Uke Go Girl! is a 501c3 nonprofit organization for girls, trans, and nonbinary youth that blends instrumental, vocal and songwriting instruction with a focus on empowerment, creative expression and building self-esteem. Ukuleles, instruction and supplies are provided at no cost to students and the instruments are theirs to keep upon completing the program. Our camp takes place in South City, Saint Louis.

Why girls?

Because even today, women are still underrepresented in the music industry, particularly musicians and songwriters. Not every girl who participates in UGG! will go on to become a professional musician but if even one does that's helping to balance the scales a bit.

Playing an instrument can be incredibly empowering and allows for self-expression, as well as boosting overall cognitive skills. This can be especially important for young girls who are struggling with identity and confidence.

Uke Go Girl! welcomes students who self-identify as female, trans, and nonbinary.

Why ukulele?

Um... Because it's awesome!

Also its ideal for the format of our program. The learning curve is a little shorter than some other instruments. Initial progress can be made quickly but the ukulele is not a toy. It is a beautiful, versatile instrument that should be respected. Like anything else, it's all about the effort one puts into it.

From the Founder:

Hi, my name is Adria Nicole and I am a singer/songwriter, musician, and artist. You can check out my work at www.AdriaNicole.com

I purchased my first ukulele in 2011 and it was love at first strum! I began teaching myself and quickly realized this was something I wanted to share with others. I started a women's ukulele meetup/jam and began hosting ukulele bootcamps for adults. In 2012, I taught ukulele to kids 6-12 years old as part of the ArtWONDERful program at CAMP on Cherokee and then organized the very first Uke Go Girl! Summer Workshop.