Chicas Rock has spent 15 years providing technical instruction in vocals, keyboards, drums, bass and guitar to aspiring female rockers. Founder Cecy Treviño de Oliveira—who navigated the challenges of an industry that frequently dismissed female talent while playing in all-girl groups—envisioned a sanctuary for young women. Her goal was to establish an environment where girls feel empowered to support one another, embrace their authentic selves and develop the self-assurance necessary to chase their dreams.
“Music classes were mainly boys,” Treviño de Oliveira said of her younger self’s experience. “They’d make you feel like you had something to prove. I wanted to create a place where girls could come together, learn music and support each other.”
After years of performing professionally, Treviño de Oliveira volunteered with Girls Rock Austin and returned to Corpus Christi determined to build something similar. With donated instruments, volunteer instructors and community support, Chicas Rock was born.
“It just kind of all landed in my hands,” she said. “When you’re doing something from the heart, things just come together.”
Many participants arrive shy and unsure of themselves, but over time, they become performers, mentors and role models for the girls who come after them. For Sierra Reyes, Chicas Rock has helped her see her true potential. “It’s nice being surrounded by women who want you to be the best version of yourself,” she said. “Chicas Rock helped me realize I’m stronger than I thought I was.”
Alexandra “Cutie” Martinez credits the program with helping her build confidence. “They really encourage you, they see your potential and they invest so much time in you,” she said. “That helped me gain confidence in music, in school and in speaking up for myself.”
Elisabeth Martinez said Chicas Rock helped her step outside her comfort zone. “I was very shy when I was younger,” she said. “Coming to Chicas Rock, I branched out, met people who love music as much as me—and I’m not as scared to do things that used to intimidate me.”
Treviño de Oliveira has watched that transformation happen in the Chicas for the last 15 years.
“My favorite reaction is when parents tell me they never imagined their daughter would get on stage,” she said. “Then they perform, and you see them light up. They change.”
Several girls never truly leave Chicas Rock. In a testament to the power of the sisterhood, it’s not uncommon for girls who have aged out of the program to return each summer as volunteers and mentors, many traveling back to Corpus Christi from wherever their lives have taken them, because Chicas Rock still feels like home. They speak about Treviño de Oliveira as a mentor and fierce supporter, describing her as someone who believed in them before they believed in themselves and who inspired them to help the next generation find that same confidence. They also believe in the program so much that they encourage their younger sisters to join, creating a new generation of Chicas Rock musicians.
Fifteen years after opening its doors, Chicas Rock has become the place Cecy Treviño de Oliveira always wished she’d had growing up. Today, it acts as that space for countless girls across the Coastal Bend, proving that when young women are given the opportunity to be heard, they often discover their strongest instrument is their own voice.
Chicas Rock offers programs for aspiring musicians of all ages, with Chiquitas Rock for ages 5-7, beginner and intermediate classes for ages 8-12 and Teen Chicas for ages 13 and up.
Contact: @chicasrock
