The GirlsHub program theme is inspired by a quote from Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to be elected to the United States congress. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
Through GirlsHub, young women ages 12 – 17 learn how to use power tools and build a chair, so they will always have a seat at the table.
Julia Labay, GirlsHub lead instructor, became involved in this program because she has found it rewarding to share her love of tools and sculpture with a younger group of women who might not otherwise learn to use tools. Through the program, “builders” learn how to use power tools to construct a chair and add design elements through woodworking, painting and other mixed media to create sculptural works of art.
Labay’s love of creating sculpture using tools started when she was young.
“I grew up in my dad’s garage, building and working with wood and hammering scrap pieces together thinking I’m making sculpture artwork,” Labay said. “That grew into getting my master’s degree in sculpture.”
She now teaches introduction to and advanced sculpture at the University of Toledo.
Labay has been impressed by the changes that she sees in the young women in just one week. Many of them have been signed up by a parent and are shy and reluctant at first.
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The chairs are designed by the builders to tell their unique story. Labay has observed that “the program empowers these young women by putting their story out there, giving them a voice…that really gives them a purpose.”
GirlsHub is the brainchild of Nina Corder, Executive Director of Women of Toledo. Women of Toledo’s mission is to engage, educate and empower women and girls in Northwest Ohio. Exposing young women to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) is an important component of the program. Women are nearly half of the workforce in the United States, but only 27% of STEAM workers and just 10% of construction jobs are held by women.
Year-round programming
The young women present their chairs at a graduation ceremony held at the KeyBank Theater in Imagination Station in July. The program is extended through monthly mentoring circles and other gatherings during the school year. Graduates from previous years also mentor new builders during the program. In addition, chairs are displayed around the city at Franklin Park Mall, Main Branch Library, the Heart Gallery, and Imagination Station
Graduates from the first year came back and built chairs that were auctioned off for the charity of their choice. This year they will be incorporating glass into their chair design with materials from program partners Libbey Glass and Pilkington.
More program information
The GirlsHub program has four, one-week sessions in June. Each session is Monday through Friday from 9–4 with extended hours for drop off and pick-up. Women of Toledo provides scholarships through a partnership with the City of Toledo, Department of Parks & Youth Services. Sign up at GirlsHub Enrollment.
