Name Katie Krafft
Age 39
Hometown Berkeley / Oakland, CA
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background with music, education, or social justice work.
My involvement with music prior to getting involved with GRR! mainly consisted of going to see friends’ bands play around the Bay Area, but I did Ladies Rock Camp a couple years ago and had a blast! Our band sort of stayed together, but we spend more time just being friends than playing music. In my non-GRR! life, I’m a professor in the department of Crime and Justice Studies at UMass Dartmouth, and I design and run anti-oppression trainings for various organizations around Providence (including GRR! itself), and I keep a social justice framework at the center of everything I do.
For musicians: Are you currently playing music? If so, tell us about it!
See above!
What are some awesome bands featuring female-identified, trans, or gender non-conforming musicians that you are listening to right now?
Awesome bands that I have on rotation right now:
Rupa and the April Fishes, from San Francisco, CA
Dogjaw, from Olympia, WA
Valerie June (a new-ish favorite)
PJ Harvey (a continuous favorite)
What is your role at Girls Rock! Rhode Island?
I’ve been volunteering as a band counselor for Girls Rock Camp for about five years, and I’m currently a board member, a GRIT coordinator, a workshop leader, and a member of the anti-oppression committee, so I’m basically around all the time!
What is your favorite camp or after school moment?
It’s not possible for me to narrow down my favorite moments, because there are so many! One thing I can single out is the magic of watching GRITs go from being campers to being mentors - they take the job of supporting younger campers so seriously, and it builds a culture of support that is truly amazing.
Why do you think someone should volunteer for Girls Rock! Rhode Island?
Volunteering at Girls Rock Camp is often just as transformative for volunteers as it is for campers! It’s an inspiring space full of kids challenging themselves and figuring out how to take on the world, and it makes it seem like things that have formerly felt out of reach are actually completely possible.
If you would like to learn more about volunteering with Girls Rock! Rhode Island at camp or throughout the year, visit our Volunteer page.