Jessie Gets Arrested is a video uploaded in the June of 2015 by short documentary and film maker Jessie Kahnweiler. The video is part of a series called Jessie Goes There where the film maker tackles issues of race, class, and gender in sort documentary snippets. In the film Jessie attempts to get arrested by various LAPD officers to explore the relationship between white privilege and law enforcement. Her attempts include public drunkenness, trespassing, assaulting an officer, trying to sell drugs, and inappropriately questioning the mayor. The film maker also interviews various Angelinos to explore questions of what white privilege is and how this privilege functions in society.

discussion

What is white privilege? In what ways do white people have privilege in society?

Why can’t Jessie get arrested? What do you think it would take for her to get arrested? In what ways is her experience with the police different from people of color?

In what ways did people in power (police officers, the mayor) respond to Jessie’s questions and actions? How were these responses different or similar to the people Jessie interviewed on the street?