Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Middleton.
Hi Jasmine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2010, I was a struggling teen in the 11th grade. I was ultimately kicked out of the city high school and was looking for a way to finish my education. My mother reached out to our neighbors as she saw the children next door involved with an organization that seemed positive and could possibly help. That organization was OpenDoors Asheville and the Executive Director, Jen Langdon Ramming didn’t waste any time advocating for me. She showed up with me and my mother to the intimidating school board meeting and has supported me in every way since! I decided to pursue my high school diploma equivalency and entered the workforce right away. I joined the OpenDoors board of directors back in 2015 while I worked for the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office. I welcomed my baby boy into the world in March 2016, which put my education on hold, but OpenDoors has always pushed me to get back to it. I am currently studying at Blue Ridge Community College working on my associate in Business Administration (2023). I have always been attached to the mission of this organization and the community that we serve. I decided to make a career change in August 2021 and joined the staff of ODA! I have not been shy to try different roles and support the organization in any way. I am currently the Head of Sustainability, which is not GREEN sustainability, it’s HUMAN sustainability. I make sure that things are running smoothly and that people (staff, board, students, and families) have what they need to thrive. I can truly say that I LOVE what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had many bumps in the road. My son’s father and I grew up in the “hood” or public housing. We did not want to raise our son the same way we came up. The only way I was able to move was a colleague of mine purchased a lot of mobile homes and let us move into one before we welcomed our son into the world. We split up four months later and I was scared that I would not be able to support my baby and keep up! The cost of living in this area is unbelievable, but I was very fortunate to purchase a home as a single mother in 2017. I have made lasting relationships through work, from serving on boards and volunteering. This is so relevant to the work I do now because our families experience the same realities as I have. Networking is what made the difference for me. My community shows up for me and I do the same.
As you know, we’re big fans of OpenDoors Asheville. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Opendoors asheville is an educational non-profit. Our mission is to strengthen community by eliminating the race-based opportunity and achievement gaps for students through education. We offer one on one tutoring and homework help. We engage our students in steam enrichment opportunities with other local organizations and some internal offerings. We provide transportation & food, making sure that those are not barriers to participation. We advocate for our children in their schools by assisting with individual accommodations. One of our newest programs is called avl rise. We focus on literacy & employment outcomes for high school students by paying them to tutor second & third-graders. I think it’s important to know that we are a friend & partner of the school & the families. Our kids need as much support as they can get! That saying “it takes a village” is real, and we are the village.
We are the ones who come in and do whatever it takes to make sure our children succeed. If a student needs tutoring, no problem, we will connect them with a tutor. If a student needs transportation, we will make a way to get them where they need to go. If a student is hungry, we will feed them. What sets us apart from others is that we understand that educational outcomes are far more deep than what is seen at the surface. We build lasting relationships with our students and families that equip us to help support them throughout their school careers and beyond, so they can network and become as independently sustainable as I have become. I am very proud of the fact that we are strengthening our community by educating, supporting, and even employing our very own students and parents. Our students thrive inside and outside of school due to the support of our community of partners, volunteers, and donors.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
As public awareness grows about issues like racism, dyslexia, and the social determinants of health, the non-profit sector grows and will probably continue to do so. Sometimes funding becomes scarce and then our community of students and families’ needs grow, so we will continue to collaborate and join forces to eliminate barriers. I see opendoors asheville expanding our reach to neighboring counties to provide what we know we do well in hopes we can serve our long time students better and impact more children’s lives as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.opendoorsasheville.org
- Instagram: opendoorsasheville
- Facebook: OpenDoors of Asheville
Image Credits
Still Smiling photography Katherine Brooks Photography
