Jasmyn

A woman driven by her son and her future.

Jasmyn is incredibly smart, poised, determined, and simply beautiful. I am grateful to have met her through our church. She joined one of the teams that I was leading and proved to be such a valuable asset. Her support was matched by her wealth of knowledge, valuable insight, and her willingness to always lend a helping hand. From there, our friendship grew. She has become my curly-haired tip sharer, my financial whiz go-to, my vintage love comrade, and my occasional sounding board or voice of reason.

“My ability to love and show love, my loyalty to myself and to others,” is what Jasmyn loves about herself and I can testify to that love. She has carefully curated what self-love means before the hashtag became popular. She says that self-love isn’t an easy thing, as she quotes Zoe Saldana, “I love who I am. I like what I do, and I like how I do it. I like my mistakes, and I like the pace at which I learn from my mistakes. I don’t want to be anyone else but me and by knowing this, I want to continue figuring out who the f–k I am.” Her loyalty is humbling because she shows up when it is least expected. She manages to balance showing up for her family, her friends and then for herself. I struggle with those concepts daily!

The focus she places on herself and others is why her Black Girl Magic is so brilliant. Jasmyn defines BGM as living in your unapologetic truth:

We have a power that we are only beginning to realize, myself included, the magic is yet unfolding.  It’s a contagious energy. Black women are at this point where we are lifting each other up, celebrating each other’s growth, teaming up to create synergy in our professional lives, encouraging mental and physical health.  BGM is standing up for ourselves and for each other, its wearing all of our hats of responsibility with grace but not with perfection. It’s really a beautiful thing, and I’m so proud to be a part of a generation that has experienced this transition into a place where we are increasingly proud of everything it means to be a black woman.      

This definition explains how she is able to show up for her son. She ideally carves out time each morning for bonding time that includes lots of laughs. Her son has taught her to set expectations for home during their evening commute to keep him focused and on task. Jasmyn states that being a mother has challenged her womanhood because it has highlighted areas where she can be a better woman. “The mom journey is eye-opening [because] it’s like kids are our blessings in that they make us better versions of ourselves.” And her son is one of the sweetest boys I know! He is so loving and I think that is a reflection of how he is loved.

Her BGM is also a testament of those who she considers influential as those who “move through life unapologetically.” She credits women in her family, her church, friends, and mentors she has gained over the years. Specifically, she identified Trisha Wilkins, a friend who has been most influential. Jasmyn describes, “She is one of those types of women who changes the atmosphere with her love and high expectations. She has definitely led by example. Having her as a friend has helped me grow over the years, helped me see when I was thinking too small with my career goals, helped me overcome parenting challenges, show me how to speak up for myself at work, and so much more.”

Aside from magic, Jasmyn is a woman of faith. Her daily prayer includes the lyrics to Tasha Cobbs-Leonard’s Fill Me Up, You provide the fire and I provide the sacrifice/You pour out Your Spirit and I will open up inside. She uses that fire to fuel her endeavors and every role she powerfully embodies. We serve a multifacet God, the Triune Being. We are made in His image. Jasmyn is a multifaceted creation working to be a useful instrument for God’s great message of love.

Looking ahead, Jasmyn desires to be pushed beyond the limits of her comfort zone as a mother and a career woman:

• A woman driven by her son, she is preparing herself for his teenage years and teaching him how to love, live in tolerance and exceed beyond the plight of being a young Black man in America. She states, ” I want him to know how to use his words in the beginning before situations become nearly impossible to talk out .”
• A woman driven by her future, Jasmyn aspires to become a public speaker establishing a nonprofit organization encouraging young women to love themselves at every level of their journey. ” There’s power in creating your own definition of who you are instead of letting your environment or your limitations do that for you. ” Drawing strength from influencers such as Myliek Teele, Mia Ray, and Karleen Roy, she is learning to bring her best self to each role she embodies.

I believe Ms. Montgomery when she says that the deliberate intentionality she is bringing to her time and he space will create a life that her 90-year old self will be proud of. That is creating a God-lead, God-inspired legacy.

Give love. Get love.