About Y'all Rock Carbondale
about our organization
Y'all Rock Carbondale was started in 2014 as a way to offer young girls a way to express themselves through songwriting, musicianship, and camaraderie with other women and folks experiencing gender marginalization. Now in our eighth year we offer a one-week summer camp for girls and gender non conforming youth and a hybrid program/fundraiser Rock Roulette for adult women, trans, and gender non conforming folks.
Our summer camp is volunteer staffed by musicians, academics, and artists from the community. Campers experience small group instrument instruction, band practice sessions, workshops in arts, community empowerment, and self esteem, and locally-sourced, homegrown breakfast and lunch. Campers need zero musical experience. We provide instruments, instruction, and fun.
YRC is funded through community monetary and equipment donations and, importantly, tuition fees. Although full tuition is $300 per camper, we offer a sliding scale payment option ranging from $0.00 to $300. We ask that families consider what they can afford and contribute that amount. YRC will not turn any camper away for lack of funds, but we must receive a certain percentage of full tuition payments to cover camp expenses.
Youth Board
Our Youth Board Members were added in 2022 as a way to make sure the youth's opinions were being considered and spoken for. These members were voted for by the campers on the final day of camp.
Ruby
Zulia
Board of Directors
Monica Brennan
President
Monica here (she/her) - for the past 8ish years I have lived in Brooklyn working in operations and facilities, most notably launching the first ever facility management program for women at my old company. Getting pretty tired of the *grind* I moved back to southern Illinois in July. I love cooking, tiki, powerlifting and going to new places. I am looking forward to getting to know you all and being able to help with the continual growth of this awesome program.
Beth Staszak
Vice President/ DEI Chair
Hello, my name is Beth and I go by she/her pronouns. I am honored to be the Vice President and DEI Chair for Y'all Rock this year. During the week I work for SIU as the Admissions Assistant for the SIU PA Program and on the weekends I express my creativity as a local photographer. I am very passionate about Mental Health and Autism Advocacy, as I myself am and Autistic Adult who has had to navigate the world a little differently. I hope to offer support, education, and compassion to those in the Y'all Rock community. I live with my wonderful husband and our three pets.
I enjoy houseplants, artistic expression, exploring nature, and making long lasting friendships. I am honored to be on the Y'all Rock Board and help make a difference in our community.
Lauren Stoelzle
Programming Chair
Hello! My name is Lauren Stoelzle (she/they) I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and am eager to continue my journey supporting and expanding Y’all Rock’s mission alongside an incredible group of people. One of the things I love most about Y’all Rock is the ability to continue to provide a safe, creative, healthy space for personal growth within the board, organization, for youth and our overall community!
For example, I adore our group agreements! Like "Ouch/Oops!" or "Move up, Move up!" These are so important. If you don't know what they mean, totally ask!
I am a filmmaker, activist and parent to 3 amazing people. I believe in transparency, supporting one another, and growth always being possible. I love sharing media literacy techniques with others and growing with our community. I have a passion for empowering both young and old to realize that their lives and stories are important.
Jane Doe
Gear Loan Librarian
Namaskaram! I am a yoga practitioner and instructor, musician and writer, friend and mom. Exploring nature, feeding fellow humans, and making music are some of my biggest passions. It is with great hope for the future generation that I joined the YRC board and I look forward to serving my community and the young people of Southern Illinois the best way I can; with an open heart and mind.
Ayla Amadio
Treasurer
Hi! I’m Ayla (she/her), my day job is as an archaeologist, researcher, and fieldwork director at SIU-C. I am a member of several regional historical societies and local organizations. I am a dog person who also loves cats, and most other animals.
In my free time I like searching thrift stores and second-hand shops for treasures, sharing meals with friends, hiking around the woods, learning local and biographical tales and folklore, and of course, LIVE music!! My role in Y'all rock Carbondale is mostly behind the scenes to manage our finances, facilitating bookkeeping, helping with fundraisers, and grant writing.
Makenna Baxter
Fundraising Chair
I am Makenna Baxter and I'm very excited to be on the Y'all Rock board as the fundraising chair. I came to Carbondale six years ago and have attended almost every Y'all rock showcase. The community this non-profit creates within Carbondale and the surrounding area is amazing. Once I participated in the 2022 Rock Roulette showcase I knew I wanted to be apart of the team.
Anna Petrelli
Camp Chair
Anna first became involved with YRC in 2018 when she participated in Rock Roulette. Since that magical experience of joining a band and performing with other folks in the community, she's excited to help empower youth so that they can experience that magic too. Anna’s in her last year of grad school where she’s pursuing a masters in library and information science. She currently works in adult and youth services at her local public library and also as a music archives assistant at UIUC. She enjoys swimming, making breakfast and porch-sitting with her two cats. She loves working on a team and collaborating with others to achieve a common goal: empowering youth and building community.
Nat Miller
Hi, I'm Nat(they/them)! I've lived in Carbondale for the last 10 years. I'm currently an art major at John A. Logan College. I started my involvement with Y'all Rock as a camper in 2018 and became a volunteer when I was finally old enough. I enjoy playing music and learning whatever I can. I believe Y'all Rock led me to have the confidence that I have today and by being a part of it, I hope to help our youth find and develop that confidence in themselves.
Isabella Bullock
Outreach Chair
Hello! Isabella(she/her) here, but all my friends call me Isy. I first volunteered for Y'all Rock in 2021 and have gotten involved any way I can since then. I learned to play bass through Rock Roulette in 2022 and have continued to love playing to this day. I have always had a deep love and fascination with music and this organization has allowed me a closer relationship and insight into the process of creating music. I am also a visual artist and crafter and love to make things for others to enjoy. Y'all Rock provides a really magical and transformative experience for the campers and volunteers alike. I hope with my work I can open this experience up to more people in our community.
Sophia
Hi! I'm Sophia :) My favorite things are Legos, jrpgs, and hardcore music. My goal in life is to learn all of the universe's secrets. My goal for Y'all rock is to help the y'all's rock. I am good at cables and amplifiers and loud guitars, and at being unapologetically myself. I'm always tryna stay connected in the local scene to help find shows for youth and past campers. I also stage manage and keep misogyny at bay during music events. When I'm not doing that, I produce music at home and play out in a band called Bunni.
Kennedy Rawlings
Hi Ya'll. It's Kennedy. I go by she/her and they/them pronouns. I have lived in Illinois pretty much my entire life and I've always considered myself a midwest emo kid. I grew up very involved in my local music scene and it shaped me into the person I am today. I gained so many positive relations through the music scene and found ways to express myself in a small town. I moved to Carbondale in 2017 to pursue a degree at SIU. I am a first generation college student who is hyper independent, sometimes to a fault. Currently, I am obtaining a Masters degree in Therapeutic Recreation and I work as a graduate assistant at SIU for the wellness and health department. My goal is to become a certified recreational therapist and serve people with a wide range of disabilities. I really enjoy spending time in nature, practicing and teaching mindfulness (specifically yoga) as well as creating art and music. I am passionate about disability inclusion and creating a better world for our youth to live and thrive within. Growing up I had a lot of unfair challenges thrown my way so now I feel very inspired to support the people in my community through any obstacles or challenges they are facing. I look forward to serving the board however I can. Mainly I want to provide quality programs for the campers and make sure they feel heard, seen, and supported.