Online Reg­istration Reminder. Join us on Saturday, May 23rd for a fun time at the Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserves in Oak Brook. There'll be a wide variety of activities, both indoors and outdoors, for any Chicago Mensan, their friends, and the entire family. There's a $5 discount for advanced registration. Check out the event for details and to register.

Central Indiana Mensa OMG! held today at 4 PM through Sunday, May 17th, at the Versailles State Park at 1387 U.S. 50 East in Versailles, Indiana. An outdoor excursion to a group of cabins in the woods. Reasonably described as “camping-lite,” the Outdoor Mensa Gathering (or OMG!) is a trip to the great outdoors of Indiana, with a campfire, hiking, board games, card games, guided discussions, and other activities. You get food, lodging, scenery, and more. For additional details and registration rates, get the event info from AML or visit the Mensa of Indiana website.

Animae Central (ACen) held today through Sunday, May 17th at the Donald E. Stephens (DES) Convention Center at 5555 N. River Rd. in Rosemont (accessible via CTA Blue Line). See the special guests and performers. For more information, visit their website.
Public Event!!

55th Chicago Annual Pride Parade Registration Reminder. The Parade will be held Sunday, June 28th, the last Sunday of the month. The CAM contingent is sponsored by the Rainbow SIG. The Rainbow SIG and their allies will be marching and riding on their float again this year in the Chicago Annual Pride parade. You can’t help but feel the joy from the cheering, smiling crowd when you participate. There will also be a GOBS-subsidized meal nearby after the parade. For all details, visit the Parade & Luncheon Info webpage or see the ar­ticle in the May ChiMe. Register by Thursday, May 28th.

SEMM : The Lost Princess: Recovering the Heroines Of Historic Fairy Tales 5:30 PM CDT. People often associate fairy tales with Disney films, and with the male authors from whom Disney often drew inspiration—notably Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen. In these portrayals, the princess is a passive, compliant figure. By contrast, our speaker this month, in her book The Lost Princess, Dr. Anne E. Duggan will show us that classic fairy tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast have a much richer, more complex history than Disney's saccharine depictions. Dr. Duggan recovers the voices of women writers, who penned popular tales about ogre-killing, pregnant, cross-dressing, dynamic heroines who saved the day. This new history will appeal to anyone who wants to know more about the lost, plucky heroines of historic fairy tales.

Dr. Anne E. Duggan is a professor of French Studies and a member of the Academy of Scholars at Wayne State University. She is the author of three monographs, two of which have been translated into French and Chinese, and she has edited numerous volumes on fairy-tale cultures. Professor Duggan served as associate and co-editor of the journal Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies, for 25 years, and she currently edits the Donald Haase Series in Fairy-Tale Studies at Wayne State University. She is currently working on a book about politically committed animated tales.

See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Event. If you happen to be in Detroit, you are invited to attend their MG and join them at their dinner afterwards. All Zoom attendees must preregister by visiting the SEMM Monthly Gathering page and choosing "May 16, 2026 5:30 pm" from the dropdown. Due to rising Zoom costs, SEMM asks for a $5 donation, if you can afford it.
Virtual Event!!

SFRM : Why the Scopes Trial (1925) is Still Relevant 4:30 PM. Trial of the Century: Tennessee vs. John T. Scopes. The first major sally against the teaching of evolution in the US, and, mostly because of the fictional play and movie Inherit the Wind, Scopes is wrongly perceived as a victory for evolution over the forces of obscurantism. The full story is much more complex and interesting, involving science, religion, law, education, politics, celebrities, modern communications, and the politicization of science.

Dr. Eugenie C. Scott is an expert on the creationism and evolution controversy and science denialism. The former director of the National Center for Science Education, she is the recipient of numerous awards from scientists and educators, and has been awarded ten honorary degrees. Asteroid 249540 Eugeniescott was named for her but she assures us it is not aimed at Earth.

For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup.
Virtual Event!!

Irish Mensa Lecture and Discussion: The Later Years: Organisation, Independence and Peace of Mind 1 PM. Irish Mensa meets virtually on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM Irish Time; a discussion then follows the lecture.

How should we get organized for our later years? With just a little preparation while we are fit and healthy, we can express our wishes for more difficult times. There are simple and positive options to be followed. Not just a will and lasting power of attorney, but simple steps to being independent longer, staying at home longer and enjoying life longer. A little thought now, and hopefully with discussion with family members, will provide reassurance and peace of mind for all.

His Honour Sir Peter Thornton KC was a practicing barrister in criminal and human rights law, a QC (now KC), founder member and head of Doughty Street Chambers in London, a Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey (the Central Criminal Court), and judge in the High Court and Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).  Sir Peter was the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales.  He is now a Visiting Professor at King's College London (where he teaches a course, Death Investigation: Coroners and Inquests), a member of the Independent Expert Panel of the House of Commons, and an international trainer of coroners and judges with the Civil Service College, the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association and the Slynn Foundation.  His latest book is The Later Years: The Simple Guide to Organising the Rest of Your Life (Bedford Square Publishers, 2025). He also conducts workshops on life and lifestyle in the later years.

For the full write-up and to join, visit the American Mensa Event. One does not have to register early for the event—simply click on the Zoom link before the session starts (check back here for that link on Monday, May 18th).
Virtual Event!!

MWW : Nonfiction Book Discussion 4:30 PM CST. Please join us in discussing Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia. We generally discuss what we liked about the book or found challenging. We also discuss what we would like more or less of, what format we read the book in, and whether it was a recent read.

Can't make it this month? The next book will be Fixing Fairness: 4 Tenets to Transform Diversity Backlash into Progress for All by Lily Zheng (June 17). See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Event Calendar. To register and join, use the MWW Zoom link.
Virtual Event!!

Online Reg­istration Deadline. Join us on Saturday, May 23rd for a fun time at the Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserves in Oak Brook. There'll be a wide variety of activities, both indoors and outdoors, for any Chicago Mensan, their friends, and the entire family. There's a $5 discount for advanced registration. Today is the last day you can qualify for a discount.

Theodore Talk: National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame 2:30 PM. Join Bethany Dodson, Director of Research & Education at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, for an engaging discussion on the history and culture of cowgirls. The Cowgirl is where history meets horsepower, and fearless women take center stage. Located in the heart of Fort Worth's Cultural District, it's the only museum in the world that celebrates the grit, grace, and guts of the women who shaped the American West—and those breaking boundaries today. Through permanent and temporary exhibits, interactives, and powerful storytelling, the Museum highlights artists, ranchers, rodeo champions, activists, and trailblazers from all walks of life. It's not just about looking back—it's about inspiring the next generation of unstoppable women.

Dodson will lead a virtual tour of the galleries and interactives, share some of their 261 Honorees' incredible stories, and discuss their expansion, opening in the fall of 2026, that will add 16,000 more square feet to their existing 33,000 square feet of interpretive spaces.

See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Event. Provided you register for the live talk, you will receive a link to a recording of the event. Closed captioning enabled.
Virtual Event!!

55th Chicago Annual Pride Parade Registration Deadline. The Parade will be held Sunday, June 28th, the last Sunday of the month. The CAM contingent is sponsored by the Rainbow SIG. The Rainbow SIG and their allies will be marching and riding on their float again this year in the Chicago Annual Pride parade. You can’t help but feel the joy from the cheering, smiling crowd when you participate. There will also be a GOBS-subsidized meal nearby after the parade. For all details, visit the Parade & Luncheon Info webpage or see the ar­ticle in the May ChiMe. Today is the last day you can register!

July ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin Dead­line. Last day for these submissions to the July ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? There’s bound to be an activity or a restaurant you want to try, but you just want some other people to experience it with you. So invite your fellow Mensans. Find out how by visiting our guide to hosting events.

July ChiMe Editorial and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for editorial submissions to the July ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, photographs, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.