Announcement
Emily Pilloton-Lam on TED Radio Hour
Our Executive Director and Founder Emily Pilloton-Lam was interviewed on TED Radio Hour!
Fear Less. Build More.
Girls Garage is a nonprofit design and construction school for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 9-18. Through classes in carpentry, welding, architecture, and activist art, we support and equip a community of fearless youth who are building the world they want to see. Established 2013.
Speak up. Stand out. Make trouble.
Upcoming Sessions
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Summer Program
Young Women's Design and Building Institute
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Summer Program
Builder Bootcamp
Testimonials & Impact
“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"
“Girls Garage has opened up doors to so many different worlds that I would have not known existed if it wasn’t for this program. It shows every girl that they have in each of them a person who can do anything. They give you tools that can be used throughout your whole life along with an amazing community that cheers you on every step of the way.”
— Iris
“Working with these girls for a very long time has been amazing. I’ve know some for 5+ years and some for barely a week, but I feel like working on this huge project together has made us all even closer. One of my favorite things on the whole process was physically building the actual parklet with the other girls. It was so much fun to work together and hear everyone’s ideas and strategies. Another thing I really enjoyed was the woman from the landscaping architecture firm who talked to us about what they do and some of their advice on our parklet. It also gave me ideas of careers I might want to go into in the future.”
— Mikaela
“If this place has taught me anything, it’s to be resilient and to be fearless. So I look forward to the next project. I look forward to the next commitment. I look forward to the next build. I look forward to being fearless.”
— Nautica, 15 years old
631
participating youth since 2013
180
projects completed since 2013
100%
teen students attending at no cost
Get the Girls Garage 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-Lam, Founder of Girls Garage