Frailty Myths is a non-profit founded by four women and four friends; using the foundation of their friendship to create a transformative experience for other women. The idea behind Frailty Myths is simple, yet powerful: Give women the space to discover just how empowering it is to explore their physical strength together.

Frailty Myths offers an array of free and paid workshops that train women in traditionally male-dominated activities like word working, power tools, welding, climbing, art, and sailing. Each workshop will offer hands-on skill building as facilitated discussions that examine the learning experience and how societal myths have kept women from actively participating in these spaces. Our workshops aim to empower women to recognize and dispel the myths of frailty through dialogue and exploration of their physical capabilities.

This October, for the launch of Frailty Myths, we’re hosting five workshops in Oakland, California, open to everyone in the community. These community workshops are being offered to individuals with an emphasis on reaching low-income and marginalized communities. These workshops are offered on a donation basis with no one being turned away for lack of funds. Over 1,500 women expressed interest in the event on Facebook and over 300 women registered for tickets on our website to the workshops.

So far we’ve done everything in this process on our own. From writing the articles of incorporation, creating the bylaws, and becoming a nonprofit here in California, to funding five free workshops here in Oakland, everything so has been self-created and self-funded by our leadership team.