Resistance Through Repair: How These Queer Detroit Repair Cafe Volunteers Are Building Bridges and Fighting Corporate Obsolescence
Monthly repair clinics help community members extend the life of their everyday objects
In the heart of Detroit, a revolutionary community project is transforming disposable culture into a powerful act of radical care. Founded by Diana Graham, a 25-year-old industrial engineer and stand-up comedian, the Detroit-Waawiyatanong Repair Cafe is more than just a monthly repair clinic — it's a testament to connection, resilience and collective healing. Inspired by an international movement that began in the Netherlands, the cafe operates on a simple yet profound premise: bring in your broken items, and a team of skilled volunteers will help you fix them, free of charge.
But this isn't just about salvaging a coffee maker or mending a pair of pants (one of the most commonly requested services). By reclaiming the art of repair, Graham, who uses he/they pronouns, and his team are reimagining our relationship with technology, possessions and each other. The cafe's very name is a statement of solidarity, with “Waawiyatanong” honoring the indigenous name for the Detroit area. In a world that often feels fragmented and disposable, the Repair Cafe offers an alternative model of patience, skill-sharing and mutual support — a queer-inclusive approach to community that values every object, and every person, as worthy of care, attention and restoration.
Jojo Glugla, who works alongside Graham from an operational angle, tells Pride Source that the Repair Cafe isn’t only about fixing people’s stuff for free. “It’s also a community space where anyone can come in to hang out, work on their own projects with the tools we provide or ask for help or guidance,” he explains. “But most importantly, where people can make friends with like-minded individuals who are open to helping others as well as being helped.”
Though he is an experienced community volunteer and advocate, Graham says spearheading the Detroit Repair Cafe project has been a surprising endeavor in some ways. “I’m very passionate about mutual aid, and as an engineer, I’m pretty good at fixing things, but with most mutual aids I’ve been involved with, I haven’t felt I could take on a leadership role or really bring something to the table,” he explains. “But with the repair cafe, I was like, ‘I can absolutely do this. I know how to do this. I want to do this.’ It’s really cool to finally have an outlet where I felt like I could really give back to my community.”
The cafe, which meets monthly at the ArtBlock community space on Holden Street in Detroit, isn't just about technical skills. It's a deliberate exercise in community building, education and resistance against what Graham calls "planned obsolescence" — the corporate strategy of designing products to fail.
“When companies make things like Keurigs or printers really cheap, but the replacements are expensive, they want you to just buy a new product,” Graham says. “If we can fix the thing they designed to break, then we can kind of get ahead of that and not let them win.”
Volunteer Caraline Kneebone says the clinic has brought to light the impact individuals can have in the community. “Through the mutual aid of helping others fix their everyday objects, we’re able to build connections and empower those around us,” they say. “I’ve had a wonderful time working with the people of Detroit and I’m excited to see what it brings in the future.”
The repair process is intentionally collaborative. Volunteers set up their repair stations with chairs on both sides of the table, actively teaching participants how to fix their own items. Whether it's a vintage cassette radio, a sewing machine or a pair of well-loved pants, each repair is an opportunity for learning and connection.
Graham, who is queer and neurodivergent, has deliberately created an inclusive space. Most of the volunteers are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and the cafe prioritizes accessibility. They encourage (but don't require) mask-wearing. They also filter the air. Their end goal is to create an environment welcoming to immunocompromised individuals and people with disabilities.
“We're intentionally inclusive of queer identities and disabilities,” Graham notes. “But we also want to be inclusive without compromising our values. We don't want to appear unapproachable.”
Volunteer Lexi Meade says the experience of helping at the repair clinics has added enrichment to her life. “I’ve always been passionate about community service, but the cafe takes it a step further by allowing me to meet incredible people, both volunteers and those looking to repair their items,” she says. “It also helps me hone my own mechanical skills to help reduce waste and return an item in working order to their owner. It is one of the most fulfilling opportunities I have had to serve my community, and I can’t wait to see how it grows and impacts more people.”
The cafe has grown quickly, with about 60 volunteers signed up for the program and around 10 on hand for each monthly event. They've recently expanded their hours to make the service more accessible, running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Graham says he’s seen a wide range of items come through the door for repair in Detroit and in Nebraska, where he first joined up with the Repair Cafe movement. “There, lamps were a big thing, but not so much in Detroit,” he notes. Among the repairs he’s seen are things like a camping grill that just needed a good cleaning, sewing machines, jewelry in need of repair, and all kinds of small appliances.
Graham’s team can tackle just about anything. “It’s just a matter of having the confidence and the tools to take something apart and knowing that you can put it back together,” he says. “It’s the team-building aspect that ends up making the difference when we’re doing a repair cafe. We have talented people who can sew, repair jewelry or just help people with little things like finding a replacement cord for something.” Worldwide, coffee makers top the list of the most commonly repaired items, followed by vacuums and pants.
Hannah Graff, a volunteer who often runs the front desk and sometimes offers her seamstress services for clothing repairs and alterations, says the project combines two things she feels passionate about: reducing consumption and waste and creating community. “Although we are not an explicitly queer group, it is made very clear that this is a safe and welcome place for all queer people,” she adds. “It’s been amazing seeing people of all backgrounds come in just looking for a simple repair but staying the whole time just because they are getting on so well, talking and learning from the volunteers.”
Graff says visitors often leave feedback about having positive experiences with the cafe volunteers — an aspect she thinks can have a wider impact. “I think it is really important right now for people outside of the queer community to meet and interact positively with us,” she explains. “Certain politicians and media groups want to turn queer people into something to, at best, ‘other,’ and at worst, fear. But by creating community spaces like this, we are able to show people that not only is that untrue, but we are actually quite nice and normal — we might just dress a bit better!”
Graham has been gratified by the positive response to the monthly clinics. “Every time I post a new flyer and people share it, we get more people showing up,” he says. “And we always get more volunteers — people always want to help. That's been really awesome.”
In a city known for resilience and creativity, the Detroit-Waawiyanong Repair Cafe represents something profound: the radical notion that, together, we can fix what's broken.
Follow Detroit-Waawiyatanong Repair Cafe on Instagram @detroitrepaircafe to learn more.
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