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Houston Foresight had its annual [face-to-face] Spring Gathering two weekends ago for the first time in three years. Not only was it great to finally get to see each other in person again, but we also collaborated with the Association of Professional Futurists and staged a Pro Development Day. It sure felt great!
Our Graduate program is fully virtual, so the Spring Gathering is the one time a year that we “gather the tribe.” (It’s not mandatory, just encouraged). Alumni come back, current students join in, and we also invite prospects and friends as well — such as APF members this year. The two-day event is described in nice detail by alum Laura Schlehuber here.
I did want to take a little time here to reflect on some of the wonderful Gatherings we have had over the years. We typically pick a current theme in the field — this year it was “speculative futures” — to focus on, but we also build in plenty of time for networking and socializing. I enjoy hosting the group at my home in the evening after the main event.
I will say that there has been a perceived or real paucity of opportunities for futurists to get together. We’re surveying the landscape for futures-oriented Gatherings to provide a list for our students. And we’re already starting to think about our Gathering for next year. We kept this year’s a bit quiet from a marketing perspective, as we were afraid about potentially having to cancel due to Covid again. Fortunately, we made it, we loved it, and can’t wait to do it again! — Andy Hines
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