Meet the Team Behind: DIY Girls

DIY Girls empowers young women and gender-expansive youth to explore STEM through hands-on tech education, mentorship, and creativity—closing the gender gap in tech one project at a time. Learn more about their work here! 

Can you tell me about the need for your work? 

Currently, women represent just 34% of overall employed scientists and engineers in the United States, of which only 10% are represented by women of color. We want to change that! 81% of students want to participate in more engineering and technology activities, but most schools don’t have programs available to them. Our mission is to increase girls’ interest and long-term success in science, technology, engineering, and math through innovative educational experiences and mentor relationships. 

What do your programs entail? 

DIY Girls partners with local schools in the Northeast San Fernando Valley region. Our programs support students in 5th-12th grade, giving them skills to participate in the movement towards open-source software and hardware in the product space. In elementary schools, students are introduced to STEM and the joy of making creative, exciting projects. In middle school, students explore the intersection of technology and art through hands-on projects that blend imagination and engineering. High schoolers explore research, teamwork, and communication skills while learning coding, 3D design, hardware assembly, and more, culminating in a custom engineering project. 

Can you explain your impact? 

75% of our participants believe they can be successful in a career in STEM and 75% of our high school program alumni are currently pursuing a STEM-related major. We address the holistic needs of girls by focusing on integrating social emotional learning and career exploration in STEM. Our goal is to have a continuity of participation in our programs from elementary, to middle, and high school. Last year, we had 72 high school students in our program. In total, we’ve worked with over 8,000 students in the area. 

What is your alumni network like? 

Our organization has an alumni leadership and support network, which includes 93 high school program alumni who are enrolled in or have graduated from college. In the 2024-2025 academic year, 29 alumni graduated from college; 66% of these young women are pursuing careers and/or a graduate degree in STEM. The other 64 alumni are enrolled in college and/or university, with 53% pursuing STEM-related majors, including Biology, Computer Science, and Environmental Engineering. We offer scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and career guidance for our alumni, ensuring that they feel supported through college and beyond.