ABOUT US

LA Makerspace is based in Maker culture: Taking hands-on creativity a step beyond do-it-yourself, we believe that Makers are at their best working in community, where ideas and resources can be shared.

Our mission is to make sure all youth in L.A. have the opportunity to learn STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) skills. 

The “Maker” education style is a project-based and confidence-building way to learn challenging concepts. These kinds of skills transfer well to 21st century jobs, because Maker projects unlock innovative abilities! All people have unique talent and different ways of thinking and visualizing solutions from others. LA Makerspace is a way to celebrate this together as a community.​

We are currently working in primary partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library System and County of Los Angeles Library (160 branches total). Our curriculum for library staffers enables them to become Makerspace leaders too — we are “making more makers.”

By helping the libraries create self-sustaining cultures of Maker learning, we equip them to integrate STEAM into what they already do.

OUR HISTORY

LAM was founded in the spring of 2012 by Tara “Tiger” Brown, a technology expert; Jeff Geoffray, a filmmaker; and Ariel Levi Simons, a science educator. In each of their fields, Brown, Geoffray, and Simons observed a need for experiential learning—not just for children, but for people of all ages. This founding group quickly developed into a community of makers focused on learning by doing. Since 2012, LA Makerspace has grown to include a Board of Directors and Advisory Board, both consisting of experts and allies dedicated to the mission.