Mobile Makers’ Impact Recognized by LISC Chicago
Mobile Makers’ Impact Recognized by LISC Chicago
By Tia Carol Jones
Designer and Educator Maya Bird-Murphy founded Mobile Makers to address the lack of diversity in architecture and provide access to design for young people.
Mobile Makers was recently awarded the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Community Design Impact Award at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the Chicago 30th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards (CNDA). The impact award is given to recognize impactful work and efforts to make the world a more equitable place.
Bird-Murphy knew she loved architecture, but wanted to practice it in a way that felt meaningful and safe. She went to graduate school and her thesis was what is now Mobile Makers. She incorporated Mobile Makers in 2017.
Mobile Makers started out as youth-centered art and design programs that took place in schools. Students would participate in design activities and projects during school hours in their classrooms. In 2020, Mobile Makers completed the conversion of a United States Postal Service van, which went around the South and West sides and provided programs. Recently, the Mobile Makers completed work on an almost 2,000 square foot permanent space that will have year round programming. It is located in Humboldt Park at 1757 N. Kimball, and will be fully open this Fall. The programs are for young people ages 8-18 years old.
Bird-Murphy said it felt really great to have Mobile Makers honored with the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Community Design Impact Award. While over the years, Mobile Makers has received awards for its work, this award also has a monetary component, which makes a difference. Bird-Murphy said financing a nonprofit can sometimes be the most difficult part of having that kind of organization.
“Having both the recognition at this level, but also the funding attached to it, just makes my life easier. It makes it easier for us to keep our programs free,” she said.
Bird-Murphy also acknowledged that it feels special, because being recognized at the CNDA Awards is a huge honor. She also hopes with the recognition from the award, it will bring awareness to the public about the work Mobile Makers is and has been doing in the community.
“We’ll keep doing pop-ups and going to schools, but the permanent space is a really huge deal and it’s something that we’ve been trying to get done for years,” she said.
Bird-Murphy is really excited to see the young people come into the Mobile Makers space. She wants it to be a safe space for them. She can’t wait to see the students who started the program at the age of 8 and then to see them graduate at the age of 18.
“My biggest thing is I want young people to know that they can come to this space. It’s supposed to be a resource and a fun, safe, place to be, if you’re in between school and home or it’s the weekend … it’s a place that young people can just hang out, even if they’re not in a program,” she said.
For Bird-Murphy, it’s about the young people in the program building life skills that they can take with them and feel more confident and successful.
Mobile Makers has announced their Fall programs, for more information, visit mobilemakers.org.
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