MISSION
Y’all Rock Camp ATL is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating an empowering and supportive community for trans and nonbinary youth and cis girls ages 10-16 through music education, creative expression, and performance.
ABOUT Y'ALL ROCK CAMP ATL
Inspired by the original Girls Rock Camp in Portland, Oregon, Stacey Singer and Heather Gibbons founded Girls Rock Camp ATL in 2008.
For nearly 20 years, Y’all Rock Camp ATL has empowered youth and the local Atlanta community through music. What began as a grassroots summer program has grown into a thriving community where young people explore their creativity, grow confidence, and build community.
Y’all Rock Camp ATL is part of Girls Rock Camp Alliance, an international membership network of youth-centered arts and social justice organizations. Learn more here!
YOUTH SUMMER CAMP
YRCATL’s core program is a six-day summer music camp serving trans and nonbinary youth and cis girls ages 10-16.
Campers are instructed in guitar, bass, keyboards, or drums, and participate in workshops geared toward encouraging freedom of expression, self-esteem, collaboration, and respect for community. Campers also form bands and perform in a big concert on the last day of camp. Campers are encouraged to bring their own instruments; however, if they do not have one, an instrument will be loaned to them for use during the week, free of charge.
Our impact stretches beyond camp week…
We invest deeply in Atlanta’s youth and music scene. For example, our annual camper showcase concerts (as well as our other benefit concerts and open mics throughout the year) have allowed our campers to take the stage at staple Atlanta venues including The Variety Playhouse, Aisle 5, Oakview Coffee, Eddie’s Attic, and now The Masquerade!
Our volunteers, performers, and supporters have also included some of music’s biggest and most inspiring women artists, such as the Indigo Girls, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, indie group von Grey, Beverly “Guitar” Watkins (who performed at every summer camp and adult camp from 2011 until shortly before her passing in 2019), jazz musician Alexandra Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Heart, and Bonnie Raitt.
Today, we continue to offer a space for local musicians to give back and share their craft. Learn more about volunteering with YRCATL here.
"Whenever I'm with you all, I'm home.”
Beverly “Guitar” Watkins (1939-2019)
A Note on Our Name Change
If you’re new to our organization, or if it’s been a while: In 2022, we underwent the process of changing our name and mission statement to better reflect the inclusive community that we have cultivated over the past nearly 20 years. After a series of community feedback sessions, we transitioned fully to Y’all Rock Camp ATL in 2023 and explicitly state or commitment to welcoming and creating safe spaces for trans and nonbinary youth and adult volunteers at and beyond camp.
Our Commitment to Radical Inclusion
Y’all Rock Camp ATL – in alignment with the Girls Rock Camp Alliance – values diversity in all its forms, including age, race, economic status, gender expression, size, physical and developmental ability, musical interests, learning styles, nationality, religion, citizenship status, and sexual orientation.
We promote respect, celebrate differences, and do not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other form of discrimination.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, or gender identity/expression in any aspect of our programs—including admissions, financial aid, volunteer opportunities, employment, or other camp-related activities.
What This Means for Our Community:
For us, everyone is welcome. Everyone is heard. Everyone belongs. This is radical inclusivity in action. If you ever see a member of our community falling short, speak up. We’ll listen, reflect, and make it right.
Y’all Rock.