Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
How this Birmingham summer camp is empowering girls through music—July 7-12
Reading time: 5 minutes
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In a world where girls are often told to be quiet, Girls Rock Birmingham is handing them a mic and helping them find their voice.
With support from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, this growing nonprofit is changing lives by using music as a powerful tool for self-expression, confidence and belonging.
We sat down with executive director Susie Cousins to talk about the impact of Girls Rock and details on its upcoming summer camp happening July 7-12.
Girls Rock Birmingham’s mission
Founded in 2015, Girls Rock Birmingham is part of an international network of Girls Rock camps that empower girls and gender-expansive youth through music.
At the heart of their work is a simple but powerful idea:
“Empowerment through music.
When the girls leave us, hopefully they feel like they can do really hard things because they’ve learned how to play an instrument, write a song and perform it in front of people—all in one week. If you can do that, you can tackle anything in your life.”
Susie Cousins, Executive Director, Girls Rock Birmingham
Open to girls, trans and nonbinary youth ages nine to 16, the camp isn’t just a place to learn guitar or drums—it’s an inclusive place to be fully accepted, heard and celebrated.
Creating inclusive spaces that inspire confidence
In just one week, campers form bands, learn instruments, write original songs and perform them live at a Birmingham venue. This year, the showcase will take place at Saturn, one of Birmingham’s top live performance spaces—giving campers the full rockstar experience.
Throughout the week, they take part in songwriting workshops, visit with local musicians and explore the power of performance and collaboration.
At last year’s camp, Birmingham’s poet laureate Salem Green led a lyrical storytelling workshop that helped campers put their emotions into words.
“They have really good questions, and they ask such insightful stuff. One of the things [Salem] had them do was write about their camp experience, and the number one thing that kept coming out was “this feels like a place I belong.”
Susie Cousins, Executive Director, Girls Rock Birmingham
The impact is undeniable: Campers complete entrance and exit surveys to assess things like self-esteem, empathy and teamwork.
“By the end of camp last year, there was a measurable difference in several of the criteria, particularly in understanding other people’s point of view and working with people that you would not necessarily have chosen to work with. Especially with some of the more introverted campers, by the end of the week, they’re usually the ones that have the best stage presence.”
Susie Cousins, Executive Director, Girls Rock Birmingham
2025 camp is getting bigger + better
Behind the scenes, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is lending a hand to make all of this possible.
Its grant funding goes directly to the heart of the program: scholarships for campers who otherwise couldn’t attend, fair pay for music instructors and support for a program that prioritizes access for all.
“Really, every grant dollar that we get goes directly back into the program, and year after year, we’re getting more kids asking for scholarships. We had budgeted for five this year, and we’ve already had like, 10 or 12 asks. We don’t want to turn anybody away, right?
The point is to reach kids like this who need this kind of experience. Without that grant, we really could not accept those kids.”
At a time when arts education is being cut from schools, Girls Rock is a way to protect something vital.
“It’s really disheartening to see all the cuts happening to things that enrich people’s lives. We do the work and we grind so that we can make art and express ourselves. Art is what life is about. If we keep cutting opportunities for young people to express themselves, we’re losing something essential—not just for them, but for all of us.”
Susie Cousins, Executive Director, Girls Rock Birmingham
Donate or volunteer for Girls Rock Camp 2025
Girls Rock Birmingham relies on community support to keep their programs accessible, inclusive and fun.
Whether you’re a musician, music lover or someone who believes in the power of confidence and creativity, there are several ways to get involved:
- Donate: Your gift goes directly to scholarships, gear, meals, transportation + fair pay for instructors + performers.
- Volunteer: From helping during camp week to running workshops or assisting at performances, volunteers are a huge part of what makes Girls Rock special.
- Share their story: Follow @girlsrockbham on social media and help spread the word to families, educators + potential supporters in your network.
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