2026 Statement of Intent - Atlas Dunning

I, Atlas Dunning, am submitting my Statement of Intent to run for the Board of Directors.

    Many of you may know me around the space. Some from automotive, some from machine shop, and some from metal shop. I’ve been a member of Dallas Makerspace for the better part of four years. I was introduced by a family member and instantly fell in love with the space. I’ve seen our growing pains from the expansion and I’ve seen our membership increase since covid knocked our numbers down drastically.

    I am one of the teachers in the metal shop. Mostly for welding, though I’ve done all sorts of classes, from fabrication to weekend long in-depth courses. I’m also a professional welder/fabricator as a day job. Being on the board of the makerspace would not be the first time I’ve done community work as a leader, as I worked with Toys for Tots as a warehouse organizer for 4 years, and I’ve also organized large mutual aid and harm reduction events throughout the metroplex. I’m generally a very organized person, I take pride in my work and making sure it’s done right, and I genuinely like helping and serving those around me.

    Unfortunately despite the progress we’ve made over the past few years there’s still a lot of work to be done; our financial situation is a mess, many machines are at best halfway operable, and almost all are likely behind on preventative maintenance, Logistics is floundering, and our IT department is practically non-existent.

    A makerspace isn’t just a workshop full of tools. It’s a community that requires upkeep, nurturing, and involvement. All too often we get stuck in our own projects that we forget that the way the makerspace thrives is by putting more in than you’re getting back. I myself am guilty of occasionally getting wrapped up in what I’ve got going on and what I’m doing. As a board member, I plan on finding ways to encourage more people to volunteer their time while also lowering the barrier to do so. Often times people are discouraged from volunteering because there’s so much to be done that the emotional and mental labor alone is a herculean feat. Identifying ways to streamline the volunteering process, encouraging more volunteers, and ensuring inter-committee communication will be a priority for me.

    If elected as a board member, I will focusing on several key issues, namely getting our budget back in order by identifying inefficient expenditures; increasing transparency in the makerspace (a few extra windows should do the trick), and holding people accountable for less than excellent actions while also bringing attention to those who pour their heart and soul into making the space the beautiful place it is. I will also advocate for more community sponsorships and partnerships by reaching out to local businesses, colleges, and other makerspaces in the area; finding ways to drive new membership while also spreading the word of how wonderful the makerspace is.

Signature  

    -Atlas Dunning