Birth & Death of Tweetups + Birth of Terminal NYC
Not too long ago, young New York tech looked very different. We didn’t enjoy the yearly class construction that SF enjoyed and was designed around. In fact, it was still most common to be considered silly to believe that you could have a rich tech career in NYC. Particularly right after school.
Instead, at least it felt, we were met with criticism. When I would go out to fundraise in SF, the common question was “when are you moving to SF?” It was a question of: how serious do you take this stuff?
But I was not alone in this, we simply weren’t as connected yet.
Twitter allowed a special group of people to find each other. And through this, Tweetups were born and nurtured. The most vibrant time being 2019. We celebrated new companies starting and rounds coming together, we gossiped, we connected friends, helped job searches, sometimes people would hook up. All the things that make an ecosystem vibrant.
And New York really started to look different. Whether you had been here for years or it was your first week in the city. There was a social shift in, at least, part of the tech scene.
Then the pandemic struck and reopened, and the entire landscape of the city changed. I’m not going to drag it out, but basically a shit ton of tech people moved to NYC. As if it was a new crazy original idea.
We had a couple post-pandemic tweetups, including an absurd return banger. But it wasn’t the same. And it came to a natural and silent lay-to-rest moment.
But in the dm’s, groupchats, and subsequent disjointed hangouts… people keep asking → “what comes next?” Different of course, but next and necessary.
There are a lot of beautiful and compelling communities within the NYC tech scene. But I’ve felt really compelled to start an “airport” (scroll to the “airports over communities” section). Rooted in social and work practices that many of my peers and I practice. Below I’m simply going to list out the vibe, and you can click on the form if you’re interested in participating.
Name — Terminal NYC
Goal — A new spawn point in NYC tech
Youth/early career driven. This is a unique time in one’s energy and social capacity. We can recognize and embrace that freely.
Technology centered, but intersectional in practice (embracing furniture designers, writers, etc).
Inspired by the airport metaphor, there will be some consistent cast members and some folks that will come in and out.
Curated. Hosted. Invite only. Intimacy driven. Shared career journeys.
Some nights will be wine and vinyls. Other nights will be sharing works-in-progress. Hosts will play a big part in defining this.
Documenting. Both the airport itself + the members activities.
If this sounds interesting to you as a builder, writer, multi-disciplinary, you saw the bullet above… fill out the form below.
I don’t do edits really, so excuse typos and things that don’t make sense.
Thanks so much for giving me your attention. I hope it was worth it, if not… unsubscribing will not hurt my feelings, and will give you back time you literally cannot have back.
Much love.
Live in the light