"FABLabs For America was started by a Dorchester mom of four who saw the positive impact exposure to the FabLab platform had on her children, FLFA has worked tirelessly to promote FabLabs and the FabLab movement in Boston and beyond. Over the past few years FLFA has gained traction, networking through conferences, workshops and participation in workgroups (such as the Boston PIC’s STEM network) both locally and internationally.
In collaboration with MIT’s Fab Foundation, FLFA organized and hosted the first ever Northeast Fab Lab Symposium at the O’Bryant high school in Boston (’12), featured FABLabs at the 2013 National Association of Workforce Improvement conference in IN, facilitated workshops on Fab Lab programming in The Hague, Netherlands at the 2011 International Fab Lab Conference and presented a profile of the New England Fab Lab movement in the Netherlands (’11) and New Zealand (’13).In collaboration with Fab Foundation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston Public Schools (BPS) and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, FLFA hosted and operated MIT’s Mobile Fab Lab at the Madison Park Vocational high school.
Programming benefited local students, young entrepreneurs (collaboration with Build Boston’s Youth program), community members, artisans and educators through workshops, open lab time and camp style programs for youth and impacted more than 1000 Boston residents over 18 months.
FLFA is now looking expand and deepen our programming through a strong partnership with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), local universities, Boston Public Schools and local community development agencies."
