WomenROCK, a women’s music collective and movement, founded in San Francisco, now a national network of women, will celebrate four years of empowering female artists in the music industry at local, national and international levels, while bringing awareness and raising funds for important causes.

“If Thom Yorke and his super-group, Radiohead can single-handedly take on the music industry and re-create as entrepeneurs, a new business model in the music industry, so can the women of WomenROCK! says the celebration's organizer, musician, activist and WomenROCK visionary, bernadette." We as women, who are under-represented in the music industry, are taking it upon ourselves to work together to create a new, enterprising model of visibility, access and self-enfranchisement. We are organizing ourselves to work together to showcase our creative endeavors, talents, intellect, business savvy and penchant for community-building and activism, whilst creating self-sustaining, quality, alternative lifestyles.Four years ago, co-founders, bernadette, Valerie Orth, Lisa Sniderman, Sylvia Roberts, Kristin Hathaway, Zarah Gamaldi, Jessie Woletz, Melissa Rapp, Nomi Adiv, Nkechi Live, Vanessa Verlee, Eva Jo Meyers, Marianne Barlow, Abigail Picache and others never expected that the small gathering in a Victorian flat on Ashbury Street in the Haight District of San Francisco would’ve taken such a vital life and role in their accelerated actualization of their individual dreams to play music. Collectively, these women have created a movement that is redefining the possibilities for women and girls in the music industry.

"[Music] is not an easy place for women and yet it's also the place where freedom supposedly lives in our culture," said Ann Powers, New York Times senior pop music critic. Women make up less than ten percent of the music industry and less than six percent in executive, producer or engineer roles. Many of the women who are readily seen in music are over-sexualized and objectified, leaving little room for the ‘real women’ to reside, thrive and excel worldwide. As a new rocker to the scene, becoming a rock n’ roller at the age of 34, bernadette emphasizes that ‘Our intention is to become executors of our own destiny where the alchemy of freedom and dreams collide and reside in sanctity and success.’ She is joined by Israeli rocker, ZIVA the diva, the impressive 40 person women’s a’capella choir (band), Conspiracy of Venus and Indie rocker, Rebecca Coseboom of Stripmall Architecture- a band closely modeled after Thom Yorke’s inspirational footprint. “We recognize that we are not competing with one another but that we are working together to showcase what each of our groups offer in our unique identities and it’s working.” The showcase is at San Francisco’s premier venue, The Independent, one of Another Planet Entertainment’s thriving rock clubs. It will be show not to be missed!

"This will be an epic celebration of successful, powerful, female artists working together to rise up in song to build community, empower and inspire," says the celebration's organizer, musician and WomenROCK visionary, bernadette. "We are rocking the music industry in our own inspired, forward-moving and conscious-permeating way!" There will be special guest sit-ins by nationally acclaimed musician allies of these talented women: Gabby La La of Les Claypool's Band, James Nash of the Waybacks, John Krimstock of Lauren Hill, Jay Bowman, Dave Brogan of ALO, Veronica Klaus, poet, Sam Flot, Lantz Lazwell and many more! Women do really ROCK!"

WomenROCK is supported by the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States. NOW takes action to bring women into full participation in society — sharing equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities with men, while living free from discrimination. NOW stands against all oppression, recognizing that racism, sexism and homophobia are interrelated, and that other forms of oppression such as classism and ableism together keep power and privilege concentrated in the hands of a few.

Additionally, WomenROCK has fundraised for many local Bay Area Groups as well as National organizations including IMPACT Bay Area, Breast Cancer Action, Blue Bear School of Music, Women's Community Clinic, National Diabetes Foundation, Missing Persons and many, many more…

Of special interest: ASL Interpretation of each of the band performances will be provided as well as a live broadcast of the show on http://realize2actualize.ning.com/

In addition, there will be many community sponsors available onsite to resource- share with show-goers.