Girls Rock! Cultivating Confidence in Youth Through Music

Where music and camp come together to empower Pittsburgh’s female youths. Girls Rock! is a musical and social program that gives girls of all abilities and backgrounds the opportunity to support one another in a nurturing and creative environment.

Since 2013, the entirely volunteer run non-profit has been providing opportunities for girls ages 8-18 to become part of a larger community. Their Summer campers, some with no musical experience whatsoever, get to sign up to learn bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, or vocals. Female mentors at the camp work with the girls as “band managers” and instill independent thinking, confidence, mutual respect, and creative cooperation as the bands form and grow.

It is Girls Rock!’s mission to cultivate an experience for these girls that promotes social change and a network of positive female role models. This all girl camp is enabling young females to recognize discrimination at a young age and make an active stance against it. Activities at their summer camp include songwriting sessions, band practice, self defense courses, and workshops focusing on the music industry as well as image and identity.

All of the camp’s volunteers work year round to promote Girl’s Rock! by hosting such events as their open mic nights. On the 4th Monday of every month at Union Project, Girls Rock! provides a safe and supportive space for any self-identified girl who wants to share her music, poetry, spoken word, or whatever else. In the past, Girls Rock! has also participated in zine fairs and, most recently, the 2015 VIA Block Party.

On Sunday, December 6th Girls Rock! will be hosting a Rollerskating Album Release Party where their 2015 band camp CD featuring recordings from this year’s bands will be available for purchase.