Girls Rock! Phoenix celebrates 10th anniversary at its Summer Camp 2025 Showcase

"Girls to the front, rush the stage, everybody say 'Hey! hey, hey, hey, hey!'"

That's a part of Girls Rock! Phoenix's theme song. More than just a catchy tune, it's the anthem of the week of summer camp for the girls and gender nonconforming kids, ages 8 to 17, who attend. A showcase on Saturday, where two weeks of this summer's camp program culminate in a flurry of music and electrifying energy when campers perform their original music, has even more significance. The organization celebrates its tenth year as an active nonprofit that has only become more united despite the odds.

Phoenix had plenty of room to create a space where these kids could not only get to the front of that stage they're rushing to but also get on stage and have a blast creating together, communicating, and rocking out. The nonprofit organization Girls Rock! Phoenix saw the need and formed to help bring about change. Despite a pandemic, political upheavals and everything else that could have broken its spirit, the organization is still standing; in fact, it’s as determined as ever.
It all started in the backyard of Sarah Ventre, the founder of Girls Rock! Phoenix. She was enamored by the punk scene while living in Washington, D.C., and wanted to bring that same DIY ethos to her home state of Phoenix. Her biggest motivator was that Girls Rock, which already existed in multiple states, would have given her and other like-minded people something they needed in their youth. She volunteered at D.C.'s camp program, giving herself a foundation upon which to build.

One of the most important values the camp instilled was that it is okay to take up space. Children are forced to follow rules all day and conform to certain ideals, which can be draining and discourage individuality. Camp is a place where “taking up space” is allowed, and being vocal can be expressed respectfully.

“Women are often taught to shrink themselves a lot, to be physically smaller, to be quieter, to be less abrupt or abrasive,” Ventre said. “You might get that message from other parts of society, but that isn't how it has to be.”

One week at Girls Rock Phoenix's camp makes all the difference in feeling heard.

“One of the things I think that's hard about living in Phoenix is that it can be very hard to feel a sense of community there- it's very scattered,” said Ventre. “It’s because it's so hot we don't spend a lot of time outside communal spaces … (Girls Rock) helps fill a role in building a very intentional community for people who care about music and art and making spaces for people.”

Kristi Wimmer has been a member of the organizing team since the beginning and helps year-round to prepare for camp. She also teaches kids how to play bass during camp and performs multiple duties. Like Ventre, she had the mission of creating a space where kids can be loud and feel heard.

“It's not a camp for kids who have been taking piano lessons for 10 years, and they're trying to improve their skills,” said Wimmer. “It's pretty much like, do it yourself. You know the ethos of just try it like, try it be loud, pick up an instrument, and if you're not good at it, it doesn't matter, and it's a very supportive, non-competitive, nonjudgmental space for kids to be able to try new things and be loud.”

Campers have a week of morning instructions that learn how to perform the music of their choice — guitar, piano, vocals, drums or bass. The afternoons are for band practice, where volunteers, including off-duty musicians, coach them and help them develop their performance without overstepping their creative freedom. In between, there are lunchtime band performances from local bands, workshops and demonstrations from real instructors, and even self-confidence exercises.

Girls Rock! Phoenix has only grown to greater heights since its origins. Their first-ever camp was a “mini camp” held a decade ago with twenty campers and four bands. In 2025, 58 campers will perform in twelve bands at Walter Studios, a live music venue in downtown Phoenix.

Their mission has expanded beyond the number of campers and the transition to bigger venues. The organization is always increasing its base of volunteers and performers to continue uniting these supporters and helping build and grow community networks.
The presence of local women DJs at Girls Rock's camp has also expanded this year. A DJ taught a beat-mixing workshop at camp and two DJs from the Ladies Who Brunch crew performed during lunchtime. Another member of their crew is playing a short set during intermission at the showcase, too.

Lunchtime is big at camp. Musical performances happen daily and are another outlet that inspires kids. They prove to them the legitimacy of art forms and plant the seed that this is possible for them, too. And it's fun. They can dance and sing, and after the performance, they get to have a Q&A session with each act.

Girls Rock will continue to inspire for generations, but the only time is now, especially as the political climate heats up and people increasingly need each other.

Kenyatta Turner is a Girls Rock! Phoenix board member, drum instructor, and organizer. “Girls Rock isn’t just about the music,” Turner says. “The act of what we’re doing is creating music, supporting creativity and expression, but what comes out of the equation at Girls Rock is that they learn to work together even in the act of expressing their own viewpoints. Everyone has the right to their own thoughts and emotions and opinions.”

In a world where voices are silenced, it’s more important now than ever to give young voices a place where they can thrive and learn to communicate in a way that makes the world stronger. If a tiny pocket of Phoenix can achieve that, it gives a little hope for the rest of the global sphere that is often divided and sprawling and often makes it inaccessible to create genuine human connections.

Girls Rock! Phoenix is a place to play, have fun, grow, support and uplift one another without rigid rules that an academic setting often has. It’s a rare gem in a place that doesn’t often allow for gems. As Turner says, “We solely exist to support the community that nobody else is willing to.”

The Girls Rock Summer Camp 10th Anniversary Showcase starts at noon on June 28 (doors open at 11 a.m.) at Walter Studios, 747 W. Roosevelt St. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and all proceeds benefit Girls Rock Phoenix.