“Makers Unite: Baltimore’s Grassroots Response to the Pandemic”

April 6, 2021
Noon-1 p.m. EST
Online Zoom event – RSVP for Zoom link

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library and The Grid are proud to host Will Holman, Open Works‘ Executive Director, and Jay Nwachu, Innovation Works‘ President and CEO, for our next Meet the Makers guest speaker event.

The two leaders will reflect on Makers Unite, Baltimore’s crowdsourced PPE drive at the start of the pandemic, and discuss 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 personal protective equipment (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 non-profit, 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.

Both 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.