Girls Rock! DC

I worked with Girls Rock!DC for the first time this year and it was an excellent experience - a welcoming environment with a shared mission. So grateful to be a part.

I joined this camp for the first time as a band coach this past summer. When I first heard about the camp, my first thought was "I wish my parents had known about this camp". The next best thing for me was to help out with the camp, and I loved it. This is the best, judgement-free camp, where kids can really be creative and work together.

i was a camper when i first encountered gr!dc and this past summer i was a counselor; gr!dc is an organization that is near and dear to my heart. i can almost say they raised me. this organization is one of the best things to happen in dc and i’m so glad i get to be a part of forwarding that legacy.

I've been a volunteer camp counselor and a band coach, I've been a camper-mom, i've even joined and performed with a band in We Rock. Every experience with GR!DC has been an enriching one that has fed my soul and my creative spirit. Definitely recommend this org to gift valuable dollars to AND to engage with AND to participate in their brilliant programming.

Our granddaughter, Hannah Raskin, was at Girls Rock this summer for a week, learning the bass guitar. She LOVED her time with GR and cannot wait to go back next summer. Her grandfather (Papa) has been taking (acoustic) guitar lessons for 3 years. He and Hannah are now working on two songs to play together (a Billy Eilish song and A Little Help from my Friends by the Beatles. Hannah's mom is taking drum lessons so they hope to make the two songs into a family affair. Thanks for encouraging a love of music for Hannah. She has so much music in her life already, between her love of songs, and all of her dance classes. Girls Rock really raised the bar. Our best wishes to all of you. Susan Raskin and David Friend. (Nana and Papa)

Girls Rock! DC continues to grow and serve new audiences, building on relationships with new partners and helping young people to find their voices! This year’s camps at NPR and the Black Cat were some of the best yet — and programming continues to evolve with our amazing team. Looking forward to the future!

Girls Rock is doing such important things for the DC music community! There are awesome ways to get involved at any age - showcases, gear sales, after school programs. There's truly nothing like it!

I got involved with GRDC through their WeRock program for adults and it changed my life! I started volunteering more and then signed on as a member of the Board of Directors. Seeing what this org has done for the kids they serve, their families, and everyone involved gave me a new sense of purpose. So happy to be on board!

Girls Rock helped me find my love of music after taking a long hiatus as an adult. Highly recommend their adult and youth programming.

Working with GirlsRock DC was a fabulous experience. Everyone on their team is driven, passionate, and kind. It was clear that the kids were having an amazing time that will stay with them into adulthood. Whether you are the parent of a musical child, or a musical adult looking to volunteer, I cannot recommend GirlsRock DC enough!

Working with Girls Rock! DC has been one of the best experiences! The work they’re doing is so important and so worthwhile. I wish I had access to an organization like this when I was in school. I can’t wait to continue volunteering with them!

I have volunteered 3 times and every time has been amazing. Just everyone involved was fantastic! The community within Girl's Rock DC is so welcoming, kind, and awesome! I've met so many amazing people throughout my times volunteering! The mission of Girl's Rock DC is so important to today and the community. Shout-out to my band Lavender Angels!!!

I got to go to We Rock, and it was a super fun experience! Everyone was so nice and inclusive, and it was so fun writing our own songs and performing them for each other.

Girls Rock! DC continues to be a pilar in the community. It always amazes me to watch young people in their programs grow into their true selves. The instructors and leadership listen to the actual needs of the participants, and help guide them into becoming community leaders, even at young ages. There is a reason why Girls Rock! DC campers continue to return year after year, and then become counselors themselves! Girls Rock! DC is a great program!

I have been involved with Girls Rock! DC for 5 years, now. Girls Rock! DC continues to rock adapting with the changing times. Whether in person or virtually Girls Rock! DC continues to give voice and space to young girls from diverse backgrounds, experiences and cultures through music education.

I am perpetually in awe of Girls Rock! programming. It's so organized, very engaging, and so hands on for the kiddos.

The inclusivity of all kids and teens is so thoughtful and it's exactly why I send my child to their after school program and summer camp!!

10/10 cannot recommend enough.

Girls Rock! DC continues to be one of the best local organizations that supports, empowers, and educates young people in the city! I have witnessed this organization grow and thrive under its current leadership staff and team. And I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this amazing org!

I've loved being a volunteer with Girls Rock! DC so much. The programming is accessible, empowering for youth, and most importantly FUN! Kids have such a good time, build wonderful friendships, learn fun and awesome musical skills, learn to be proud of being themselves, and so much more. It's such a wonderful experience I wish I could have had as a kid!

Girls Rock! DC is an extraordinary organization that provides a safe and empowering space for young people to learn music, fostering inclusivity and amplifying voices that are often unheard, such as BIPOC and transgender individuals. In a world becoming increasingly hostile, this organization's commitment to nurturing diversity and creating a supportive community is truly commendable, offering these kids a vital sanctuary where they can grow, express themselves, and find strength in their identities, both musically and personally.

I've volunteered for this organization a number of times and am always impressed with the programming as well as the dedication of the staff!! They continue to provide great musical opportunities for youth as well as an encouraging and safe environment.

I've attended some of GR!DC workshops and youth camp performances in the past. The joy on the young people's faces of being empowered to try new things (learn instruments) and perform publicly is incredible to see. These skills will only work to serve these young folks in so many facets as life progresses. GR!DC puts on events and camps throughout the year and are an integral part of the DC community.

Great group that does meaningful work. Love watching their shows. Rock on!!

Working with GR!DC has brought me such a strong community of musicians, artists, and activists that have helped me really find my place and my people in Washington DC. Keep up the good work everyone!

Girls Rock! DC empowers young people to express themselves creatively through music. It also brings community members together in celebration of unity and art. At a recent Girls Rock ! DC fundraising event, I was fortunate to experience a showcase of bands assembled with only a few weeks notice. These groups of dedicated Girls Rock! DC supporters met, collaborated, and created music to benefit youth campers' upcoming programming. It was inspiring to hear their music and see their commitment to help young people learn and grow.

Girls Rock! DC does a phenomenal job of providing opportunities to learn and make music for DC area youth in an inclusive, supportive and collaborative environment year-round. The organization centers art and activism and is empowering a generation of musicians and community change makers. As a summer camp volunteer, I was impressed with the staff's enthusiasm, compassion, organization and commitment to mission and equity. And I was even more impressed with the incredible songs and performances that the campers created in just a week. As a musician, I wish I had known about and been part of this kind of incredible creative community as a kid. Overall this is an inspiring and critical organization, and I am grateful to get to support their programming.

I had a great experience volunteering with Girls Rock! DC's summer camp. I felt well trained and prepared for my role, program directors communicated clearly and often, and there was a great sense of teamwork and camaraderie among volunteers. I appreciated the extra precautions that leaders took to keep campers and counselors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to volunteering again in the future.

As a volunteer with Girls Rock! DC I helped campers write an original song to perform at the end of the week. The heads of the program were attentive and caring towards the children. I had a great time helping out and was proud of the end result.

I just started working as a Lead Instructor this year and I can say that it’s easily one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s such a great, inclusive community that instantly feels like home. A safe space for all identities and such a great and supportive creative atmosphere. Teaching the kids and seeing them open up and learn to express themselves with unconditional regard and support is something so special. I would recommend this program to everyone, both young and old!

Take a kid who (oh, perhaps, say, because of their gender) might not be encouraged or feel comfortable to be loud, to be forceful, to take up space. Give that kid a guitar, a bass, a microphone, some turntables, a drum kit, keyboards. Give that kid others to collaborate with. Yeah, you get songs and happy kids. You also get young people who know that they can do amazing things in collaboration with others, that their voices are worth hearing, that they are amazing. And however many or however few songs they go on to write, play, or sing, they're going to be that much better at everything else they do. Girls Rock! DC makes this happen.

My Daugter has been a part of Girls Rock since she was in elementary school. She continued with Girls Rock DC through high school. The confidence, drive, self-esteem, and leadership skills taught are ones that will last a lifetime. The staff are unique in their skill set, dedication and compassion. They are one of the great organizations in the DC area and are especially needed as a resource for our developing girls and young women of color. Girls Rock DC is unrepeatable. Rock on!

For over ten years, I have been a donor, volunteer, client, and all around fan of Girls Rock! DC. I’ll speak to being a client. I’ve participated in two We Rock! weekends, experiencing the camp for kids in a compressed 3 day format. Beyond being among my impactful personal experiences, I am so impressed with the GR!DC volunteers and leadership who are passionate, joyful, and, above all, supportive in the most inclusive and affirming ways. My daughter loved her pandemic-time virtual camp. I can’t wait until she can experience an in-person camp, including performing onstage at the 9:30 Club!

I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to volunteer with GR!DC! They provide such an affirmative environment for their campers and volunteers. Everyone is valued and can come as they are. It’s a life-changing experience that I would highly highly recommend. If you are able, donate to support their remarkable work.

Girls Rock! DC is an incredible and inclusive organization inspiring young people with lifelong skills and awesome ways to express themselves! It is always a highlight of my year to see them perform at their showcase.

Music has always been an important part of my life. Yet, as a female drummer, growing up I didn’t regularly see myself represented. Girls Rock! DC works to lift up diverse an historically underrepresented young voices through music, arts, culture and justice work. This kind of engagement is needed now more than ever. I’m proud to have the opportunity to work with such a progressive group of people and provide necessary outlets for our young people.

I volunteered for 9+ years. Girls Rock DC is actively creating a more just and equitable world for DC youth.

In addition to doing great work providing music education and activism for Washington DC youth, Girls Rock! DC treats their community, their volunteers and their staff with respect and dignity. I'm so proud to be part of an organization that lives its commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity every day.

Girls Rock!DC has been such an affirming space. Each time I volunteer, I see the transformation in the youth as they break out of their shells and become more of their true selves. The mentorship to become leaders in the community is also such an incredible thing to witness!

I learned about Girls Rock! DC from a DJ friend who posted that they needed volunteers. I was so excited to participate and I learned so much about making music. The week-long camp provided opportunities for girls to learn about music, learn to play an instrument, form a band, create a song, and perform - all in 5 days!

GirlsRock! DC is by far the most organized and intentional non-profit I've ever worked with. They handled transitioning from in-person to virtual programs so well, and I felt very supported as a volunteer and had a great time.

This year has been difficult for everyone. I'm thoroughly impressed by our Staff who pulled off a rather spectacular virtual camp. Now more than ever, it's important to provide programming that is radically inclusive and rejects any notion of racist or gender essential paradigms. Girs Rock! DC is not just about the music, although the music is impressive. Girls Rock! DC is about uplifting the voices of youth.

I have volunteered several times with Girls Rock! DC, and this year I was incredibly impressed by the organization's ability to successfully pull off a virtual summer camp during the pandemic. Despite the challenges inherent in a virtual format, Girls Rock! DC leadership rose to the occasion and provided a positive and meaningful experience for campers and volunteers alike. Thank you, Girls Rock! DC!!

Volunteering at Girls Rock! DC was awesome. The kids are great, and the staff is super communicative and energetic. Highly suggest.

I started with Girls Rock! DC as a camper at their 2014 adult rock camp and to say this program is "life-changing" is not hyperbole.

At the end of the camp I attended, I said (aloud to anyone who would listen) that "It's this empowering for me, can you even imagine how important it is for the youth campers?!" I've served in a volunteer capacity ever since.

In my own life, adult rock camp is how I learned how to find my voice, take up space, and make noise, which has served me so well in both a professional and personal capacity. Camp is also what taught me that playing in bands is something I am, in fact "allowed to do" as a woman (a subtle thing that I carried with me for a lifetime that I've now unlearned.) I'm now in a band of amazing people who I met through a Girls Rock! DC fundraising event and we've headlined some of the most prominent DC venues. I love this organization with all of my heart.

I volunteered as a workshop leader at camp the summer of 2020 and am so impressed with the help I received from the camp leadership, the preparation of the staff, and the other folx volunteering. It’s a joy spending time with Girls Rock! DC!

Girls Rock! DC is a beautful community providing gender-inclusive space for youth to rock out. I'm grateful and proud to be a part of and support GR!DC camp.

Girls Rock! DC is doing amazing work to support youth in the DC Metropolitan area. I cannot overstate the importance of organizations like GR! DC in building a future with strong, confident leaders (with awesome musical skills to boot).

Girls Rock! DC is a really special organization - every year, volunteering at summer camp is the highlight of my summer! This community is really strong, with both youth and adult volunteers coming back year after year. Everyone involved really cares about the youth and making sure they are learning and having the best possible experience. The organizational values of rock camp are particularly amazing - I've never seen a program that is more focused on what amplifying youth voices actually looks like in practice.

I volunteered with Girls Rock! DC their very first year, back in 2008, and I've loved the organization ever since. Various young ladies that I mentored attended the week-long camp over the years, and they still rave about it to this day. I served as a volunteer while the girls rocked out. The culmination of the camp, the final concert, is powerful and inspiring!

Girls Rock! DC offers a much needed avenue for girls and nonbinary youth to explore music, identity, camaraderie, and community. A highly effective and established organization, Girls Rock! DC has been responding to the needs of DC area youth responsibly and sensitively for years through fun engaging programming and youth leadership, driven by a passionate base of volunteers and supporters.

I was a volunteer with Girls Rock! DC and loved it so much that I joined the team permanently. Girls Rock! DC practices its feminist values more deeply than any organization I know. I love how the programs are truly youth-centered. This is an incredible music education organization!

Many times we consider supporting a cause and never know for sure if it will make a difference. I am writing to tell you that Girls Rock! DC, helped change my little girl’s life.

Katie was a happy, friendly and creative little girl until about 18 months ago when her life took a terrible turn. Sadness became crippling. Fear of a few things became uncontrollable fear of most things. Her emotions prevented her from being able to attend school, church or any other activities. Some days she was too afraid or sad to leave our home. Her friends dropped away as they were unable to relate to her. She withdrew from everyone, just so she could feel safe. What a terrible burden at the tender age of twelve.

However, love of music was a constant in her life. She would laugh and sing her heart out at home. But she could never share that joy with anyone but her father and me.

And then, everything changed. Katie got a scholarship to attend Girls Rock! DC. At first I was afraid to try another camp. But I spoke to one of the volunteers and heard her caring and concern. This program seemed different from ones we had tried before. Katie was terrified the first day. But they had counselors, a nurse and a compassionate staff who were patient and let her engage at her own pace.

This camp wasn’t just about the music. These women and men had created a place where girls can feel accepted, safe and powerful. They learned to be genuine and that they deserve respect. They were shown that we are all different from each other and that those differences make us beautiful.

The curriculum was about more than music theory. It was about the portrayal of women in music and media, developing leadership skills, creative problem solving, collaborative behavior, healthy relationships and more. In addition, they got to rock out every day with other girls and excellent mentors. I had to hide my tears from her when she came home the second day and said she made a friend. Can you imagine how amazing those words sounded to me?

Since this wonderful camp has ended, my Katie has proudly told people that she performed on the same stage as Loretta Lynn, who played at the 9:30 club the night before the Camper Showcase. She has joined two other bands and auditioned for a semi-professional children’s chorus. She is attending school regularly, volunteers at a local agency, and has reconnected with an old friend.

So you see, this camp helped change my little girl’s life. She will always have to work hard to stay well, but this camp helped start her on that path. It gave her an opportunity to understand her own power and how her love of music can be a shelter for coming storms. I cannot express how grateful I am to the staff of Girls Rock! DC, for the role they played in this life-changing camp. I know the camp will be well remembered by all of the girls. The lives they have changed must be many.