Girls Rock Philly 2016 Annual Report

LRC

2016 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Year At-A-Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 -5 Who We Are: Staff + Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Programming Summer Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Year Round Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 LRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sound Scholars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Community-Led Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13 2016 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Community of Supporters: Foundation Support & Fundraisers. . . . . . . 16 Business Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17-18 Sustainers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Mic Check! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

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Welcome

to Girls Rock Philly’s 2016 Annual Report! As 2016 marked our 10th anniversary, it was a year of many celebrations, new strides, triumphs, and reflections. Through this document, we are humbled to share our journey of the past year:

Organizationally

We began a strategic planning process to help us envision and shape our next few years • Moved to a new headquarters • Hired gear, volunteer, and administrative coordinators •

Throughout 2016, we were consistently moved by how far GRP has come— from an all volunteer run, 1 week summer camp for 20 youth, to an organization with 150 participants, 100 volunteers, and 2 full-time staff and multiple part-time staff. That being said, we know that our growth and work has not happened in a vacuum. Rather it stands on the shoulders of many people who came before us like: SIster Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock’n’roll; the Lenape people, who are indigenous to the Philadelphia area; as well as all the imaginative local musicians and change-makers past and present.

To honor our home and the legacies we come from, our 2016 summer camp theme was #phillyRISING, a lens through which we filtered all of our programming.

Programmatically

• We expanded youth leadership opportunities, including the Teen Band Manager Internship at our adult rock camp!

• Launched safeSOUNDS: A songwriting workshop for queer youth of all genders, engaged in dynamic community collaborative events and concerts

And at GRP’s 10th anniversary Sustaining our Sounds Gala, we crystallized this theme with our inaugural phillyRISING awards. As we shift and grow as an organization, we are excited to continue learning from and building with our fellow organizers, dreamers, and leaders across this city.

As we approach challenging times for our local, national, and global communities, we remember our summer band 4 Fantastic Divas singing their original song, “That’s What I Love About Philly!” We remember the brilliance and resilience of our communities and we work tirelessly to celebrate and protect them. Through song and joy, GRP, as always, will be hard at work, centering the voices of youth, women, and trans people. At the heart of our work, we believe these efforts – that shift local soundscapes— build liberatory futures for us all. Thank you for building with us.

With gratitude, Andrea & Diane Girls Rock Philly Co Directors

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Year at-a-glance

Volunteer handbook pages

GRP bands formed

Summer & LRC camp workshops

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Number of songs

32

40

50

5

1 gala

volunteer trainings and orientations

6

9 showcases

lunchtime performances

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WHO WE ARE 2016 Office Staff

2016 Programs Staff

Diane Foglizzo: Program Director

Candice Johnson & Dorie Byrne: youthBAND

Andrea Jácome: Creative Director

Mel Hsu & Cheshire Agusta: soundLAB

Candy Johnson: Admin Coordinator

Jennifer Swanson: safeSOUNDS

Melanie Hsu: Volunteer Coordinator Ximena Violante: Gear Coordinator

2016 BOARD Camae Aweya

Ashley Feuer-Edwards

Myra Brown

Aimée Miller

Chris Chacko

Dawn Overby, Treasurer

Alexia Chororos, Vice Chair

Laura Sorensen

Lane DiFlavis

Geeta Simons

Noelle Egan, Board Chair

Madeline Thomas Bethany Watzman, Secretary

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VOLUNTEERS

“‘[Camp] was a great experience. You all showed me I can teach guitar and I didn’t realize I could. Such a great thing you have going on.”‘ –Ashley Ember, GRP Volunteer Guitar Instructor With over 100 volunteers supporting GRP programs, volunteers are easily the backbone of Girls Rock Philly. Having just two full-time staff, Girls Rock Philly’s programmatic and organizational success is in great thanks to our dynamic and beloved community. Together, we are intentional about cultivating leadership in an inclusive, process oriented, and collaborative volunteer culture -both at camp and in year-round working groups.

At our youth and adult rock camps, volunteers develop and deliver programming and behind the scene support. Offering their skills, energy, and time, volunteers take on a diversity of roles such as instrument instructor, workshop facilitator, band coach, gear roadies, kitchen crew, lunchtime band performer, social worker and more. Growing from our camp leadership team, we are excited to further support the self-facilitation of skill shares, curriculum brainstorming, and volunteer-led initiatives since hiring a new volunteer coordinator this past year.

Year-round, GRP engages with various working groups, which are open to staff, volunteers, board members, and other community. Currently these groups include: Education and Empowerment, Development, Social Justice Working Group, Girls Rock Camp Alliance, Governance, Finance, Strategic Planning Working group.

As always, GRP continues to provide an incredible experience for volunteers. As we grow, we are excited to see more and more former teen participants returning as volunteers! In hiring a volunteer coordinator, we are doing internal work to successfully engage this demand as well as create stronger year-round experiences that are mutually beneficially for both volunteers and GRP. 2016 has helped us identify how we want to grow and moving into 2017 we are looking forward to building new structures of engagement!

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Summer rock Camp Girls Rock Philly continues to operate its signature program- our week -long summer camp. This program features two week-long sessions— one for teens (ages 13 to 19) and youth (ages 9 to 12). Thi program offers instrument instruction, community-led workshops and band practice. It concludes with a showcase celebrating participants’ original songs as well as time in a professional recordirng studio!

In 2016, 87 youth attended summer camp, supported by close to 100 volunteers in roles such as instrument instructors, counselors, workshop facilitators, social workers, roadies, and band coaches. Ten distinct workshops, led by internal GRP and outside trained facilitators, teaching artists, and teen interns, were offered to each session to all campers. As the second summer in which we were able to expand to separate sessions, we were able to deepen age-specific curriculum and scheduling according to our population’s needs and interests.

“At GRP, I learned that drums are now my favorite instrument. I also met some amazing people that support me.

Through that I learned to be myself, be happy with who I am, and to strive to be a better person!!! Thank you so much! GRP has made me a better person and I can’t wait to come back next year!” — 2016 GRP Teen Camper —8 —

year-round Programs GRP’s year-round programing builds upon and supports our annual summer camp sessions. These programs encourage long-term relationship building among youth participants and between youth and staff facilitators. They support youth in learning new skills, fearlessly expressing themselves, working collaboratively and performing publicly.

Highlights include:

Our teen band program re-emerged in january 2016 as soundLAB, a close-knit weekly songwriting and ensemble workshop. soundLAB is a unique and powerful experience — we at Girls Rock Philly know that creativity can often be stifled when we feel pressured to only make music that we think society will deem “beautiful” and “acceptable.” soundLAB is a safe place to experiment with every type of sound, a place to realize our biggest, boldest most uninhibited selves, a place to build inspiring, cooperative, supportive musical relationships.

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We launched a brand-new program in April 2016 called safeSOUNDS, a workshop for queer youth of all genders. While the majority of Girls Rock Philly’s programs, including our summer camp, after school program and adult rock camp, focus on girls, women and trans* folks, GRP is very excited to be making intentional space within our organization for queer youth of all genders in Philadelphia with the safeSOUNDS workshop. This program emerges from ongoing conversations and self-reflection at GRP as we explore what it means to be an organization working towards gender liberation.

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• In 2016, GRP provided ongoing performance opportunities for our participants including our Spring and Winter showcases. The spring showcase featured performances from soundLAB, youthBAND, students in lessons at GRP, safeSOUNDS and an LRC band. The Winter showcase was full of community performers and featured an interactive workshop, developed by soundLAB students, that gave attendees a glimpse inside their experience at GRP.

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Lrc (adult rock camp) LRC is a weekend rock camp for women and trans adults 19 and up. Mirroring our summer rock camp, this is an opportunity for adults to pick up an instrument, create a band, and perform on stage as well as attend community-led workshops! Since last year’s name change from Ladies Rock Camp to LRC, we spent much of 2016 building with new communities in ways that have cultivated a dynamic camper population of great racial and gender diversity. We are excited to build with this increasingly popular program!

“What else like this exists? First off as an adult, you’re told that you’re not allowed to play, so this is an amazing opportunity for adults to come together and play. second, where else are women & trans folks told to get together, play music together, and not be afraid about it? Those are two things that don’t generally exist in the wider world. The fact that you can create [LRC] where those two things exist means you can create beautiful things. And just give a weekend of our time toward that? Of course!” -- Jackie Soro, LRC Volunteer —— 10 10 ——

Sound scholars

The broad objective of Sound Scholars is to create year-round paths toward creative and self-empowering leadership roles within the organization for teen participants. Specifically, these opportunities engage youth in sharpening organizing and communication skills as facilitators, band coaches, public speakers, media-makers, and MCs. In offering a dynamic set of mentorship opportunities, experiential learning, and responsibilities, Sound Scholars bridges participants’ musical experience at GRP with exercises of leadership -- in ways that build skills to assist youth in navigating school, engaging in their communities, and preparing for college and the workplace. Teens may select one or more of the available activities:

The current Sound Scholars offerings include: An teen-led leadership body working to make GRP more youth Youth Action driven as well as deepen communication and leadership skills that Council meets monthly to plan and strategize. Engages 8 youth annually.

In a multi-generational environment, teens play a central leaderlrc teen band ship role as band coaches, assembly facilitators, media-makers, manager and MCs for the Sunday night showcase. The interns receive program [new] trainings before and after camp, and receive a stipend for their work. Engges 8 youth annually at 2 LRC weekends

summer program assistant summer rock camp internship

junior volunteers [new]

Paid summer job assisting in planning and executing summer camp. Engages 1 youth annually.

Teens play a central leadership role as youth rock camp band coaches, workshop facilitators, media-makers, and MCs for the Saturday showcase. This past year they developed a new zine on philly history and activism, entitled phillyRISING, which they presented and distributed to all youth campers at their workshop!

Engages 5 youth annually.

Peer mentorship opportunity for new teen participants to shadow roadies, instrument instructors, and band coaches during the youth session of summer camp. Engages 5 youth annually.

“I was really inspired by the teen interns. They were repeatedly asked to step up in “just right” roles that respectfully pushed them a little outside of their comfort zone. Knowing that they had already worked through the band formation and song writing process during the summer camp made them role models and reinforced my perception that Girls Rock Philly is an organization that empowers young people in positive ways.”

-- 2016 Fall LRC Camper —— 11 11 ——

COMMUNITY LED

WO RKSH O PS

At both our summer rock camp as well as our adult rock camp, we are excited to create space for workshops led by local activists, educators, musicians, and artists. With workshop tracks like “Music Makers make It” and “Our Philadelphia Ecosystem,” we invited a diverse range of creative and social justice workshops that touch on our GRP cornerstones: imaginative action, fearless expression, artistic experimentation, and inquisitive exploration. Here’s a snapshot of our 2016 workshops:

NEW LRC WORKSHOPS: Philadelphia Then and Now: WEB DuBois & 7th Ward with Katy Morris Conversation on Histories of Gentrification & Development in Philadelphia Contact Mics with Sumi (aka local musician Shakai Mondai) Developing unique instruments & enviornmental soundscapes through contact mics Right to Breathe with Dinah DeWald & Morgan Bartz A Teach-In on South Philly Refineries and Environmental Activism by Philly Thrive Loop de Loops with Julie Lipson An introduction to loops pedals and how to create layers & instruments with just one person

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NEW summer rock CAMP WORKSHOPS: Remixing Comics with Nicole Rodrigues Creating unique comic book stories using and remixing panels from different comics together!

How music creates social change! with Sara Zia Ebrahimi and V Chaudry, Leeway Foundation staff A contemporary look into how several local musicians and DJs build community + preserve culture Writing On The Wall: Street Art & Self-Expression with Ryann Casey An introduction to street/graffiti history & collaborative creation through stencils and found objects Countermapping Philadelphia with Nora Kerrich and Amelia Carter Reclaiming and retelling personal and local histories through alternative spacial mapping Roots, Rock, Reggae with Tanaya Thomas Exploring dance and movement grounded in the powerful lyrics of reggae musicians and activists from Jamaica Gig Posters with Little Chair Printing Designing & Printing Band Logos for Showcase! — 13 —

2016 girls rock In January, Philadelphia Daily News wrote an article spotlighting Girls Rock Philly!

In March, GRP hosted for the third time, the international Girls Rock Alliance conference.

We welcomed over 200 organizers from around the world to Philly and worked with GRCA’s Programming Department to plan and execute the 4 day conference filled with over 45 workshops, meet-ups, and events.

In February, GRP welcomed Geeta Simons and Myra Brown as new members to the Board of Directors!

In May, we further expanded Sound Scholars to feature two new programs-- safeSOUNDS (singer songwriters programs for queer youth of all genders) and the Teen Band Manager Program.

In April, our very own Program Director Diane was awarded “Woman of the Year” by the Philly chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW).

Later In May, GRP launched Desde el Fondo de la Tierra--a multilingual weekend of workshops and song celebrating indigenous music and poetry from Latin America. This production featured zapotec feminist rapper Mare Advertencia Lirika (Oaxaca MX).

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In June, GRP moved its headquarters to the neighborhood of South Kensington. GRP bands performed at a local show at West Philly community venue, LAVA.

HIGHLIGHTS In July, GRP hosted two successful sessions of teen and youth rock camp as well as our teen internship program.

In August, filmmaker Cory Fischer-Hoffman premiered mini-documentary “Girls Rock Philly: Building Liberatory Futures through Song & Joy” in collaboration with Scribe Video Center.

Later in December, we completed our most successful end of year #GRPFUTURES campaign, surpassing our $10,000 goal with a final total of over $18,000!!

In December, GRP co-hosted a special drum cypher with Kiran Gandhi (drummer of MIA!) in collaboration with Philly Drum Project and Drum like a Lady.

In September, Girls Rock Philly co-sponsored the March to End Rape Culture as well as prochoice music festival, All Access.

Later in November, we hosted our first ever major donor event, Amplify Our Sounds, as a special launch of our #GRPFutures campaign!

In October we celebrated our 10 year anniversary at the inaugural Sustaining our Sounds Gala where we awarded our first ever #phillyrising awards to Hazel Edwards, Community Futures Lab, and GRP alums Attia Taylor and Z Fitzgerald! The night also included special performances from Sa-Roc, Black Quantum Futurism, and GRP’s youth bands - Wolf Pack & Third Bass!

In November, we held our first Strategic Planning retreat to envision the next years of GRP!

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community of s u p p o rt e r s Foundation support

• D’Addario Foundation

• Valentine Foundation

• Enterprise Holdings Foundation

• The Philadelphia Foundation

• Pennsylvania Council on the Arts,

• Youthadelphia

• Philadelphia Cultural Fund

• Henrietta Tower Wurts Fund

• Rosenlund Family Foundation

• Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation

• Bread and Roses Community Fund • New Century Trust • Mill Spring Foundation

• LLH/LHM Foundation

• Spruce Foundation

• The Morris Max and Sarah Altman

• Citizens for the Arts in PA

Memorial Trust

• Korein Foundation

community FUNDRAISers • • • •

Whole Foods Nickels for Nonprofits Beneficieries (Thanks Kerri + Staff at WF!) Local Girls Premiere (Thanks Allison and folks at Azuka Theatre!)

Diabolique Charity Ball (Thanks Lorelei!)

Pinkwash Album Release Party to benefit GRP ft. King Azaz, SWARM, Andromeda Sky (Shoutout to all these local bands!)

• First Time’s the Charm (Thanks to everyone in DIY PHL!) • Fishtown Beer Runners in collaboration with Tattooed Moms (Thanks Brooke and Robert!)

• Rock the Halls: Holiday Musicfest (Thanks Kate and Morgan!)

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community Donors

Dos Segundos, Kyber Pass Pub, Triangle Tavern, Little Chair Printing, Johnny Brendas, Knead Bagel’s, Flying Monkey, Rustica Pizza, ACME, Nancy Chacko, Bob Sweeney, Lisa McHenry Bendel, Michelle Freeman, Black Quantum Futurism, R5 Productions, Cheshire Agusta, Tattooed Moms, Rootbeer Audio, Art Star, Chroma Hair Salon, (cont.)

“At GRP, I learned to love myself fully. To let go of self-doubt and self-criticism. To embrace my creativity. To give myself permission to take up space.”

-- Fall 2016 LRC Participant

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BUsiness Donors (cont.)

Kati Driscoll, Practice Yoga, Satellite Cafe, Main Street Music Manayunk, Vinyl Alter, Wake Up Yoga, Philadelphia Record Exchange, Pizza Brain, Brickbat, Moon + Arrow, Bicycle Revolutions, Graceful Gardens, Awesome Dudes Print Shop, Outback Steakhouse, Jerry’s Bar, Cobblestone Kids Dentist, Deluxe Hair Salon, Palo Santo Wellness Spa, American Mortals, Bottle Bar East, DiPinto Guitars, Lilly’s Chocolates, Danger Salon, St Benjamin’s, Manic Panic, Bistrot La Minette, Repo Records, Fort Mifflin Historical Tours, Green Line Cafe, Crash Bang Boom, Talking Headz, Fitness Alive, Paradiso, Don Giovanni Records, Food Trust, Live Nation, Trestle Inn, Turtle Studios, Built by Wendy, Dan Deluca, The Nesting House, WXPN, Weckerly’s Ice Cream, Pescatore, Insomnia Cookies, PIzza Brain, Di Bruno Brothers, Brendenbecks, Starr Catering (Museum of Art), Bella Vista Beer Distributors, Whole Foods, Essentia Water, Dark Horse Brewing, Boulder Brewing, DC Brau, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company

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SUstainers

Sustainers provide an ongoing reliable source of funding for Girls Rock Philly by making a commitment to give monthly donations. Sustainers are the roots from which many more years of programming can grow! Our sustainers are volunteers, families, LRC campers, board, staff, community supporters and friends. At the end of 2015, we were supported by 125 monthly sustainers who together will contribute over 10% of our growing budget!

Rachel Wetzel Thomasin Parnes Kati Driscoll Mary Richardson Graham Susan Feenan Sarah Bryson Denise Bellingham Gregory Burt James Generic Ramsey Beyer Beth Warshaw Laura Grablutz Tom Szwech Jen Sperling Christie Eastburn Geeta Simons Sarah Houghton Ryann Casey Anna Krain Brielle Talarico Diane Foglizzo Chris Chacko Jeff Ziga Tara Stewart Meredith Haines Ashley Feuer-Edwards Madeline Thomas Kayla and Matt Hilliard Maddy Weber Stephen Millner

Jennie Correia Katy Otto Tom Whittle Linda Chororos Thomas Laws Lori Zaspel Caitlin Shanley Leanne Finnigan Megan Bailey Yael Lehmann Hope Rovelto Katie Rizzio Jenn Gessler Rashida Holmes Lauren Smith Kristina Mitchell Lea Deutsch Jessica Freeman Laura Reeve Carolyn Trench Lillian Dunn Kyle Quinn Fran de la Torre Corey Mark Sharp Hall Adam Butler Jeanne Lyons Charlie Ramos Guy Tourangeau Christine Byma Jean Foglizzo Dominique Montgomery Brittnie Knight Sarah Daub Ali Valin

Alexis Walker Dawn Overby Nikki Karam Bethany Watzman Noelle Egan Ryn Pascale Nancy & Buster Chacko Jess Rossi Aimee Miller Laura Sorenson Michal and Alan Nochumson Erin Finnerty Brit Campese Keith Berthrong Tom Kelly Martha Cross Josh Roberts Alexia Chororos Kelsey Cloonan Anna De La Motte Jen Twigg Noam Keim Andrea Jacome Erin Szranowski Anne Marie Drolet Dot Goldberger Lynne Demmer Leslie Grossman Kevin Riley Betsy and Bill McKown Stephan Way Kellie Flanagan

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Aurora Garcia Keir Neuringer Adam Cannon Amanda Hagg John Pettit Molly Fischer Maria Ellison Shevaun Brannigana Miguel Jacome Patrick Farley TC Owens Melanie Hsu Joseph Moore Rebecca Kriss Katie Crutchfield Tracy Wagner Dena Greenstreet Kathleen Paffett Rachel Casey Lane DiFlavis

Penny Brown-Hammond

Winner Bell Michael Jones Lisa Schwalbe Simone Budzyn Katherine Scholle Emma Eisenberg L’Oreal McCollum

Finances 2016 EXPENSES General

Fundraising

Program

2016 revenue Events Grants

Corporate

Individual Program Activities

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In-Kind Donations

MIC CHECK: spotlight o n wolfpack!

Formed during the youth session of our 2016 summer rock camp, Wolf Pack decided to stay together as a band. Since the summer, they have performed over 5 concerts across Philadelphia including the Girls Rock Philly Anniversary Gala. Two members were also recently featured in the “Tummy Ache” music video from NYC-based band Diet Cig.

Check out their facebook page! www.facebook.com/ WPtheBand/

“GRP is a phenomenal institution, staffed by a group of extraordinary individuals!

Our girls have experienced so much growth, in such a short period of time. They have an ever expanding universe of friends, teachers and supporters that are helping them develop into strong musicians and even stronger women.“ -Makeba Morris, caregiver + clan of wolfpack!

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TESTIMONIALS ““At GRP, I felt the power of the collective. I experienced great big highs and the internal electricity that happens when people work together to support each other in the creation of something fun AND meaningful. This helped me experientially understand more about activism in general and why organizing often takes the forms that it does.””

—fall 2016 lrc camper “Philly has always needed GRP. In the context of this year, it feels especially important for marginalized folks to have a space to heal and connect and express. I think GRP very successfully creates that space and feels warm and vital. It’s awesome to be here at camp and watch folks get together. I’ve met people I wouldn’t have otherwise met and they’ve changed me and made me stronger. By being here [at GRP] -- we lift each other up. That’s why we really need it.”

— Dena Greenstreet, LRC Volunteer "LRC was honestly a life changing experience for me.

I feel so much more in touch with myself and I feel like I matter. I want to be as positive as I can be for myself and for others"

— Fall 2016 LRC Camper

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www.girlsrockphilly.org

(215) 776-5246 - 1428 Germantown Ave Philadelphia PA 19122

Follow us on Social Media! twitter.com/girlsrockphilly facebook.com/girlsrockphilly instagram.com/girlsrockphlly

Cover and Illustrations by Kylen Ford - Graphic Design by Andrea Jácome — 24 —