Inside The Gathering: A Women’s Group Built on Real Connection
2025年8月21日
When Ceressa McFadden moved from Miami to San Antonio, she noticed something missing: real spaces for women to build meaningful friendships. So, she started one.
What began as a way to meet new people quickly grew into The Gathering, a thriving women’s group that hosts dozens events per year and attracts hundreds of attendees from across San Antonio. From pink-themed brunches to career chats and wine tastings - every moment is rooted in connection.
From Student Organizations to Citywide Events
Ceressa isn’t new to GroupMe. She’s been using it since her college days at FIU:
“I’ve been using GroupMe since 2015. Homecoming committees, HR alerts during hurricane season... it was the go-to. It still is.”
That familiarity made GroupMe the perfect foundation for her growing social network in San Antonio. With intuitive topic-based chats, customizable profiles, and admin tools that scale, GroupMe helped Ceressa go from a few DMs to full-blown event production.
Organizing 500-Person Events Using GroupMe
Today, The Gathering hosts around 12 events each month, ranging from intimate meetups to major activations with brands like Brugal Rum, LALO Tequila and the Spurs. One recent event brought in 500 attendees.
Ceressa uses GroupMe’s topic channels to organize everything, from book clubs and military moms to weekend plans and ticket drops.
“We’ve got a chat just for any plans, a main announcements-only chat that I run, and dedicated channels for everything from careers to brunches. GroupMe lets us keep it all in one place, organized, personal, and simple to use.”
Curating Community with the Request-to-Join Feature
At one point, The Gathering had over 1,200 members. But Ceressa realized that growth without intention could lead to drop-off.
So, she implemented GroupMe’s Request to Join feature, allowing only those who attend events to access the core group chat.
“Now, you have to attend an event before you join the group. It keeps things active and meaningful, and GroupMe’s join questions make that process easy.”
Why GroupMe Works
✅ Topic Channels: For different interests and event types
✅ Admin Controls: To manage announcements and structure
✅ Request-to-Join: For vetting and maintaining a real community
✅ Mobile-Friendly: Works for members of all ages, from 20s to 60s
✅ Spreadable: Chat invites become event invites. RSVPs become friendships.
“I have members in their 40s, 50s, even 60s using GroupMe to stay connected. That’s how easy it is. I always tell people: if GroupMe ever went away, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Looking Ahead: More Events, More Community
As The Gathering continues to grow, Ceressa is pushing the boundaries of what community organizing can look like.
“We’re not just hosting events. We’re curating experiences. And GroupMe makes that possible.”
📸 Want to See the Community in Action?
Check out photos from past events on The Gathering's Instagram or request to join their GroupMe to get involved.
When Ceressa McFadden moved from Miami to San Antonio, she noticed something missing: real spaces for women to build meaningful friendships. So, she started one.
What began as a way to meet new people quickly grew into The Gathering, a thriving women’s group that hosts dozens events per year and attracts hundreds of attendees from across San Antonio. From pink-themed brunches to career chats and wine tastings - every moment is rooted in connection.
From Student Organizations to Citywide Events
Ceressa isn’t new to GroupMe. She’s been using it since her college days at FIU:
“I’ve been using GroupMe since 2015. Homecoming committees, HR alerts during hurricane season... it was the go-to. It still is.”
That familiarity made GroupMe the perfect foundation for her growing social network in San Antonio. With intuitive topic-based chats, customizable profiles, and admin tools that scale, GroupMe helped Ceressa go from a few DMs to full-blown event production.
Organizing 500-Person Events Using GroupMe
Today, The Gathering hosts around 12 events each month, ranging from intimate meetups to major activations with brands like Brugal Rum, LALO Tequila and the Spurs. One recent event brought in 500 attendees.
Ceressa uses GroupMe’s topic channels to organize everything, from book clubs and military moms to weekend plans and ticket drops.
“We’ve got a chat just for any plans, a main announcements-only chat that I run, and dedicated channels for everything from careers to brunches. GroupMe lets us keep it all in one place, organized, personal, and simple to use.”
Curating Community with the Request-to-Join Feature
At one point, The Gathering had over 1,200 members. But Ceressa realized that growth without intention could lead to drop-off.
So, she implemented GroupMe’s Request to Join feature, allowing only those who attend events to access the core group chat.
“Now, you have to attend an event before you join the group. It keeps things active and meaningful, and GroupMe’s join questions make that process easy.”
Why GroupMe Works
✅ Topic Channels: For different interests and event types
✅ Admin Controls: To manage announcements and structure
✅ Request-to-Join: For vetting and maintaining a real community
✅ Mobile-Friendly: Works for members of all ages, from 20s to 60s
✅ Spreadable: Chat invites become event invites. RSVPs become friendships.
“I have members in their 40s, 50s, even 60s using GroupMe to stay connected. That’s how easy it is. I always tell people: if GroupMe ever went away, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Looking Ahead: More Events, More Community
As The Gathering continues to grow, Ceressa is pushing the boundaries of what community organizing can look like.
“We’re not just hosting events. We’re curating experiences. And GroupMe makes that possible.”
📸 Want to See the Community in Action?
Check out photos from past events on The Gathering's Instagram or request to join their GroupMe to get involved.
When Ceressa McFadden moved from Miami to San Antonio, she noticed something missing: real spaces for women to build meaningful friendships. So, she started one.
What began as a way to meet new people quickly grew into The Gathering, a thriving women’s group that hosts dozens events per year and attracts hundreds of attendees from across San Antonio. From pink-themed brunches to career chats and wine tastings - every moment is rooted in connection.
From Student Organizations to Citywide Events
Ceressa isn’t new to GroupMe. She’s been using it since her college days at FIU:
“I’ve been using GroupMe since 2015. Homecoming committees, HR alerts during hurricane season... it was the go-to. It still is.”
That familiarity made GroupMe the perfect foundation for her growing social network in San Antonio. With intuitive topic-based chats, customizable profiles, and admin tools that scale, GroupMe helped Ceressa go from a few DMs to full-blown event production.
Organizing 500-Person Events Using GroupMe
Today, The Gathering hosts around 12 events each month, ranging from intimate meetups to major activations with brands like Brugal Rum, LALO Tequila and the Spurs. One recent event brought in 500 attendees.
Ceressa uses GroupMe’s topic channels to organize everything, from book clubs and military moms to weekend plans and ticket drops.
“We’ve got a chat just for any plans, a main announcements-only chat that I run, and dedicated channels for everything from careers to brunches. GroupMe lets us keep it all in one place, organized, personal, and simple to use.”
Curating Community with the Request-to-Join Feature
At one point, The Gathering had over 1,200 members. But Ceressa realized that growth without intention could lead to drop-off.
So, she implemented GroupMe’s Request to Join feature, allowing only those who attend events to access the core group chat.
“Now, you have to attend an event before you join the group. It keeps things active and meaningful, and GroupMe’s join questions make that process easy.”
Why GroupMe Works
✅ Topic Channels: For different interests and event types
✅ Admin Controls: To manage announcements and structure
✅ Request-to-Join: For vetting and maintaining a real community
✅ Mobile-Friendly: Works for members of all ages, from 20s to 60s
✅ Spreadable: Chat invites become event invites. RSVPs become friendships.
“I have members in their 40s, 50s, even 60s using GroupMe to stay connected. That’s how easy it is. I always tell people: if GroupMe ever went away, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Looking Ahead: More Events, More Community
As The Gathering continues to grow, Ceressa is pushing the boundaries of what community organizing can look like.
“We’re not just hosting events. We’re curating experiences. And GroupMe makes that possible.”
📸 Want to See the Community in Action?
Check out photos from past events on The Gathering's Instagram or request to join their GroupMe to get involved.
Getting Started with GroupMe
Get the app: Download the GroupMe App or navigate to GroupMe.com
Sign Up or Log In: Go to GroupMe and sign up for an account if you don’t have one. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Create a Group Chat or Event Group: Once logged in, create a new "Event Group". This will be the central hub for all communications about your event.
Invite Members: Send out invites to your community to collect RSVPs for your event. When they RSVP, they'll automatically be added to your event group chat. You can do this directly within the app by sharing a join link or entering in their phone number.
Getting Started with GroupMe
Get the app: Download the GroupMe App or navigate to GroupMe.com
Sign Up or Log In: Go to GroupMe and sign up for an account if you don’t have one. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Create a Group Chat or Event Group: Once logged in, create a new "Event Group". This will be the central hub for all communications about your event.
Invite Members: Send out invites to your community to collect RSVPs for your event. When they RSVP, they'll automatically be added to your event group chat. You can do this directly within the app by sharing a join link or entering in their phone number.
Getting Started with GroupMe
Get the app: Download the GroupMe App or navigate to GroupMe.com
Sign Up or Log In: Go to GroupMe and sign up for an account if you don’t have one. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Create a Group Chat or Event Group: Once logged in, create a new "Event Group". This will be the central hub for all communications about your event.
Invite Members: Send out invites to your community to collect RSVPs for your event. When they RSVP, they'll automatically be added to your event group chat. You can do this directly within the app by sharing a join link or entering in their phone number.
