Jasmin Woodbury Youth Organizer, Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE)

“Jasmin pushes folks to open up the way that they see youth as people who are really contributing to the mission of the organization and to the movement.” Sara Mersha, former Executive Director, DARE

It’s no surprise that DARE, a community-based social justice organization in Providence, RI, has always felt like home to Jasmin Woodbury. Her grandmother, who raised her from six-months-old, and was a staff and board member at DARE, began bringing Jasmin to the office at a very young age. When she turned 12, Jasmin joined DARE’s youth group and began learning skills to address local problems—anything from gentrification and criminal justice to education and workers’ rights. “I liked the family atmosphere and the fact that we were doing something positive to affect change in the community.” But while she was increasingly comfortable at DARE, she never thought she’d assume a leadership role.

Then, at age 16, Jasmin was asked to become DARE’s youth organizer—the youngest, and arguably one of the most effective, it had ever had. “As a shy person, I never thought I would do it. But the public speaking and political trainings DARE gave us, and understanding the community around me, made me come out of my shell.”

Elevating Youth Voices
In her new position, Jasmin guided youth through discussions about local issues they wanted to change. Most concerned with high drop-out rates in public schools, they set out to identify the root cause.

“We surveyed community youth and found a lot of them were getting suspended to the point they felt like going back wasn’t an option,” explains Jasmin. Time and again, principals and teachers were using suspension as a first resort—leaving kids with feelings of alienation and hopelessness.

Jasmin and her activist cohorts devised a campaign to bring their solutions to those in power—first building relationships inside and outside of the school system. Initially they were met with resistance. “Some principals would say that they’d meet with us and then cancel at the last minute. But, I think having perseverance and looking to allies who could talk to people in power really helped.”

Their efforts paid off, and they were able to bring their ideas to the decision-making table. “We eventually got through to the superintendent; he met with us and really liked our proposal. We came up with a bunch of different alternatives. For example, instead of suspending someone for doing graffiti on a desk, it should be related to what they did, like helping clean up after school.”

With the superintendent’s support, their proposal was accepted by the school board, and incorporated into a new code of conduct for disciplinary procedure.

Things were never easy, of course, and it took incredible determination to keep up the group’s spirits. “When the superintendent stepped down,” Jasmin recalls, “we had to start all over again. Little setbacks like that made some of the youth a little weary. So I tried to incorporate a culture of fun, and tell them we were thankful that they were doing something positive.”

Jasmin sees one of the most important outcomes of their work as building the power of youth to lead and make change: “Our campaign was based on finding ways to have people in power relate to us—to show them we have solutions that should be included.” She was transformed on a personal level, too. “When I was doing speeches for the mayor, I realized things have definitely changed. I became a whole different person, in a great way.”

Now in college, Jasmin continues to support the development of new leaders at DARE. “I feel like I see other youth becoming better leaders every day.”

The Ms. Foundation for Women
“The Ms. Foundation has been a longstanding funder of DARE,” says Sara Mersha. “I think it’s great that the Ms. Foundation supports women’s rights and human rights and youth voices,” adds Jasmin. Since 1998, the Ms. Foundation has supported DARE to address a range of issues, including quality jobs; most recently it has supported DARE in partnership with two other Rhode Island groups to build a social justice movement led by low-income women of color.

Jasmin’s Vision
In the future, Jasmin hopes youth won’t have to struggle so hard to make their voices heard. “My vision is to see different generations and different races come together to work for change, and to bring to the table everything that we all have to offer—no matter if you’re 12 or 62.”