Girls Rock Philly Interviews: Lane

Our latest Girls Rock Philly interview features Lane, a volunteer rock star! In their interview, Lane discusses how Girls Rock Philly inspired them to go to graduate school. You go, Lane! Congratulations on all your success!

Name: Lane DiFlavis
Location: Fishtown
How long have you been volunteering with GRP? I started volunteering with GRP the second year of camp. That would have been 2008, so this is my 5th year with GRP.
How do you volunteer with GRP? I originally started out as a guitar instructor and a band coach and then every year I’ve taken on more responsibility. I started leading workshops and now I’m on the Board of Directors and I run a committee that focuses on the education and empowerment of the girls which focuses on curriculum building stuff: what the girls want to hear, what they want to do, things that will make them feel super awesome about themselves, and basically the improvement of the the overall curriculum and programming we offer.
Why do you volunteer? I started volunteering because I think that as girls you’re taught to shut up, not take up space, not make noise, and not have a voice. You have to pander to boys even when you’re eight; you know that you come second to boys and you know that your voices come second to boys voices. I just saw how super important it was to create a space for girls where they could be loud and take up space and really be themselves without being minimized by the presence of boys. I’ve taught music at camps that had boy campers and it’s amazing the difference between how the girls behave when there are boys around and how the girls behave when there are just girls. What I also love about this camp, as opposed to other music camps, is that it’s not about teaching these girls how to play a musical instrument. It is, but it’s not. We don’t care what they sound like because anything they do is going to rock and it’s not about creating the next great wedding band. It’s about teaching these girls and empowering these girls to be authentically them.
What else do you love about GRP? I guess I just love the whole concept behind it. I love that it’s all over the country. I love that girls keep coming back year after year; I love that they say that this camp has changed them in some way.  I love the impact camp has.
What’s one of your favorite GRP memories? That’s hard. Camp is like the best week of my life and I’m 31 years old. It’s as important to the volunteers as it is to the girls. The volunteers leave with just as much as the girls leave with, which I also think speaks volumes about the organization. Every single showcase I’m just sobbing because it’s just so amazing and inspiring. It’s hard to pick one memory, but I guess the first time my band played at their showcase and watching their joy.
What else do you do when you’re not rockin’? I just graduated from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research with my MSS. I have my LSW which means I’m a licensed social worker and I am currently working as a behavioral health consultant at Einstein Hospital’s HIV clinic providing mental health services and behavioral services to people living with HIV in North Philadelphia. It’s funny because Girls Rock Philly played a huge role in me going to graduate school. Before GRP, I didn’t really feel like I had a lot of purpose or direction in terms of a career and working with these girls really taught me that this is what I want to do with my life: I want to empower people to be the best selves that they can be. So, GRP is really what pushed me to go to graduate school.
Why do you rock? That’s a tough one and it shouldn’t be because we teach these girls that they rock for everything that they do. I think as we get older we stop realizing our own “rocking-ness” because all this other stuff gets filtered in. But, I just do. Everything about me rocks; there’s not just one thing. The whole package rocks.

Girls Rock Philly Interviews: Erica

Meet Erica, a former camper and current volunteer, in our second interview of GRP’s ongoing project to highlight the people that make our organization great. Erica’s band Jurassic Shark played our Open House last Saturday. Did you know Jurassic Shark began at camp last year?

Name: Erica Rubin   
Age: 18
Location: Philadelphia
Best Part of GRP Experience: That’s a hard question! God, it’s just so amazing. The energy is just so empowering. I could name a specific workshop I liked or a band practice, but the whole idea of camp; the whole culmination when we have the show at the end is really fun. A great energy is just flowing around. It’s inspiring. I like the whole thing…that’s what I’m trying to get at.
Is that why you’re volunteering this summer? Yeah. It’s going to be the best part of my summer. I mean, I hear that being a camper is better than being a volunteer, but I still think I’ll enjoy volunteering because I’ve been transitioning already. Last year I taught the non-traditional instrument workshop even though I was still a camper, so I feel like I’m really to be a full-fledged volunteer. I can’t wait to see the younger girls, help them out and be a band coach!
What have you learned from GRP? Besides learning how to play instruments, I have learned so much about music, feminism, and just the feeling of being able to rock out and not worry about other people and what they think.
What are your plans for the future? I’m going to Sarah Lawrence in the fall and I’ll try to come back for some events and I’ll be around every summer for camp. I might also do some stuff with the camp in New York, Willie Mae Rock Camp.
Are you going to start a band when you’re in school? Yeah! There’s already a band I might be joining because their bass player moved. The band is made up of some campers and interns from the Willie Mae.
What are you listening to now? I am really into Grass Widow. I’ve only heard a few songs off of their new album, but I’m excited to hear the rest of it. Allo Darlin’s new album is really great and lots of stuff like X-Ray Spex.
Do you have any advice for this year’s group of campers? Don’t be afraid to try things you’ve never done before. A lot of girls think they have to have some kind of experience with like bass in order to play it, but you really don’t. You can really do whatever you want and it’s really fun. Don’t be afraid to try a different instrument in your band than the one you’re doing in your lesson. Last year one girl played a banjo in her band even though they don’t offer it as an instrument.
Why do you rock? I just do! Everyone who goes to Girls Rock Philly rocks because you’re doing something really awesome that not many people do, you’re standing up to people who might say you can’t do it, and you’re making music and having fun.

Want to be a volunteer for Girls Rock Philly? E-mail volunter@girlsrockphilly.org or attend one of our information sessions in West or South Philly!

Do you know someone who should be featured on Girls Rock Philly Interviews or would you like to interviewed? E-mail laura@girlsrockphilly.org!