Help Steph raise $2,000 for Miami Girls Rock Camp

Back in 2014, after years of extensive touring with my band, I finally moved back home to Miami and found myself wondering how I can contribute back to the community where it all began for me. I knew that Girls rock camps existed in other places and even knew some folks who organized and participated in some of them out in LA and Portland. 

Then one day, I found myself walking into a local guitar center and noticed that the large images covering the windows of the store entrance paid tribute to music legends and the only picture of a woman featured on the store window was a picture of a supermodel (not a musician). It struck me as odd that despite the long and impressive list of women who contributed to and influenced the music world, none were featured there. Rather, a supermodel posing seductively with a guitar beat out musicians like Bonnie Raitt, Sister Rosetta Tharpe or Celia Cruz. Right then and there it became clear to me what I needed to do and that was the seed that grew into Miami Girls Rock Camp.

It is 11 years later now and I am proud of all that we have accomplished since we began. We have put musical instruments into the hands of hundreds of girls and gender expansive youth, we have fostered the creation of original music, new bands, and have shown young girls that we are not only musicians but we are sound engineers, we are DJs, we fix broken guitars, we advocate for ourselves and we thrive in an industry that treats women differently than it treats men. 

This is all compounded by the fact that we directly aim to combat the shattering 30% confidence collapse that studies show happen to girls between the ages of 11-14, which is  27% lower than boys by age 14. 

Confidence is vital for turning thoughts into action and hopes into reality. As girls take risks and see payoffs through our programming, they gain courage, develop greater resilience and build up that confidence.

MGRC builds confidence that lasts and we know this to be true from the many testimonials we have received from campers and parents throughout the years and the high return rate to participate in our programming. We have watched kids grow up and thrive. 

I am so proud of our community and am grateful for any contribution you can make to help us continue this work.