About Us
Our beginning.
Our first large scale project was building a skate ramp for Playland Community Skate park. We met with the founders of the park and collaborated with local skateboard shops to get the plans and materials we needed. We had two weekend builds and ended the project with a Best Trick Skate Contest. Everyone was included - parents, kids, friends and family. That build marked the beginning of Dykes With Drills. It was something that couldn’t have been accomplished without the help of everyone.
Our name.
We call ourselves Dykes With Drills. By using the word “dyke”, we reclaim it from its history of oppression and exclusion. By using drills and other tools, we build communities of diversity and inclusion. Our community includes people of all sexualities and genders, including those who are non-conforming, transgender, and allies.
“When queer womxn create space, everyone is included.”
— Julie Peri, FOUNDER
Our mission.
Dykes With Drills is a nonprofit that empowers people with the tools to build. By hosting skill-building workshops, retreats, volunteer events and meet-ups, we cultivate opportunities for individuals to connect with each other and to use power tools. In everything we do, we foster safe, inclusive, non-judgmental spaces for learning and teaching.
Our values.
GIVING PEOPLE INDEPENDENCE AND CONFIDENCE USING TOOLS
Power tools are empowering! We engage people of every skill level in opportunities to use power tools which we believe helps build independence and confidence. We believe that using tools can have a huge impact and have all felt that transformation which comes with using tools.
BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH PROJECT-BASED COLLABORATION
Through project-based collaboration, volunteering and meet-ups, we connect with each other and establish a vibrant network of people who build. New handy persons to highly skilled tradespeople, homeowners to contractors, learners to teachers - we are all in this together.
LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES
We celebrate our failures and use our mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow. By learning from our mistakes we are able to constantly move forward and foster an environment where people are free to take risks.
ACCESSIBILITY BOTH FINANCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY
We are determined to make sure that our workshops are inclusive of people in a variety of financial and physical situations, offsetting workshop costs with donations, grants and sponsorships, and doing our best to make sure our workshops are accessible to people of all abilities.