Hi Chip,

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, in fact, we do know Karkhana! One of their members (Dipeshwor Man Shrestha) is a graduate student of one of our steering committee members (Brian Gravel) and took a design-based research class with Beth Warren, Maria and I.

One of the goals of our project is to highlight the ways people already engage in making, highlighting the ingenuity of those folx in low-resource settings. Right now we are focused on US locations, but hope to expand internationally once we get a solid footing here. By bringing together researchers working at these intersections, our network aims to build the knowledge base for a critical, expansive vision of STEM participation. We will be opening up for recruiting researchers and practitioners such as yourself, very soon. Stay tuned! - eli

If you are a researcher in equity-oriented making settings you can take this survey and join our network here: https://bostonu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FzQyELmQswZrAV

It's great to see all of these (sometimes unexpected) connections. I do know Dipeshwor, and have worked with, and am a good friend of, Beth Warren.

You might enjoy seeing another example from Nepal: https://chipbruce.net/2019/02/22/a-personal-mak...

Definitely a cool car!

Thank you Donna! Those are very essential elements in our work.

Thanks so much for sharing our vision of an expansive view of making.  The research team is in the process of building our website that will share more details of our project and how to get involved.  We're planning to convene online and also in person (if and when that's possible) to share ideas, seed future research, and pool research data for more impact.  We're recruiting partners as active participants to build this network's vision and extensions.  Partners' role in the research is  as an active participants in sharing expanded visions of making and to offer their stories and illustrative examples.  Other goals are drawn from partners' identified needs and priorities.  Looking forward to getting in touch with any interested participants who find us through this venue.  

I am happy to join. I work in more of this and STEM

Hi Shihadah! LOVE this question! CRAFT takes the stance that entrepreneurship thrives in minoritized communities--whether it is recognized as such in today's world of start-ups and rapidly advancing digital technologies. Entrepreneurship, such as in Black-owned businesses, signifies the making of something that's aimed at meeting the needs of the local community. Black-owned businesses are a collective community-based endeavor that only thrives through mutual support between business owners and their customers/neighbors. 

My parents make and sell street food in South Central Los Angeles. They are self-sufficient and able to keep meet their needs. They can rest their feet any time they find the need. They are experts in their craft and are able to earn a living wage not DESPITE their intersectional identities, but BECAUSE of them. Entrepreneurship is where folks can stand in their power and make big things happen by drawing on skills, talents, and sensibilities shaped by their intersectional existence.

I would LOVE to continue this conversation more fully!