Announcement
Tool School videos on our IGTV!
It's distance learning for fearless builder girls! We're launching new video content (tool tutorials! builder skills!) so that girls and families can keep building at home during the COVID-19 crisis.
Fear Less. Build More.
Girls Garage is a nonprofit design and building program and dedicated workspace for girls ages 9-18. Through classes in carpentry, welding, architecture, and activist art, we support and equip a community of fearless girls who are building the world they want to see. Established 2013.
Speak up. Stand out. Make trouble. Build the world you want to see.
Upcoming Sessions
There are currently no upcoming sessions.
Check out the Programs page for more info:
Testimonials & Impact
“I really appreciate the environment you cultivated for us. It was very collaborative, supportive, loving, nonjudgemental, and non-cliquey... We all naturally were able to talk to one another and work together. I also really enjoyed the discussions and readings (more than I thought I would). Overall, this week has been eye-opening and life-changing because it has taught me really cool skills and boosted my confidence in myself tremendously. This group made me feel comfortable to speak my mind and just be myself.”
— Sarah, 16 years old
“It was a true bonding experience to build the toolbox together. We both felt empowered by what we had built. Learning these skills in the company of other women is crucial to feeling comfortable in your workspace.”
— Melissa + Ayla, Mother/Daughter Builder Bootcamp Participants"
“I am personally working towards establishing myself as a visual artist. And even somewhere as liberal and diverse as the Bay Area, there is always that feeling... That feeling that because you are a woman, and especially a young one, that what you are doing is lesser; less informed, less talented, less valuable. But when I’m at Girls Garage, and the reason I have stuck around so long and plan to as long as I can is that I truly feel the exact opposite. The space radiates with support, appreciation, and empathy; helping me further my work and connect with others.”
— Innua, 17 years old
“Being in an all-girls space has been a beautiful experience. I will never forget all the support given to me through this program, and all the memories will forever live on in my heart. I got to connect with so many girls and women who have the power to do whatever they put their minds to, and it’s truly been inspirational. I loved being able to connect with so many other girls from different backgrounds, and I’ve created unbreakable bonds. I came into Girls Garage not knowing anyone and came out with sisters.”
— Ameera
424
participating girls since 2013
133
projects completed since 2013
100%
teen girls attending at no cost
Pre-order the Book!
Girls Garage: How To Use Any Tool, Tackle Any Project, and Build The World You Want To See
Girls Garage is your can-do compendium of all things tools and building! Packed with over 175 illustrated tool guides, 11 how-to projects, 21 essential skills, and 15 profiles of awesome builder girls and women, Girls Garage will inspire you to fill up your toolbox and get building.
I wrote this book as an invitation for girls to put on their tool belts and build the world they want to see. And I mean that quite literally: I want girls, who have big dreams, goals, and ideas, to have zero barriers to access the tools they need to be successful. That tool might be a hammer, a little extra confidence to try something new, or the ability to see yourself in the world of STEM.
— Emily Pilloton, Founder of Girls Garage