10 Years of GR!R
Works created for Girls Rock! Rochester, Rochester, NY. All rights reserved.
Made in Summer 2021.
Girls Rock! Rochester is a non-profit organization dedicated to using music creation and performance for empowerment. GR!R primarily serve girls and LGBTQ+ youths in Rochester through week-long rock camps. These camps, designed for attendees aged 5-16, organize attendees into bands, teach them to play instrument(s) of their choice and collaborate on original songs. Bands would perform their "debut" songs at a showcase at the end of the week.
I completely overhauled GR!R camper zine, producing a 30-page illustrated handbook for Girls Rock! and Pride Rock! Camp attendees.
These designs adapt from GR!R branding (colors, guidelines). I created a design system for printed assets, including my custom typeface, set of iconographies, and color palette. I prioritized (digitally) hand-drawing components to preserve the DIY spirit that GR!R embodies. I also emphasized the use of illustrations to create engaging graphics while balancing readability, considering our campers may be young children.
My favourite part of my design system is the guitar pick bulletpoints.
I also illustrated and prototyped merch items to be released as part of GR!R 10th Anniversary campaign. You can purchase these items to support GR!R here.
"Be a croissant, not a bagel" is GR!R Camp mantra: to be open to new friends, new ideas, new experiences (like how a croissant is open!), not closed off (like a bagel).
Working with Girls Rock! Rochester was an incredibly meaningful experience for me. I was able to cultivate my passion for music and community empowerment, meet the best campers, and connect with community organizers who share my passion - many of whom I still keep in touch with today. I got to see the impact of my designs in real time, whether it be the girls using my bass guitar illustration to strum their first chords or the supporters who share their decade-old memories with GR!R using my Instagram story template. I left with a deeper understanding of my position in the Rochester community and my ability for impact.
