Community service through maker design

I joined the e-NABLE community and a local chapter to learn how 3D-printed prosthetic hands can be created and shared with people who need them. Through this work, I have helped make and assemble prosthetic hands that were sent to recipients in Kenya and China. I am now working to organize my own e-NABLE chapter so that I can involve more students in making, learning, and helping others through 3D printing.

I volunteer with a local disability resource center by designing and 3D-printing assistive tools at no cost. Instead of deciding on my own what people might need, I try to listen first, learn about everyday challenges, and then create practical tools that may make certain tasks easier.

This experience has taught me that useful design begins with understanding people. Sometimes the best solution is not the most complicated one—it is the one that solves a real problem in a simple and practical way.

I started by teaching younger students the basics of 3D modeling and printing at home. As the classes grew, I began organizing hands-on workshops where students could use those skills for a purpose—assembling prosthetic hands and printing assistive tools for people with disabilities.

Teaching has shown me that sharing a skill can multiply its impact: we can learn, make, and help others together.

As a WEB Leader, I meet with younger students each week to help them adjust to school, answer questions, and hear how things are going. I also enjoy creating small surprises for their birthdays. The experience has taught me that making someone feel welcome often begins with simply listening and being there.

For the past two years, I have volunteered every Friday with a nonprofit organization that prepares and delivers dinners to people experiencing homelessness in Downtown Los Angeles. I help cook and pack the meals, and I most often make pasta and salad.

This has become a steady part of my week and has taught me the value of showing up consistently and helping in simple, practical ways.