A Budding Seed in our Garden of Gratitude: Honoring Jasmine Johnson
By Yeeva Cheng
This year’s giving tiers from our Kickstarter campaign were inspired by gratitude, and it feels fitting to honor one of our Garden of Gratitude supporters, Jasmine Johnson, whose support extends far beyond this campaign.
Jasmine and I first met on our very first day of graduate school at UNC Chapel Hill. After class, we wandered the campus for hours — laughing over first impressions, sharing our pandemic stories, and talking about how we each hoped to make a difference in education. That afternoon sparked not only a friendship but a shared sense of purpose that has stayed with me over the years.
"I am appreciative of the opportunity to lift the voices of stories we don’t always hear, because storytelling grounded in cultural experience deepens collective understanding and invites communities to witness the complex realities that shape who we are.”
— Jasmine Johnson
Four years later, I write this tribute in gratitude not just for Jasmine’s contribution to Voices of Deoli, but for her friendship, her dedication to education, and her steadfast commitment to community. With roots in social work and now pursuing a PhD in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at NC State University, Jasmine brings together heart and intellect in a way that inspires everyone around her. She leads with compassion and conviction — qualities I’ve been lucky to witness both personally and professionally.
I’ve learned so much from Jasmine — about speaking up for others, expressing differing perspectives with honesty, and most importantly, about solidarity. When she heard about the Voices of Deoli campaign, she immediately reached out — not just to congratulate us, but to ask how she could help, what came next, and how the film could deepen impact. She shared that the film resonated with her on a deeply personal level — as it reminded her of the unspoken trauma within her own family, the intergenerational silences within Black communities, and the long journey diasporic communities face on the road to belonging after displacement.
Her reflection reminded me of why this film exists: to create spaces where stories of loss, grief, resilience, and healing can echo across communities. Jasmine’s support reflects that kind of bridge-building — a commitment to seeing beyond one story, toward a shared struggle for recognition and care.
So today, we celebrate a budding seed in our Garden of Gratitude for Jasmine Johnson — a friend, a changemaker, and a steadfast believer in what storytelling can do for healing. Thank you, Jasmine, for your solidarity, your trust, and your faith in this journey. We are so grateful for the leader you are and have yet to become. 🌱
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