Girlies in UX Dinner pt. 3 <3 | GHC Chicago
- Date
- 2025-11-06
- Location
- Chicago, IL, USA
- Host
- Girlies in Tech Dinner Parties
About this event
If you’re heading to GHC Chicago and want something more grounded than another rushed introduction or crowded mixer, Girlies in UX Dinner pt. 3 is built for exactly that. This is a chance to step away from the conference pace, sit down over dinner, and spend real time with women in UX who care about thoughtful conversation, shared experience, and making genuine connections. Whether you work in product design, UX research, content design, strategy, or you’re still figuring out where you fit, this gathering creates room for the kinds of conversations that are hard to have in passing. It’s social, but intentional; relaxed, but still professionally valuable. About the Event Girlies in UX Dinner pt. 3 is an in-person community dinner in Chicago for women and women-adjacent folks in UX who want to connect during GHC. The format is simple on purpose: meet up, share a meal, and talk with other people who understand the work, the industry, and the experience of building a career in design and research spaces. This is not a formal panel, a speaker series, or a heavily programmed networking event. The value comes from being in the room with the right people and having enough time to move beyond surface-level intros. Instead of trying to collect as many contacts as possible, the evening is better suited to honest conversation, mutual support, and the kind of networking that actually feels human. Because this is part three, there’s also an implied spirit to the event: people clearly want spaces like this to keep happening. That matters. It signals that there is real appetite for community-centered UX gatherings that feel welcoming, relaxed, and specific to the people attending. What to Expect Expect a dinner-centered meetup with time to settle in, introduce yourself, and get into conversation naturally. The rhythm will likely feel more like a well-curated group hang than a formal agenda, which is exactly the point. You can show up ready to talk about your work, your career questions, your conference experience, or simply meet new people in the field. Conversations may range across topics like: Breaking into UX or navigating early-career uncertainty Growing in your role as a designer, researcher, or strategist Conference takeaways from GHC and what’s resonating most Career transitions, portfolio questions, interviewing, and mentorship The realities of working in UX as a woman or gender-marginalized professional Community building and how to stay connected after the event You should also expect a more comfortable pace than the average conference networking environment. Dinner naturally creates smaller-group interactions, follow-up questions, and the ability to actually listen. That makes it easier to leave with a few meaningful new connections instead of a stack of conversations you barely remember. If you’re coming solo, this format works especially well. Shared meals lower the barrier to entry, and a UX-specific gathering gives everyone an immediate common thread. You won’t need a perfect opener to belong here. Why Attend There’s a big difference between being surrounded by people and feeling connected to them. This dinner is for attendees who want the second one. If you’ve been craving more substance than a quick hallway chat, this is a better setting for building relationships that can continue after GHC ends. You’ll likely leave with a clearer sense of who’s in your corner, what other UX people are thinking about right now, and how others are navigating similar challenges. That can be useful whether you’re job searching, trying to grow your confidence, looking for collaborators, or simply wanting to feel less alone in your experience. A focused community dinner like this can also be a reset in the middle of a busy conference week. It gives you space to reflect out loud, ask candid questions, and hear perspectives that don’t always show up in polished presentations. Sometimes the most useful professional insight happens at the dinner table, not on stage. Just as importantly, it’s a chance to meet people in UX in a setting that feels warm and reciprocal. You don’t have to perform expertise to participate. Curiosity, generosity, and openness are enough. Practical Details This event is in person in Chicago, USA and takes place on Wednesday, November 5 at 6:00 PM CST. Because it’s scheduled in the evening, it works well as a post-conference meetup or a dedicated dinner plan if you’re in town for GHC and want a more intentional way to spend the night. The gathering is centered around dinner, so plan for a social, seated, conversation-friendly environment rather than a formal workshop setup. You should come ready to introduce yourself, share a bit about your background or interests in UX, and engage with others at a real conversational pace. A few good ways to prepare: Bring your conference energy down a notch and show up ready for real conversation Think about what you want to ask others, especially around UX paths, roles, or GHC takeaways Come solo or with a friend; the format supports both Be open to staying in touch with people you click with after the event If you’ve been looking for a UX gathering during GHC that feels personal, relevant, and easy to step into, this is a strong bet. Dinner is the format, but community is the reason to go.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want a UX gathering that feels more personal, more conversational, and more useful than standard networking. - **You’re in UX and attending GHC** and want to meet women and women-adjacent folks in a setting where you can actually talk, not just exchange names. - **You’re early in your career, pivoting into UX, or exploring where you fit** across design, research, content, strategy, or adjacent roles, and you’d benefit from candid conversations with others on similar paths. - **You work in product or design spaces and want community**, especially if you’ve been missing more grounded, peer-level connection during a busy conference. - **You’re coming to Chicago solo or don’t have dinner plans yet** and would rather spend the evening with people who share your professional language and interests. - **You value meaningful networking over performative networking** and prefer smaller-group conversation, shared perspective, and the chance to build relationships that might continue after the event. - **You have something to share and something to ask**—whether that’s advice, encouragement, lessons from your work, or questions you’ve been wanting to bring to other UX people.