Music has always been my lifeline, but volunteering with Girls Rock Camp St. Pete showed me what happens when music becomes collective empowerment.
Take Up Space is a love letter to the campers, the coaches, the volunteers, and the organizers who spend one scorching July week proving that youth voices deserve to be loud, proud, and completely unapologetic.
Page 1: The cover
GIRLS TO THE FRONT // TAKE UP SPACE
Loud, proud, and unapologetic: A Girl's Rock St. Pete Zine
Designed by Adam Rye (adamrye.com)
Page 2: Why it matters
"WHY IT MATTERS.
Mission: We empower women, girls, and gender-expansive folx through fearless expression, artistic experimentation, and collaboration.
By middle school, a girl's confidence drops by 40%. They learn to lose their volume. Boys get handed the mic.
At GRSP, we build a stage to take it back. We teach campers to be allies, not competition. We prove that mistakes are how you learn.
We are here to get loud and protect trans kids!"
Page 3: Finding the magic
"FINDING THE MAGIC.
My first year, I showed up nervous. Crop top loud, guitar pick earrings, unsure how a cis dude could fit into this kind of magic.
But Jesse (she/her) and Rachael (she/her) were building something UNDENIABLE. They taught us about SISTER ROSETTA THARPE inventing rock n' roll!
I realized I didn't just want to watch; I needed to help build the stage.
I joined the DUDE CREW. We hold the ladders. We hang the bike wheel chandeliers. We do the heavy lifting so this sisterhood that slays can safely find their stance. Raise hell."
Page 4: The process
"POWER WEEK: THE PROCESS.
Take 60 girls and nonbinary kids (ages 8 to 17).
Give them an instrument they've NEVER played.
Put them in a band with kids they do not know.
Tell them to write an original song.
'We can do it better in a skirt or a sweater!'
It sounds impossible... but they do it."
Page 5: The workshops
"5 DAYS. 60 KIDS. 10 BANDS. THE WORKSHOPS.
Music is the Trojan horse. Power Week is packed with:
Scream Circle: Learning to literally take up space with your voice.
Freakaerobics and Body Positivity.
Intersectional Feminism and Social Justice.
Herstory: Learning about the women who paved the way.
Plus, two full-time therapists on-site to help kids navigate bullying, coming out, food issues, and trauma.
Beyonce, Joan Jett, Queen Latifah, Aretha, Lilith Fair, Dolly."
Page 6: Sweat, joy, and rock n' roll
"SWEAT, JOY, AND ROCK N' ROLL.
Jannus Live hosts world-famous musicians, but today's headliners didn't exist a week ago.
It's July. It's scorching. I'm fanning parents in the heat and clacking my fan loud, so the crowd knows when to cheer.
Drag queens perform. Queer Black leaders speak truth. THEN the kids take the stage.
The shy kid from Monday is roaring under the spotlight, while the crowd shouts their original lyrics back at them: WE DO IT FOR THE G-I-R-L-S!"
Page 7: We do it because they matter
"WE DO IT BECAUSE THEY MATTER.
This isn't performance. It's not charity. It's joy.
When I brought my homemade earrings to the glam room, the campers screamed like I handed them gold. THAT'S THE ENERGY HERE!!
We do it for all the girls, the trans boys, the gender queer kids still deciding how to shine.
WE NEED YOU: GRSP is 100% volunteer-powered. We need the Dude Crew, the Glam Squad, Instrument Coaches, Roadies, and hype-people.
From teenagers to women of a certain rage, there is a place for you to plug in."
Page 8: Join the family
"GET INVOLVED // DONATE AND BE LOUD.
Be the revolution. This is about more than just music. Build a loud, safe, and unapologetic community.
Whether you're carrying amps, donating funds, or bringing the hype... your support helps kids find the magic.
Connect with the camp:
Website: girlsrockstpete.org
Instagram: @GRCStPete
Facebook: /GRCStPete”
Behind the zine
I created this zine to help pass the mic and because I am so deeply passionate about this cause.
From the very first volunteer meeting I attended, when Jesse and Rachael broke down the gender confidence gap and the urgent need for a space like this for our girls and gender-expansive kids, I knew I had to be part of building the stage.
Every showcase concert wrecks me in the best way. Standing in the crowd, I get so emotional not only watching these kids become absolute rockstars under the spotlight, but hearing the parents behind me saying things like, "I never knew my kid could do that," and seeing tough dads openly cry at how awesome and fearless their kids are.
Watching young people pick up bass guitars and drumsticks for the very first time and transform into full-blown rock bands in five days is undeniable proof that radical community care works.
Physical copies of the Girls Rock Zine are shared at camp showcases, benefit shows, and grassroots community events across St. Pete.
