July 16.2004»
MUSIC
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n an old sewing machine factory, sand
wiched between a machine shop and a trail
er park, rests the Rock ’n’ Roll Camp for
Girls.
Rather than making lanyards and roasting
marshmallows, these girls spend a week in July
getting their hands on the tools they need to
create their own rock hand.
Started as a senior project in women’s stud
ies at Portland State University, the camp out
grew two venues before coming to the 5,000-
square-foot warehouse near Marine Drive. Its
past two homes, Crystal Ballroom and PSU,
couldn’t accommodate the growing demand for
a summer camp that could give girls, says direc
tor Misty McElroy, the “unique tools to make it
as a girl in a culture that exploits, rather then
values, their voices.”
Four years ago McElroy had a vision. She
had worked as a music technician and roadie for
more than nine years and struggled through
“intolerable misogyny, sexism and homophobia.”
This frustration resulted in a senior
practicum— every paper and project that had
the potential became connected to the camp,
including McElroy’s final thesis. The girls camp
became the brainchild of a frustrated feminist
and queer indie rocker.
As founder, McElroy does everything from
organizing benefit shows to finding sponsors,
with the help of a handful of dedicated rock
camp enthusiasts.
In between studying and writing papers,
McElroy found the time to design the Web page
and logo while recruiting teachers and soliciting
donations. It was a brilliant idea, she thought,
but hadn’t someone else already thought of it?
Apparently not, even though the camp is so
popular, she had to add another session this year.
becoming enfranchised
through the rock camp.
“Many campers who
attend know that they
are different and can’t
figure out why they feel
ostracized or shamed
for a certain feeling,”
shares McElroy.
The camp aims to
address why there aren’t
more women in rock
while unleashing each
girl’s inner Joan Jett.
The role of counselors
as role models only fur
thers the confidence
and strength that each
girl gains through her
participation.
“Most importantly,”
states McElroy, “girls
see queer women in the
roles they want to he in
and receive enormous
validation for that,
often for the first time
in their lives.”
Though enrollment
It's a good thing Misty McElroy was a pissed-off dyke feminist roadie or Portland might have never seen the Rock ’n
has
more than doubled
Roll Camp for Girls
since that first year, the
More instrument donations came in from
ents of young girls and women.” Each has a
camp remains true to its mission statement.
other supportive hands (Le Tigre, King Cobra,
role in the construction and empowerment of
Any girl who has the passion and desire can
The Donnas), and guest speakers and panelists
the whole girl. “Our workshops support being a
attend, space permitting. (Slots fill up months'
from many Portland bands (The Haggard,
strong woman in a music context,” explains
in advance.) Scholarships are available to
McElroy.
Sleater-Kinney) signed on.
cover the tuition, which has risen to $300, and
Now in its fourth year, the rock camp splits
Besides workshops, a typical rock camp
minority girls are targeted, as it’s likely their
each day into morning and afternoon pro
afternoon consists of two hours of musical
path to rockstardom has more obstacles.
grams. Every day starts off with an all-camp
instruction followed by more than two hours of
Despite financial struggles, the camp has
assembly featuring warm-ups and cheesy sing-
hand practice. All campers have the choice of
expanded to include the Girls Rock Institute
n July 2001, the first
learning vocals, keyboards, drums, bass or elec
alongs. Self-reliance
and Ladies Rock Camp, the former a year-
weeklong camp
workshops of varying
tric guitar.
round after school program designed to contin
began. For $20, a girl
kinds follow— for
ue the spirit of the summer camp while con
in grades six through
example, zine publish
alfway through the week, the girls form
necting girls to recording studios and perform
12 could get a head
ing, self-defense, song-
their own hands, some of which continue
ers in the Portland music scene, and the latter
start into the world of
writing, media literacy,
performing after camp ends. Pom Pom
for women older than 18 who could have ben
rock. Though the
stage presence, history
Meltdown, The Fringe and The Hellcats are a
efited from a program like the rock camp when
of women in rock,
few hands formed through the camp that have
tuition was a fraction
they were younger.
of the $300-a-head
visual arts.
stayed together.
In a warehouse painted with an image of a
operating cost, the
One popular work
Fortier-Kuttner and her 10-year-old sister,
girl holding a guitar almost as big as she is, the
camp survived thanks
Zayna Langer, formed Black Peppercorns at last
shop is on size oppres
Rock ’n’ Roll Camp for Girls promotes motiva
to people in high
sion.
“It
seemed
really
year’s
rock
camp
and
went
on
to
play
at
Noc
tion, self-reliance and empowerment through
”
turnal and Portland coffeehouses. They have a
places responding to
interesting to have big
music. j n
—Misty McElroy people there to talk
the need.
C D out and run their own Web page— with
the help of their parents.
about being big,” says
McElroy reports
Learn more about the R ock ’ n ’ R oll C amp FOR
Every girl gets a chance to play onstage
guitarist Io Fortier-Kuttner, a 10-year-old for
GlRLS at www.girlsrockcamp.org. Cam per Finale
there was one day when the phone didn’t stop
with her band during two public performances
mer camper. “The workshop reaffirmed how I
ringing. People across the country and the globe
Showcases are 7 p .m . July 24 and 31 at Aladdin
at Aladdin Theater the last night of each ses
felt. Fat is beautiful.”
offered themselves or their services for the bet
Theater, 3017 S .E . Milwaukie Ave. Tickets are
sion; the shows sell out every year.
Each workshop fits into the camp’s mission
terment of a rock camp for girls. An Ebay auc
$5 at the box office.
Once rather isolated, queer girls are also
tion was arranged with donations from the likes
statement, which is to “encourage, engage and
making and producing their own music after
ADINA LEPP is a Portland free-lance writer.
of Beastie Boys, Alanis Morissette and Pearl Jam.
showcase musical, artistic and individual tal
I
“Girls see queer
wom en in the roles
they want to be in
and receive enorm ous
validation for that,
often for the first
time in their lives
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