ROCK CAMP MONTREAL IS A PLACE WHERE GIRLS, NON-BINARY, TRANS AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING YOUTH GET TOGETHER TO LEARN AND MAKE MUSIC IN THE NAME OF EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY BUILDING.
Mission and mandate
Rock Camp Montreal fosters the promotion of self-esteem, skill-building and critical thinking skills for girls, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming youth through collaborative music composition and performance. Rock Camp supplements the music component with workshops based on feminist and anti-oppression frameworks that provide campers with a space for critical examination and personal empowerment.
We aim to create a sustainable, annual project that will foster community building among campers as well as provide mentorship and leadership opportunities for girls, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming in Montreal. The dream is for Rock Camp to grow into a sustainable long-term network of campers, staff, community members and stakeholders interested in the empowerment and musical leadership of youth in and around the Montreal area. Rock Camp Montreal is part of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, a global and international movement with the same mission and mandate as ours. There are more than 100 Girls Rock Camps around the world.
The goal is for girls, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming youth to rock in all aspects of life!
MEMBERS
If you are a camper, volunteer, or donor with Rock Camp Montreal, you are automatically a part of our membership! Your membership is valid for five years from the time that you get involved with the organization.
If you support our mission and mandate and wish to become a member of Rock Camp, but are unable to attend, volunteer at, or donate to the organization, you can email rockcampforgirlsmontreal@gmail.com to receive a membership application form.
ANTI-OPPRESSION
We are so excited that you want to be part of the growing Rock Camp Montreal family!
Over the past year, we’ve made changes to our mandate, intentionally developing an Anti-Oppression policy and practice. It's important for us to take steps towards being always more inclusive and unapologetic about it, in order to create a safe space in which both girls and gender nonconforming youth, especially those who are Black, Indigenous and / or People of Colour, feel welcomed and empowered. These are areas that we wish to improve in.
No discriminatory comments, or prejudices against trans people are tolerated at Rock Camp.
Often in feminist spaces, references to genitalia are used to empowerment mostly cis women, inherently excluding trans folks, especially trans women, from the movement and the conversation. It's really important for us to acknowledge that gender non-conforming people & youth are a big part of this org and our community, and remain extremely marginalized everywhere.
Trans 101: https://www.autostraddle.com/how-to-talk-to-a-transperson-76785/
ANTI-COLONIALISM
Rock Camp acknowledges that we are located on unceded land, the traditional territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka. The Kanien’kehá:ka are known as the "Keepers of the Eastern Door," and they are one of the six founding nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The island we know today as Montreal is known to the Kanien’kehá:ka as Tiotia:ke of Turtle Island, which has served as a meeting place for other Indigenous nations.
We are thankful that we get to be here in Tiotia:ke today, but we also recognize that a simple land acknowledgement without any action is merely performative. We encourage everyone to get informed on the ongoing oppression of indigenous peoples today, to actively resist colonialism in whatever way you can, and to contribute to current day reparations.
A portion of all Rock Camp events goes to supporting local indigenous peoples. Also, we have decided to waive any tuition for Indigenous youth.