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There\u2019s a proud tradition of names in music. America rode through the desert on a horse that didn\u2019t have one. Bon Jovi knew someone who gave love a bad one. Milwaukee music nonprofit Girls Rock MKE has established its own tradition over 13 years, and that will continue in the future \u2014 just not under that name.<\/p>\n
The organization announced recently that, having spent the past year collecting input from a variety of sources, it will begin a methodical transition to be known as Let\u2019s Get Loud MKE.<\/p>\n
\u201cReaching our 13th year felt like the perfect moment to evolve,\u201d executive director Mary Joy Hickey said in a release from the organization. \u201cWe\u2019ve grown so much since our first camp, and our new name honors the vibrant, diverse community we\u2019ve become. \u2018Let\u2019s Get Loud\u2019 captures the joy, power and belonging at the heart of our work.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the time being, the organization Hickey leads will still be known as Girls Rock MKE, and the programs it runs will remain Girls Rock Camp and Ladies Rock Camp. Throughout 2026, the new identity will find its way into camp themes, shirts, signage and messaging. Then, on the first day of 2027, Let\u2019s Get Loud MKE will properly launch with a new website, logo and branding.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a gentle rollout that takes into account the attachment members of the community have formed with Girls Rock MKE over the years. Those same people were also the driving force behind the decision to change it. The organization held focus groups and listening sessions, sent surveys, and collected input from its campers, volunteers, donors, partners and even local musicians.<\/p>\n
They said the current name was limiting, both in how some people saw the organization and in the music genre embedded in the name itself, and that they wanted something to match \u201cthe inclusivity they feel\u201d in the programs. The nonprofit\u2019s goal was to thread the needle between the feedback they received and staying true to their mission \u201cto empower individuals of marginalized identities and diverse experiences through music education and performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Girls Rock MKE believes the new name accomplishes that and emphasized its mission will remain the same. As it pointed out in the announcement, \u201cOur mission has always been bigger, broader and more inclusive than our name.\u201d In a little more than 12 months, those things will come into greater alignment.<\/p>\n
For more information about the decision and the organization as a whole, visit the Girls Rock MKE website<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n