Social Justice Makersapce

Overview

The project is an ethnographic study examining equity in makerspaces in collaboration with Clarisa James, the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit organization DIVAS For Social Justice. The organization recently launched a makerspace designed to empower the local community to tackle issues of social inequities while leveraging emerging technologies. The researchers formed a partnership with DIVAs soon after they acquired the space and have worked with the organization as they have begun planning and developing the makerspace. The initial work has involved co-design sessions with Clarisa, participatory design sessions with the community, and interviews to understand the important values and characteristics of a space that can engage local community members to build technological skills, while applying those skills to addressing social justice issues faced by the neighborhoods and communities in which they reside.

Research

Working closely with the organization, the researchers investigate the following research questions:

• RQ. How can we design makerspaces focused on community and social equity?
  • RQ1. What values and needs do local community members articulate and advocate for in the design process?
  • RQ2. What tensions arise during the development of the makerspace?
  • RQ3. What considerations and supports are important for developing equitable and inclusive makerspaces?

Research Team

• Shiri Mund - PhD Student Educational Communication & Technology
• Joey Azoulai - MS in Digital Media Design for Learning
• Dr. Kayla DesPortes - Assistant Professor of HCI and the Learning Sciences