Jess gramS

filmmaker / musician

BIOGRAPHY

Jess Gram (she/they) is an Indigenous co-vocational St. Paul artist, striving to examine the role of storytelling in the relationship between urban and rural communities, especially those experiencing displacement. This womanist theological justice work directly informs their film, opera, and liturgical content creation, as Jess is pursuing a a Divinity degree in Theology and the Arts at United Theological Seminary. She is currently developing the operatic song cycle Die Katzemann, a queer reimagining of Katherine von Bora’s ministry. Jess also serves the St. Paul District 17 Capitol River Council as President and Board Chair, and chair of the Skyway Governance Committee; facilitating, organizing, and advising around land use policies for Saint Paul.

As a performer, director, and producer, Jess has created justice-centered film and theater projects for over 20 years, focusing primarily on opera and documentary films. Since 2016 she has been creating the multi format docuseries Minnesota Next, examining the intersections between strategically undervalued peoples’ experiences across the state of Minnesota as we share space and resources. Jess’s recent freelance clients and collaborators have included: Dream of Wild Health, Hennepin County Library, PBS, Northern Spark, Native American Community Development Institute, Ordway Center for Performing Arts, Native American Community Clinic, Little Earth Residents Association, Speaking Out Collective, Guthrie Theater, and the Twin Cities Jazz Festival.

Qualifications

  • Reading musical scores, vocal performance

  • Songwriting

  • Teaching Vocal lessons

  • Choral conducting

  • Community Engagement/Facilitation

  • Youth Arts Leadership

  • Camera work Documentary: SONY and Canon filming

  • Lighting

  • Interviewing

  • Adobe Premiere Pro

  • Final Cut Pro

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Adobe Premiere Pro

  • Gimp

  • Adobe Illustrator, etc.

CONTACT