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'Girls Rock' Summer Camp Puts Young Ladies Front and Center

Girls Rock summer camp participants.
Nina Feldman
/
WWNO
Girls Rock summer camp participants.

Let me tell you about this cool, new band. You may not have heard of them yet — they’re called Sorrow Sap. They’re from New Orleans, and they have a fresh new sound… which might be because they started playing together earlier this week.

Oh, and they’re all under the age of 16.

Welcome to the Girls Rock New Orleans. This week, camp is in session at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Now in its second year, girls ages 9-16 learn everything from new instruments to songwriting techniques to the importance of women in music history. This camp modeled after Girls Rock camps that exist all over the country and the world, but camp organizer Saiya Miller says it fills a particular need in New Orleans

“There’s such a legacy of music here and such a rich music history," Miller says. "However, a lot of the culture around marching bands and around school programs can be very male-focused.”

Campers agree. Peyton Weeks is in her second year at camp.

“Boys think they’re better than girls at everything, so I think this is a way of saying we’re stronger than you,” she says.

Miller is careful to make it clear that the camp offers a space for anybody who identifies as a girl — whether they’re transgender, or gender non-conforming.  To make sure everyone feels comfortable the camp incorporates daily workshops. In one, led by Youth Break Out, workshop leaders explained the difference between male, female and gender-neutral pronouns. 

Li Yaffe is another of the core organizers for the camp. She says that Girls Rock is designed to be diverse and accessible.

“We have a sliding scale tuition where no one is turned away for lack of funds, and we ask families to self-select what they can pay,” Yaffe explains.

members of Sorrow Sap with Girls Rock instructors at band practiceMembers of Sorrow Sap with Girls Rock instructors at band practice
Credit Nina Feldman

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And the program organizers are thrifty, too, avoiding some huge overhead costs — like instruction.

Girls Rock counselors are an all-volunteer staff. But Miller says that’s easier than it sounds.

“I think this is a program that inspires a lot of people to come forward because they wish in their own youth they had something of this kind,” she says.

Yaffe can relate. She said that growing up, she always wanted to be in a band, but the opportunity never really presented itself

“I was always around my friends who were in bands and feel cool being at practice, but someone else was sitting at the throne — the drum throne that is.”

Yaffe says watching the girls pick up instruments and learn to play made her feel like anything was possible, too.

“These kids they don’t see limitations yet. Even though they’re dealing with stuff at home or school or whatever, they’re not as defeated as one can be, later. So hanging out with people that don’t feel those limits and will make whatever noise they want and call it music is completely inspiring. 'Cause that’s what music is, it's noise!"