The Jasmine Lewis Blueprint for Inclusivity

Hold onto your seats, because Jasmine Lewis is on a mission to change the world, and she’s not waiting for an invitation. Multi-talented artist, scholar, and humanitarian, Jasmine embraces a "kaleidoscopic perspective of social justice," which means she's looking at all the angles, colors, and layers that make up the complexities of equity and representation.

At the heart of her activism is TALMBAT, a groundbreaking storytelling platform designed to amplify the narratives of underrepresented communities, especially BIPOC womxn and non-binary individuals, people who are LGBTQIA+, and those with differing abilities. With an impressive portfolio that includes collaborations with justice-driven organizations like Made By Us, Civics Unplugged, selfmade, CRXLAB, and PEN America, Jasmine’s multi-dimensional approach to change-making is not just turning heads, but setting new standards for what activism can look like.

DoSomething: What initially lit your civic spark as a young activist?

Jasmine: Since my early childhood, I have always been passionate about helping and being of service to others. When I was around 8, I remember telling my parents that I wanted to “change the world.” Of course, I didn’t know exactly how I would go about it, but I was determined to make a positive impact in my communities.

I would often volunteer at my churches (I went to two) for different events and proposed ideas for fundraising. By the time I had reached high school, I was excited to join numerous different clubs that focused on volunteering. In my sophomore and junior year, I began to rigorously search for social justice organizations that worked with or recruited high school students. Then, finally, I found an amazing opportunity to become a DoSomething.org Club Leader for their 2019-2020 pilot program. I applied, and was selected to lead an initiative at my school. Not only did this experience expand my knowledge of garnering community, making outreach strategies to build partnerships, and creative ways to practice social justice activism — it propelled me to immerse myself in becoming the movement-leader that I am today.

DoSomething: The Futures Ball will be a momentous night of honoring and celebrating the impact young people have made over the past 30 years and beyond - and you will now be a part of that as a winner. Is there a young person that inspired you to do something to impact the issues you were most passionate about?

Jasmine: First, I am so honored to be celebrated alongside youth activists that have, and are currently, paving the way forward for our collective wellbeing!

The concept of freedom, and what it would look like, has always been emblazoned in my mind — before I even knew what the word really meant! I’ve always been driven and felt empowered to do the work that I do because I keep “little Jasmine” — 5 to 16-year old Jasmine, that has infinitely dreamed of making space for people to feel a sense of belonging and joy — constantly in mind. I reflect on the values of empathy, care, and compassion that my beloved Godmother, RoRo, so graciously instilled within me. I travel on the bridge of oral storytelling that my elders have shared with me throughout my youth. Their stories about the racial discrimination they endured, not having access to civic engagement tools like the right to vote, and not having the financial resources that they needed to live comfortably. I often think of my friends and fellow youth who are queer, who are transpeople, who are drag queens and drag kings, that deserve to live as the fullest, truest versions of themselves without fear of safety and survival.

I admire the work of leaders of our past like Fred Hampton (may he rest in peace and power) and Angela Davis (one of our living legends) who began their activism and fight for liberation at such an early age; emphasizing intersectionality of issues, and of identities, in their work. I also am always visualizing the world that my younger sister, Cameron, deserves to live and grow within. She inspires me, not only because she supports me, but because she is such a kind, compassionate, and intelligent person who is accepting and respectful of people with various different identities — just as I always hoped she would be.

These are the people who have shown me what’s possible and what needs to become. They remind me, just by existing and sharing their stories with me, how crucial it is that I envision and build towards a more equitable world.

DoSomething: Where did the inspiration for TALMBAT, the name of your storytelling platform, come from? And, what role do you believe storytelling plays in social change?

Jasmine: The name TALMBAT is literally derived from a southern colloquialism, and was inspired by my journey of reclamation of my “country-ness.” Instead of saying “talking about,” in the South, we say “talmbout” — or as I like to say it, “Talmbat.” Since we are a storytelling collective and movement, it felt very fitting to give it a title that conveys that, and to sprinkle a little bit of my own cultural storytelling terms into it.

Storytelling is a core pillar of how movements are formed and shared. Our stories are our power, and one of the few things that every single one of us have in common — all of us have a narrative. What makes it so special, is the way our stories can present themselves in a myriad of different shapes, sizes, sounds, colors, and materials. They are infinite, abundant, diverse, and limitless. These characteristics are why storytelling is such a key element of social change. It gives us a more profound sense of understanding of ourselves, each other, our systems, and the possibilities of our future.

DoSomething: How can young people, especially those who may be just getting started on their civic journey, find and tap into their own personal story to make an impact?

Jasmine: That thing that you’re really interested in, that passion that you have about a certain topic or practice, that dream that you’ve had since you were in elementary school — lean into it. Explore what sparks your curiosity, and do the activities that ignite your joy and ambition. Think about the ways that you can combine the two, or three, or more of them to support and be of service to others. In what ways can you nurture your community so that you can feel fulfilled too? You have to ask yourself questions and be open to learning and unlearning.

Also, bonus tip, let your imagination run wild towards painting your vision of equity.

DoSomething: Seeing what you’ve achieved now leveraging the power of storytelling, what would you tell 13 year-old Jasmine and other young activists who are starting their journey?

Jasmine: Number One: Please make sure that you never let your passion burn out. Always protect it, it is sacred.

Number Two: The aspirations and ambitions that you have, even when they seem impossible or somebody tells you it’s not possible — trust me, it is! And keep in mind that each obstacle is also a learning experience.

Number Three: Continue to use your imagination! It’s such an important (and often undervalued) piece of how we build futures.

Number Four: Value your education (inside and outside of the classroom).

Last, but not least: Embrace who you are, even when it’s difficult. Remember to take care of yourself, and don’t let anyone sway you into being anyone but yourself.

DoSomething: What's next for Jasmine Lewis? What are you working on that gives you hope and is keeping your civic spark alive?

Jasmine: Well, I’m always imagining and brainstorming different projects — whether it’s organizing a community-movement plan, campaign concepts, visualizing a movie, crafting song melodies, composing poetry stanzas and free verse essays… I have a lot that I want to bring into fruition to share with you all soon.

I’m also working on my senior project now (still can’t believe that I am about to graduate!) that will focus on the Freedom to Learn and Freedom to Imagination and how they both intertwine, creating a synergy that evokes our Freedom to Humanity. I’m working to compose my first book – a poetic memoir – that will hopefully be released in the next couple of years. I am continuing to channel storytelling through music, and I am continuing to work with multiple different organizations and companies that are forming such innovative projects that all share a mission of social justice. Being surrounded by community and artistry in this way gives me excitement for the future.

I will always be grateful that my “civic spark” is a vibrantly vivid Forever Flame!

If Jasmine Lewis represents what the future of activism is going to be, then we can all rest a little easier tonight. Her passion for social justice has shown us that when one person decides to wield their artistic, scholarly, and humanitarian gifts in service of a greater cause, there are no limits to the positive changes that can be made.

From pioneering TALMBAT to shaking up traditional notions of activism, Jasmine is someone who doesn't just dream of a better world—she's actively building it. Keep an eye on this Generation Future winner because, without a doubt, this is just the beginning.