August 31, 2022
VoyageMichigan Magazine
Today we’d like to introduce you to Girls Rock Detroit. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Girls Rock Detroit is a local community organization dedicated to fostering creative expression, positive self-esteem, and community awareness for girls, women, gender expansive, and transgender people through music education and performance. By encouraging creativity, confidence, and collaboration in a supportive environment, we strive to empower people to shape the narratives of their lives and to become engaged members of our communities. We believe it is crucial that all people have access to the benefits of music and education regardless of socio-economic background, religion, race, gender identity, sexuality, or ethnicity.
Girls Rock Detroit is an active member of the international Girls Rock Camp Alliance from which its mission is derived. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization since 2016, it was founded in 2014 by Rosalind Hartigan, Melissa Coppola, and Willa Adamo, who met while volunteering at Girls Rock! Chicago. Since its inception, Girls Rock Detroit has served over 200 youth in our summer rock camp program, as many adults in various in-person and digital adult programs, and built a community of 150+ volunteers.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There have been many challenges. As our mission requires a radically progressive approach to organizing, there has been a lot of trial and error in our efforts. Being on the cutting edge of education and inclusivity is an ongoing process, and we are forever learning how to do it better. As an almost entirely volunteer-run organization, we run on passion which must be balanced with bandwidth. Camp didn’t run for two years over COVID until we accumulated volunteers with a vision for a hybrid future and developed digital programming which we’re continuing to expand as our in-person programs return. As a collective, we’ve a growth mindset which allows us to meet each challenge as an opportunity for growth. Other challenges we face include constantly raising funds to keep our programs on a sliding scale and/or Pay What You Can, as well as finding spaces in the city to hold camp until we find a permanent home.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We’re a community of musicians and music activists who know the good that music as a medium can do for individuals and causes. We organize to make music accessible, especially to those who most benefit and who otherwise might not have access. We don’t have all the answers, but we openly confront the problems of our generations and seek to lessen the burden on generations to come.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Detroit is proudly a music mecca in that we’ve produced some of the world’s most beloved musicians and genres. The same can be said for many arts, particularly as they intersect with activism. At the same time, infrastructure and cultural capital for community music and activism is severely lacking. Detroiters are known for our arts and activism the world over. Part of our mission at Girls Rock Detroit is to welcome that brilliance to stay and work in the city that inspires it.
May 2nd, 2022
● Girls Rock Detroit Youth Summer Camp returns to Iroquois Avenue Luthern Church in Detroit July 25th-29th, August 1st-5th
● Campers ages 8-16 can register at www.girlsrockdetroit.org.
● GRD is searching for staff and volunteers for the two camps.
A popular youth summer camp is back up and running after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19. Since 2014, Girls Rock Detroit has been a safe space for girls, women, gender expansive, and transgender people to develop creativity, self esteem, and community through music education and performance.
When in-person programming halted in 2020, Girls Rock Detroit shifted gears to serve the community with new digital programming in collaboration with Maggie Cocco Music, LLC. This year, Girls Rock Detroit will transition to a hybrid future, featuring both digital programming and in-person programs, starting with the annual youth summer camp.
Summer youth camp will return to the Detroit Institute of Music Education for two sessions: July 25th - 29th and August 1st - August 5th. Applications are open, and spaces are limited.
“The community of Girls Rock Detroit is excited to come together and put on our signature event,“ said DeAnna Johnson, programming director for this summer’s camp.
Visit www.girlsrockdetroit.org/applications to enroll a camper or volunteer.
May 2nd, 2022
● GRD and GRR are empowering girls, women, and LGBTQ+ folk through music and education
● Upcoming workshop series featuring music industry professionals aims to bolster underrepresented communities
● Pay What You Can workshops will teach music business basics to aspiring local musicians
Since the pandemic, forward thinking organizations are fostering connections with distant places in digital spaces for the benefit of local communities. Girls Rock Detroit and Girls Rock! Rochester are two such organizations, combining resources to serve their shared mission of empowering girls, women, and LGBTQ+ folk through music and education. In partnering with Guitar Gabby and the TxLips Band LLC, the three organizations together aim to bolster communities that are underrepresented in the music industry by providing Pay What You Can Music Business workshops. Six workshops led by women and gender diverse industry professionals will teach music business basics to aspiring musicians. Workshops are open to teens and adults, and proceeds benefit Girls Rock Detroit and Girls Rock! Rochester’s annual summer youth camps. Visit www.girlsrockdetroit.org/events to register.
About Girls Rock Detroit
Girls Rock Detroit is a community organization dedicated to fostering creative expression, positive self-esteem and community awareness for girls, women, gender expansive, and transgender people through music education and performance. By encouraging creativity, confidence, and collaboration in a supportive environment, we strive to empower young people to challenge preconceived notions of what they can do, become, and to be engaged members of our communities. We believe it is crucial that all young people have access to equipment and instruction regardless of their socio-economic background, religion, race, gender identity, sexuality or ethnicity.
About Girls Rock! Rochester
Girls Rock! Rochester is a 501.C nonprofit organization dedicated to using music as a vehicle for personal growth and positive change for girls, women and the LGBTQ+ Community.
GR!R is committed to providing a safe, educational, and inspiring environment for children to grow their confidence, embrace their authenticity, and to be provided the necessary resources in order for them to creatively thrive, channel, and artistically express.
About Guitar Gabby & The TxLips Band, LLC
Guitar Gabby & The TxLips Band, LLC. is a global entity that triples as a self-management firm, a consulting group, and an international touring rock collective called The TxLips Gang. We are a group of professional women and gender non-conforming folk that challenge the equality of powers in every industry.Our Mission is to inspire diverse rockstars worldwide to challenge the boundaries set in various industries. We do this by providing direct access to music, business, and legal education to marginalized groups.