Jess Garland
shE, Her, hers
is a Dallas-based singer-songwriter, recording artist, and performing artist. She is a multi-instrumentalist who combines harp and guitar loops to evoke her unique brand of ethereal avant-garde pop with celestial jazz tones. Garland has opened for Gingger Shankar and Madame Gandhi. She is a member of the bands Sunshine Village (These Machines Are Winning) and Ataraxia Trio +2. Garland is the co-producer of the film Their Lives Mattered: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement, for which she also composed the live musical score. She is the executive producer and composer of the film Harp & Sol, honoring the lives and land affected by environmental racism by uplifting the voices of communities and organizations led by Black women. Garland is the President and Founding Director of Swan Strings, a 501c3 non-profit music education program. She is also the Executive Director for Girls Rock Dallas. Her debut single, Glow, is out now.
Mare Ralph
They, them, theirs
is from the homelands of Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen, Miami, and Očeti Šakówiŋ. Like many queer and trans youth, they struggled throughout adolescence – with depression, substance abuse, and other self-destructive behavior. Music was a lifeline and a way to express and process complicated feelings. Their life revolved around playing music and touring until their band was in a van accident in 2009. While recovering, music took a backseat as they discovered other passions and graduated from DePaul University in 2014 with a degree in Secondary Education. They moved to Louisville, KY, and fell in love with rock camps, recognizing that their teenage experience makes them uniquely qualified to support girls, trans youth, and gender-expansive youth in finding their creative selves and feeling whole. Mare was a founding organizer with Girls Rock Louisville and filled various roles. While in Louisville, they also worked with disconnected youth as a teacher, advocate, and restorative justice facilitator. Mare has a Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. They are excited to be back home and organizing with Girls Rock! Chicago. Mare holds unrealistic expectations for the Chicago Bulls and lives in South Shore with their partner, dog, and too many cats.
Gabriella “Guitar Gabby” Logan
She, her, hers
is an Atlanta Native and proud graduate of Spelman College and Vermont Law School. Her background in environmental and music law fueled her desire to start and manage the international Black female touring collective, Guitar Gabby & The TxLips Band, LLC. Logan believes it is important for artists to be well-rounded and versed in many areas of the music business, thus inspiring women worldwide to be an unstoppable force. She is a writer for Guitar World Magazine, the Diversity Editor for Guitar Girl Magazine, and the Board Chair of Girls Rock Asheville.