Synthetic biology is an emerging field that uses computation and design technology to modify biological cells for biological research and health applications. This new field is an important area for community involvement because synthetic biology has complex socioscientific implications and health applications. This project aims to engage youth and their families in this new field by developing participatory hands-on activities that involve living and biological materials as a first-hand context for engagement, synthetic biology will become accessible to these learners. Examples of potential biomaker activities include: an Agar Art activity (genetically modifying microbes to express color pigments that are then used to paint living art); Building with Mycelium activity (constructing and growing a substrate containing living fungus mycelium into a usable solid 3D object), and an Algae BioString activity (harvesting biological materials to design and create their own custom biostring). Participants will include middle school-aged youth and their families in Baltimore, Maryland, and rural areas in and around El Paso, Texas. Along with community partners and project staff, an initial group of youth and their families from each locale will collaboratively design and construct hands-on biomaker activities. These biomaker activities will be implemented through partner community organizations, reaching an estimated 500 youth and family participants. Resources designed for practition