From Teaching Tolerance: "White privilege is—perhaps most notably in this era of uncivil discourse—a concept that has fallen victim to its own connotations. The two-word term packs a double whammy that inspires pushback. 1) The word white creates discomfort among those who are not used to being defined or described by their race. And 2) the word privilege, especially for poor and rural white people, sounds like a word that doesn’t belong to them—like a word that suggests they have never struggled. This defensiveness derails the conversation, which means, unfortunately, that defining white privilege must often begin with defining what it’s not. Otherwise, only the choir listens; the people you actually want to reach check out. White privilege is not the suggestion that white people have never struggled. Many white people do not enjoy the privileges that come with relative affluence, such as food security. Many do not experience the privileges that come with access, such as nearby hospitals. And white privilege is not the assumption that everything a white person has accomplished is unearned; most white people who have reached a high level of success worked extremely hard to get there. Instead, white privilege should be viewed as a built-in advantage, separate from one’s level of income or effort." "Systemic Racism includes the policies and practices entrenched in established institutions, which result in the exclusion or promotion of designated groups. It differs from overt discrimination in that no individual intent is necessary. It manifests itself in two ways: institutional racism: racial discrimination that derives from individuals carrying out the dictates of others who are prejudiced or of a prejudiced society structural racism: inequalities rooted in the system-wide operation of a society that excludes substantial numbers of members of particular groups from significant participation in major social institutions." Jess Garland is a Dallas based singer/songwriter, recording and performing artist.
 Jess co-produced the film and composed music for Their Lives Mattered: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement on September 5th at Texas Theatre, the project funded by the City of Dallas’ Office of Cultural Affairs. Jess most recently received a grant from The Nasher Sculpture Center to record her single "Live Again" and create a music video on Fair Park grounds. Jess performed in Austin on July 5th for New Media Art and Sound Summit
sponsored by Church of The Friendly Ghost. Jess received a grant from the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs for her performance "Take Me Oya" in April 2019 for Dallas Arts Month at South Dallas Cultural Center. Jess received a grant for Aurora’s 2018 Future Worlds theme for her performance "Resurrecting Gaia" in October at Kettle Art Gallery. Resurrecting Gaia was featured in New York’s Vulture Magazine and also listed as a top pick of events to see by KERA’s Art and Seek and D Magazine. Jess opened for The Academy member, Gingger Shankar for Fortress Fest Presents Modern Music Series at The Modern Museum of Ft. Worth. She has composed music for Art Pena’s play, “Nameless/Endless” where she also performed at The Reading Room Gallery. Jess is also the harpist with Sunshine Village Band.
Jess is an educator and has a non-profit free music education program, Swan Strings that has been recently featured in Advocate Magazine and D Magazine. https://www.gofundme.com/f/swanstringsmusicprogram www.allwaysanotherway.com