Rain City Rock Camp For Girls

Rain City Rock Camp for Girls is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to building positive self-esteem in girls and encouraging creative expression through music. Our music education programs provide girls with an opportunity to participate in an environment that fosters leadership, encourages social change, and cultivates a supportive community of female peers and mentors.

In 2000, Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls was founded in Portland and has since become an overwhelming success, serving 300+ girls a year. As a result, similar programs have emerged across the country and overseas as part of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance (GRCA), a program of the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, created to provide accreditation, resources and networking opportunities for it?s members. In 2009, Rain City Rock Camp for Girls was be added to this growing coalition of like-minded organizations that embody the core values of the GRCA:

• We value the power of music as a means to create personal and social change
• We value efforts that actively expand opportunities for girls and women
• We value positive approaches to fighting sexism We value integrity, honesty and respect
• We value appropriate sharing or resources, cooperation and collaboration
• We value using our collective voice to further the mission
• We value diversity

The need for a program in our own city was evident. Each year, the Portland Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls drew a growing number of campers from the Seattle area as well as volunteers and guest musicians. In 2008, a fourth session was added to Portland's summer camp program and numerous campers still had to be wait listed. As a result, in 2009, the idea of Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls in Seattle finally became a reality in the form of Girls Rock! Seattle (now Rain City Rock Camp for Girls.) In a city that has historically embraced music as a form of self-expression and creativity, the excitement and enthusiasm for a program such as this is overwhelming. Rain City Rock Camp for Girls not only expands Portland's message of empowerment and self-esteem through music, but also provides inspiration, encouragement and unity for women musicians in our community.

Rain City Rock Camp for Girls is not a rock school. We use music education as a tool to foster self-esteem, create community, and encourage social change. The enormous amount of community support given to girls at camp affords them a unique opportunity to express themselves in any way they wish. It's not just about rock 'n' roll; it's about all musical genres. And it's not just about being a virtuoso; it's about being an active agent in music culture and industry. We believe that by teaching these things, we can help girls develop-musically, mentally, and emotionally-toward their own ideas of who and what they want to be.

All people who identify as female (cis or trans), trans, or gender non-conforming are welcome to be campers or volunteers in leadership positions.