Makers Unite: Baltimore's Grassroots Response to the Pandemic
Tuesday, April 6
12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Zoom event, register here
The Health Sciences and Human Services Library is proud to host Will Holman, Open Works' executive director, and Jay Nwachu, Innovation Works' president, for our next Meet the Makers guest speaker event.
This talk will reflect on Makers Unite, Baltimore's crowdsourced personal protective equipment (PPE) drive at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new model for mutual aid that uses makerspaces, digital fabrication, and online organizing to address critical social issues.
In late March 2020, hundreds of people around Baltimore with 3D printers at home began making parts for face shields and other PPE. Known as Makers Unite, the effort was organized by Open Works, a community maker and studio space that pivoted quickly to PPE manufacturing.
Together with Innovation Works, a social innovation hub and nonprofit, a website was set up to facilitate PPE distribution and maker contributions (totaling over 28,000 PPE units). Health care workers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore are among those who received such equipment.
Open Works and Innovation Works continue to adapt their programming and services to the community's needs, including support for students struggling with remote learning, and more.