Django Girls

If you want to learn how to make websites, we have good news for you: we are holding a two-day workshop for beginners!

It will take place on March 28th - 29th at Start Garden in Grand Rapids, MI.

We believe the IT industry will greatly benefit from bringing more women into technology. We are trans-inclusive and encourage applications from all women and non-binary people. We want to give you an opportunity to learn how to program and possibly start on your way to become a programmer!

Workshops are free of charge thanks to our sponsors.

Applications:

Anyone can apply for our event! You'll only need to bring your laptop, or let us know if you need to borrow one in the application. You don't need to know any technical stuff – our workshop is for people who are new to programming.

Applications are open February 15th - March 15th 2025. They are not first come basis, and we will review all applications and notify applicants by March 21st. 

Schedule:

Friday March 28th: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

• Sign-in, Meet your team, Listen to a Short Welcome talk and Set up Computers

Saturday March 29th: 9:00am - 5:00pm

• Everyone will be working on the Tutorial at their own pace. We will have breaks sprinkled throughout the day for food, rest, and talks by guest speakers.

• 09:00-9:30 Welcome and Introductions
• 09:30-13:00 Workshop
• 1:00-2:00 Lunch Break
• 2:00-2:30 Lightning talks by awesome people from the Python/Django community
• 2:30-5:00 Workshop (continues)
• 5:00++ Wrap-up and optional networking

We have space for only 40 people, so make sure to fill out the form very carefully!

FAQs - Question not answered here? Write us!

What age is the workshop for? 

Our focus is on adults, so over 18, but there is no maximum age! If you are a minor, you can check out  Code on Wheels, a local org that is focused on "teaching the youth of today how to code."

Do I need to know anything about websites or programming?

No! Workshops are for beginners. You don’t need to know anything about it. However, if you have a little bit of technical knowledge (i.e. you know what HTML or CSS are) you still can apply!

Should I bring my own laptop?

If you have a laptop, yes! Bring it! It's good to be able to take home everything you’ll write and create during workshops. If you don't have one, don't worry! We will have some available to borrow during the event, we don't want this to be a barrier for you to try out programming! 

Do I need to have something installed on my laptop?

It would be helpful to have Django installed before workshops, but we don't expect you to install anything on your own. We will make sure that one of our coaches will help you with this task.

Can I apply if I'm not a woman?

Everyone can apply and is welcome at Django Girls events. Folks from under-represented groups will be considered first. Please refer to  this post for more information on our policies.

I am not living in Grand Rapids, can I attend?

Of course! If you're confident you can come, go ahead and apply!

Is food provided?

Yes. Thanks to our sponsors, snacks and lunch will be served during workshops.

Django Girls Grand Rapids' Goals

1. Inspire women to fall in love with programming
2. Support and mentor those that want to continue their programming after the workshop
3. Build a revolving community: students become mentors
4. Increase the presence of women and individuals from underrepresented groups in technology fields
5. Create a safe, non-threatening environment in the local tech communities

Who is this workshop for?

Django Girls is an organization that engages with people of all experience levels and helps them learn in a safe, supportive environment free of gender bias. This includes, but is not limited to:

• people in socioeconomically suppressed communities looking to enrich their skill set
• people looking to change careers
• people in the field that want to add a new language to their resume
• people in administrative/supportive roles in corporations that would benefit from a basic understanding of programmming
• people who are students that desire to learn more in order to help their educational experience
• people who look to have more of an understanding of the process/best practices of this industry in order relate to others and increase networking opportunities/community impact
• people who are small business owners looking to ease the financial burden of technology costs by being able to create solutions independently

Our Wonderful Organizers

Our Awesome Coaches!