Jasmine Wooten Conquering It All to Reclaim Her Power BY DIANA YATES Jasmine Wooten’s journey is only beginning. She is a mother, a Master of Social Work, a prolific artist, and a community advocate. She has a heart for uplifting and empowering women, social and economic justice, and highlighting disparities so positive change can be enacted. Her life revolves around the intersection of those things. Though her road has been riddled with challenges, trauma, and various forms of abuse, Jasmine is a survivor who is paving the path for herself and for many other women. Jasmine is many things, but her most treasured title is mother. She is proud to parent an 11-yearold daughter and 8-year-old son who are the light of her life. They have been one another’s support system and inspiration during the darkest of times. Jasmine is a survivor of domestic violence, as well as emotional abuse, physical abuse, and the additional trauma that domestic violence brings. During this time, she worked in various positions as a caregiver, taking on 12-plus hour shifts to support her children. Jasmine was a daycare teacher and a direct support professional in a nursing home and worked with individuals with disabilities. However, despite her hard work and determination, these positions were not enough to make financial ends meet for her family. Jasmine wanted a better, more meaningful, more fulfilling life for her and her children. With courage and strength, she was able to leave the abusive relationship. However – and she continually stresses this important fact – the trauma and abuse did not immediately stop even after she walked away. Post-separation abuse navigating the family court system has been even more traumatizing. Throughout the process, she felt her advocacy on behalf of her children’s safety and best interests went unheard, leaving her and her children unprotected. The systems that are supposed to protect the disadvantaged fall short all too often. And that’s not all: Jasmine realized those systems built to serve often unintentionally end up perpetuating harm. Through her subsequent education and living firsthand the incongruence between what is taught and what is reality, it is her ambition to make a change and better help others in need. Jasmine is a conqueror. She never gives up. She began to engage with community organizations and support groups to help rebuild her confidence and regain her sense of power as a woman, mother, and professional. One of the first programs she enrolled in after leaving the abusive relationship was with the Center for Family and Safety and Healing, which offered comprehensive therapy for her and her children as they navigated healing from abuse through therapy, a parenting program, and a support group. Jasmine also became with New Directions Career Center’s E3 program, which prepares and helps women pursue collegiate degrees and achieve their higher education goals, and Dress for Success Columbus, which helped her with interviews and employment preparation and offered professional women’s networking groups. She supported her children’s healthy ENVISIONPROVENSUCCESS.COM | 31
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