community,Events,Family & Kids,Rental Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T203000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20250505T133939Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250505T133939Z
UID:20006426-1747249200-1747254600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:UNFORGIVING PLACES: THE UNEXPECTED ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GUN VIOLENCE
DESCRIPTION:In 2007\, economist Jens Ludwig\, Ph.D.\, moved to the South Side of Chicago to research two big questions: Why does gun violence happen\, and is there anything we can do about it? Almost two decades later\, the answers aren’t what he expected. Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence is Ludwig’s revelatory portrait of gun violence in America’s most famously maligned city. \nDisproving the popular narrative that shootings are the calculated acts of malicious or desperate people\, Ludwig shows how most shootings grow out of a more fleeting source: interpersonal conflict\, especially arguments. By examining why some arguments turn tragic while others don’t\, Ludwig shows gun violence to be more circumstantial—and more solvable—than our traditional approaches lead us to believe. \nDrawing on decades of research and Ludwig’s immersive fieldwork in Chicago\, Unforgiving Places is a breakthrough work at the cutting edge of behavioral economics. As Ludwig shows\, progress on gun violence doesn’t require America to solve every other social problem first; it only requires that we find ways to intervene in the places and the ten-minute windows where human behaviors predictably go haywire. \nLudwig is the Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. He is the Pritzker Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab\, codirector of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s working group on the economics of crime\, elected member of the National Academy of Medicine\, and a member of the Committee on Law and Justice of the National Academies of Science. His work has been featured in leading peer-reviewed scientific publications as well as national media like the New York Times\, Washington Post\, Wall Street Journal\, NPR\, and PBS NewsHour\, among other outlets. \nLudwig will be in conversation with Christian Mitchell\, Vice President for Civic Engagement for the University of Chicago\, overseeing the Office of Civic Engagement\, including state and local government relations\, as well as the Office of Business Diversity and Commercial Real Estate Operations. \nThis event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded but not live streamed and will be available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/unforgiving-places-the-unexpected-origins-of-american-gun-violence/
LOCATION:Evanston Township High School Auditorium\, 1600 Dodge Ave\, Evanston\, IL\, 60201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T191500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250514T211500
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20241125T221304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250212T202529Z
UID:20006191-1747250100-1747257300@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Do Not Submit-Lake Forest
DESCRIPTION:Storytelling Open Mic-WALK-INS WELCOME\n  \nDNS takes place the second Wednesday of every month. No Cover Charge!\n  \nDo Not Submit Lake Forest takes place in a cozy room in the Gorton Center\, Lake Forest. It is a monthly storytelling open mic in an enthusiastic\, supportive environment free from pressure\, judgment\, or scoring. No experience is necessary to participate. All are welcome to speak or simply listen. Arrive at 7:15 to sign up for a spot\, and when your name is called\, participants will have up to 7 minutes to tell/read/tap dance any personal story/fiction/essay on proper flossing they’d like. All language and content is acceptable except for hate speech. No cover charge. Beer\, wine and non alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Hosted by Jasmin Rodriguez\, Suzie Garfield & Lisa Parr \nAbout Your Host: \n \nJasmin Rodriguez is a trained actress with over 10 years of stage\, commercial\, film\, storytelling experience. Most recently she completed commercial’s for BrightStar Care and Spirit Juice. She has worked  in several independent films\, such as “Faithful Disappointment’s”\, Market Value” and the TV true crime series “American Greed”. She completed her training at Second City\, Vagabond\, Sarantos Studios\, Wheaton Drama\, and Gorton Drama Studio. Jasmin is a dedicated actress and hard worker who is constantly looking to improve her skills. She is currently working as an MC for DO NOT SUBMIT – Lake Forest Open Mic and sharing wonderful stories with her guest. She enjoys powerwalking by the lake\, bike riding\, singing in her church choir & travels to Europe.  \n \nSuzie Garfield expects everyone to have stories (not just a story) to tell. As for her own background: She’s raised her 2 sons to adulthood. She’s programmed computers\, managed business projects\, learned as much as she could about other stuff\, taught as much of it as she could get to interest other people\, and always—always—told the stories about any and all of it. Now\, as a retiree from the conventional workforce\, an empty nester\, a consumer of food\, opera\, theater\, museums\, the visual arts\, and miscellaneous other adventures\, and a perpetual storyteller\, she keeps looking for and finding the next challenge\, the next thing to learn\, do\, and teach\, and the next story \n \nAfter teaching studio art and art history in high school and colleges\, Lisa Parr opened and still runs her business internationally restoring Historic Landmark antique carousels\, speaking and writing articles on them and her specialty of original paint. Additional application of her skills is for legal work\, court verifying and identifying carousel figures for insurance\, damage\, and theft for private collectors\, as well as appraisals for museums\, art dealers\, and auctions. In connection with carousel art\, Lisa pursues research in early Celtic design and mythology on site in the upper isles of Scotland. Many early Celtic and pre-Christian designs are reproduced on carousels and carousel animals. Her interest in ancient and contemporary mythology has led her to research mountain storytelling\, initiating more travel and recent storytelling\, herself. Lisa has been telling Highland Park\, Lake Forest\, and several venues in Chicago. For fun\, Lisa also restores antique wood toys and sports cars\, which she drives with vigor and nostalgia.​ \n  \n 
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/do-not-submit-lake-forest-18/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Events,Performing Arts
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250516T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250516T160000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20230502T200952Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250513T151800Z
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SUMMARY:Accelerated Class: Reiki Levels I & II
DESCRIPTION:THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED. PLEASE JOIN US FOR FUTURE DATES IN JUNE\, JULY & AUGUST!\nLearn an ancient healing art. Our Accelerated Reiki class is designed for anyone who wants to dive into energy work and feel its benefits. This class includes both the Reiki level I and level II instruction. Receive a Reiki II certificate.  First and Second-Degree Reiki Certification Class teaches powerful\, healing symbols and provides precise instruction for application of these symbols as well as ample time for hands-on practice in integrating the symbols into Reiki sessions on self and others.\nYou will have a deeper experience of the beautiful healing and transformative powers of Reiki.  You leave class with a Reiki Second Degree Certificate and manual\, fully trained to do Reiki on yourself\, others and animals. \nInstructor: Melissa MacTaggart \nMelissa MacTaggart is a certified reiki practitioner and reiki master teacher\, she has studied the Usai methodology\, which is the oldest form of reiki practice. She trained at Zaanti Reiki and Sat Nam Yoga in Chicago. She founded ‘Blossom and Bee Reiki’ in 2018. She has taught reiki workshops in Los Angeles and in Chicago.  Since her teenage years she has been interested in the mind-body connection and has explored and experienced many different forms of energy healing. Reiki has become her favorite healing modality as it  is such a beautiful practice that facilitates the feeling of a glowing radiance that flows through you and out into the world. Encouraging others to find peace\, balance and healing through energy work is her joy. Her mantra is ‘let’s move energy together.’
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/accelerated-class-reiki-levels-i-ii-4/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Age,Classes,Wellness
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250516T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250516T203000
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20230315T225533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T164537Z
UID:20002300-1747422000-1747427400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Latin Dance
DESCRIPTION:Come join Esther and Walt for a sexy\, fun\, healthy and easy to follow latin dance class! This class is designed for couples but singles are welcome. You will learn footwork plus how to lead and how to be led as well as easy to follow turns. We will touch on merengue\, salsa and cha cha rhythms. \nSangria and light snacks will be served! \n$20 for Singles & $30 for Couples
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/latin-dance-2/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Age,Classes,Wellness
GEO:42.2506703;-87.8374004
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250517T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250517T111500
DTSTAMP:20260407T094318
CREATED:20250402T190803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250516T195243Z
UID:20006370-1747476000-1747480500@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Collage Your Own Letter Art Poster
DESCRIPTION:THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR RESCHEDULED DATES!\nIn this creative and fun art class\, children will explore the world of collage by designing a personalized poster featuring the child’s name initial. Using a variety of materials such as magazines\, stickers\, fabric\, buttons and more they will create a vibrant collage where all the images they use begin with their name letter. By the end of the class they’ll have a custom designed piece of ‘finding’ art to proudly display at home. Alongside this they will also be given an 8 x 10 poster of their name letter designed by Vee. Ages 7 – 11
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/collage-your-own-letter-art-poster/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Art,Classes,Youth
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