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Exploring Life & Business with Dr. Jasmyn Wright of The Push Through Organization

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jasmyn Wright.

Hi Dr. Jasmyn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Philadelphia, PA and raised in Pennsauken, NJ, where I watched my single mother push through hardship to provide for our family. She taught my brothers and me that strength, vulnerability, authenticity, and faith can coexist. Growing up in the church, my spiritual upbringing instilled in me the belief that every person is born with purpose. Those early lessons shaped how I see the world and how I show up in the work that I do today.

After graduating from Spelman College, I joined Teach For America in Memphis, TN in 2010. From the very beginning, I knew I was called to do more than teach content. I wanted to educate souls. Since then, I have dedicated my life to creating affirming learning environments where students feel seen, heard, valued, and empowered. I have worked in low-income, high-need communities across the United States, where poverty, trauma, and systemic inequities impacted many of my students daily. Instead of focusing on what they lacked, I focused on amplifying the greatness within them.

At the heart of my teaching are affirmations, reflection, vulnerability, and identity-centered conversations. I intentionally weave social-emotional learning into instruction to transform classroom culture, redefine what success looks like, and help students build resilience and self-belief. When needed, I pause lessons for what I call “Mama Moments,” where academics stop, and real conversations about identity, healing, perspective, purpose, and perseverance begin. These moments usually grow from something a student says that opens the door to deeper conversations about self-worth, perseverance, or identity. We end those moments with an affirmation created on the spot to remind students who they are. I have always viewed the classroom as more than a place for instruction. It’s a place where I release my ministry. Each child who enters my classroom is a spiritual assignment, and I believe deeply in reminding students that they are bigger than their circumstances and capable of more than they often believe.

In 2016, while teaching third grade in Philadelphia, I created a simple call-and-response affirmation called “I’m Gonna Push Through.” I developed it to help my students overcome self-doubt, strengthen confidence, and build resilience. What started as a classroom affirmation quickly transformed our culture. Students began encouraging one another, using the phrase as a reminder to keep going even when life felt difficult.

One day, one of my students asked me to record the affirmation so his mother could see it. I uploaded the video to social media, never imagining what would happen next. Within a week, the video reached 3.7 million views and spread across the world. A few months later, the affirmation became part of a global back-to-school campaign with Gap Kids. Recreating another version of the I’m Gonna Push Through Mantra, the message went viral again and continued to spread internationally, eventually reaching classrooms and communities across more than fifty countries and forty U.S. states. It has also been translated into at least six languages, including ASL.

As the movement continued to grow globally, I founded The Push Through Organization to create a global hub for empowerment, education, and transformation. I wanted to provide schools, educators, organizations, and communities with tools that support identity, resilience, emotional wellness, purpose, and human development. This work is spiritual, not natural.

Through my doctoral research at Sacred Heart University, I developed and studied my affirmation-centered SEL framework and curriculum, Lessons Through Affirmations, which integrates literacy, identity development, resilience, and social-emotional learning. I also became a published author through my partnership with Simon & Schuster for my children’s book, I’M GONNA PUSH THROUGH!.

I currently teach full-time at The Bayard School in Wilmington, DE, while simultaneously leading the Push Through movement globally. Alongside teaching, I lead professional development, keynote speeches, empowerment assemblies, leadership trainings, and consulting partnerships for schools, nonprofits, juvenile justice programs, corporations, and organizations around the world. I interact with educators, institutions, and leaders globally almost daily, collaborating across cultures to discuss identity, trauma-informed education, resilience, leadership, and authentic and “spiritual” approaches to social-emotional learning.

I’ve lived in and partnered with organizations across the United States and internationally, sharing insights on how to bring my “Push Through Philosophy and Framework” to their systems. Some of my experiences include leading panels for the U.S. Department of State’s Global Teaching Dialogues, serving as Director of Curriculum for teacher-training initiatives in Bangladesh, coaching novice teachers in Austria, developing teacher-training curriculum in Liberia, serving as a curriculum director and trainer for novice educators in Bangladesh, designing SEL programming for organizations in London, serving as a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow in the Philippines, facilitating sessions at international forums in Singapore, keynoting major conferences in multiple countries, partnering with juvenile justice centers in Memphis, TN to provide social-emotional learning and empowerment support for incarcerated youth and educators, and leading author visit empowerment assemblies across the United States.

I was also recognized as a 2026 Top 10 Finalist for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious honors in education, where I traveled to Dubai and engaged with global educators, policymakers, innovators, and leaders. Beyond education, organizations from various industries now reach out to me to speak about resilience, emotional intelligence, purpose, leadership, navigating change, and overcoming adversity. I have also led TEDx talks, and also been featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, the Huffington Post, the International Literacy Association, NBC, BET, ESSENCE, Elle UK, etc. This recognition affirmed that what began in my classroom had grown into something with global significance, impacting educators, students, and communities across cultures and continents. It also reminded me that this message is BIGGER than me.

From the Delaware Department of Education to national and international NGOs and conferences such as the International Literacy Association, my work demonstrates how affirmations, identity-centered practices, and authentic human connection can transform not only academics but also confidence, emotional wellness, leadership, and self-belief.

Although the visibility of the movement has grown, my mission has remained the same. My journey has never been about viral moments or recognition. It has always been about impact. What started as a simple affirmation in one North Philadelphia classroom has grown into a global community of people who believe in the power of words, identity, healing, and perseverance. Through Push Through, I continue challenging systems that prioritize performance over humanity and reminding people around the world that when individuals become aware of who they are, they begin to walk differently, speak differently, lead differently, and live differently.

What began in one classroom evolved into a global movement that changed the entire trajectory of my life personally, spiritually, emotionally, purposefully, and professionally.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, the journey has not been a smooth road at all. However, I don’t complain or get discouraged by the trials and challenges, because they are what give birth, depth, and an authentic voice to the purpose and mission of my work. How can I tell someone to “push through” if I have never experienced struggle myself? I can’t. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As I mentioned before, I teach full-time, and I still run my nonprofit with the same intensity and effort. I never set out to start a business. Push Through did not begin as an organization. It began as a moment in my classroom. My very first struggle was simply asking myself, how do I do this?

When the video went viral, and people from around the world began reaching out for resources and other services, I realized this was bigger than me. But I had no business background, no roadmap, and no formal training in entrepreneurship. I was still teaching full-time, trying to figure out how to manage emails, build partnerships, create contracts, develop curriculum, and run nonprofit operations all on my own. I did not know how to create invoices, what was required to form a nonprofit, how to price my services, or even how to define what those services should look like. I had to learn how to find partners and consultants for graphic design, website development, and branding, things I had never imagined needing as a classroom teacher. A lot of these initiatives were funded by me out of pocket because the organization did not have startup funds yet. The initial phases of my struggles were centered around formation and navigation. I learned as I went and did thorough research, often late at night after long days of teaching.

Another challenge that many people do not see is the responsibility of creating content that is original and authentic. I never wanted Push Through to be flashy or just visually appealing. I wanted it to stick. I wanted the words, the lessons, the professional development training, and the experiences to have meaning and depth. Creating content that truly reflects lived experiences and speaks to the heart takes time, reflection, and honesty. It requires protecting the integrity of the message, even when the world often rewards what looks good over what lasts.

At the same time, I was navigating real life. I was pursuing my doctorate degree, managing family responsibilities, and continuing to show up fully for my students every single day. There were moments where I stood confidently on stages speaking to educators, leaders, and communities around the world with Push Through, while internally battling exhaustion, uncertainty, and the pressure of carrying a vision that felt bigger than myself. As a deeply spiritual person doing work centered on identity, healing, purpose, and empowerment, there were also personal moments of spiritual warfare that people could not see. Carrying this work globally while still navigating my own internal struggles, doubts, emotional weight, and responsibility was NOT always easy. There were seasons where I had to pour into others while privately trying to restore and ground myself spiritually. That tension between what people saw publicly and what I carried privately was very real.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to sustain something meaningful without burning out. I have had to teach myself how to write proposals, manage finances, create programs, protect intellectual property, and advocate for the value of my work. There were moments where I questioned whether I was doing things the right way because I did not come from a business background. I came from a classroom. I came from relationships, lived experiences, and a genuine desire to help people heal, grow, and believe in themselves.

Funding and sustainability have also been ongoing challenges. People often see the viral moments and global reach, but they do not always see the behind-the-scenes work it takes to turn impact into something sustainable. I have had to learn how to ask for funding, how to price my services, and how to believe that the work I do has value, not just emotionally, but professionally.

There have been many personal challenges along the way. Moments of exhaustion. Moments of doubt. Moments where I felt alone in carrying a vision that others did not fully understand. Running an organization while teaching full-time requires discipline, sacrifice, and faith. Many nights were spent planning, creating, researching, and responding to opportunities long after the school day ended.

The truth is, I am still learning how to be a CEO/Founder. But that is the beauty of this journey. Growth never stops.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
“Imagine who you will become, once you become aware of WHO you are.” — Dr. Jasmyn Wright

That quote is the foundation of Push Through.

The Push Through Organization is a nonprofit created to eliminate and alleviate barriers that prevent people from maximizing their potential. Our mission is carried out through education, advocacy, and empowerment. We equip communities, schools, organizations, and leaders with resources, training, partnerships, and experiences that create positive and lasting change.

Through Push Through, I specialize in affirmation-centered social-emotional learning rooted in identity, resilience, purpose, and authentic human connection. While much of my work began in education, Push Through has grown far beyond the walls of the classroom. My organization partners with schools, districts, juvenile facilities, universities, corporations, brands, nonprofits, and global organizations to lead keynote speeches, professional development, youth empowerment experiences, leadership sessions, culture-building initiatives, and consulting centered around emotional wellness, purpose, resilience, and authentic human development.

I have had the opportunity to lead work internationally, including collaborating with educational leaders and organizations globally, facilitating sessions in multiple countries, speaking to college freshmen about identity and transition, and serving as a keynote speaker for corporate organizations on topics such as embracing change, mindset, growth, and perseverance. Whether I am speaking to students, educators, executives, or communities, the core message remains the same. People thrive when they become aware of WHO they are, just like my quote says. They thrive when they believe that they’re greater and stronger than what their situations tell them. They thrive when they understand their value, their power of their voice, and their ability to overcome adversity.

One thing I want readers to understand is that Push Through is not just a school-based program. It is a philosophy, mindset, and framework for life. It teaches people how to recognize their worth, speak life over themselves, heal from limiting beliefs, and take ownership of who they are becoming. The work applies to classrooms, boardrooms, conferences, leadership spaces, youth programs, and everyday life because every person, regardless of age or profession, needs encouragement, purpose, emotional awareness, and belief in themselves.

What sets my work apart is authenticity. Everything connected to Push Through is real, genuine, and rooted in lived experience. This movement was not created in a boardroom or planned for global attention. It was born organically through real relationships, honest conversations, and moments of vulnerability with my 27 black and brown babies from North Philadelphia, who needed encouragement, structure, healing, and belief in themselves. Every keynote, training, and framework I share comes from real experiences.

Another thing that makes Push Through different is my commitment to depth over appearance. I am intentional about creating work that is meaningful, original, and transformational. I don’t want people to simply hear a motivational message and move on. I want the words to stay with them. I want people to reflect differently, lead differently, speak differently, and see themselves differently long after the session ends.

Brand wise, what I am most proud of is that Push Through has grown into a grassroots global empowerment movement and initiative, while still remaining deeply personal and authentic. What started as a single affirmation in my classroom has now reached people in more than fifty countries and across forty states. Even translated into multiple languages, including ASL. Seeing people from different cultures, professions, and walks of life connect to the same message of resilience and identity is something that humbles me every…single…time.

I also want readers to know that this work is about more than motivation. It is about transformation. It is about helping people recognize that trauma, hardship, or circumstances do not have to define their future. Their past doesn’t have to define them. Their current doesn’t have to hinder them. Their futures are waiting for them. Through education, empowerment, storytelling, and meaningful connection, Push Through exists to remind people that they are capable of more than they often believe.

At the heart of the brand is a simple message…when people become aware of who they are, they begin to walk differently, speak differently, lead differently, and live differently. That is Push Through.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me and collaborate with The Push Through Organization in a variety of ways. While education is a major part of my work, Push Through is ultimately about people, purpose, resilience, emotional wellness, leadership, and human connection. I partner with schools, universities, youth programs, juvenile facilities, nonprofits, corporations, conferences, faith-based organizations, and community initiatives that are passionate about empowering people and creating meaningful impact.

Collaboration can look like keynote speaking, professional development, leadership trainings, culture-building initiatives, student empowerment experiences, back-to-school author empowerment assemblies, wellness conversations, curriculum partnerships, consulting, mentorship opportunities, panel discussions, brand partnerships, global forums, or community events centered around identity, resilience, purpose, and social-emotional growth. I also enjoy collaborating creatively with organizations, storytellers, creators, and leaders who want to inspire people, shift culture, and create spaces where individuals feel seen, valued, and empowered.

There are also opportunities for organizations, corporations, donors, and community partners to sponsor author visits, student empowerment experiences, professional development trainings, or curriculum resource implementation for schools and communities that may not otherwise have access to those resources. One area I am especially passionate about is helping schools receive affirmation-centered SEL programming, teacher training, books, and curriculum support through sponsorships, partnerships, and donations. Supporting this work allows us to expand our reach and bring meaningful experiences and resources directly to students, educators, and communities in need.

Support can also come through booking speaking engagements or workshops, donating to help expand our reach, connecting us with schools or organizations, or simply sharing the message and movement with others. Because Push Through has grown into a global movement, every partnership, sponsorship, and conversation has the potential to impact lives far beyond what we can see.

Lastly, people can support my work by spreading the Push Through message, affirmation, and philosophy to their families and network.

To stay connected or explore opportunities to collaborate, people can visit our website at The Push Through Organization
and follow the journey on social media at @iamjasmynwright and @pushthroughorg. They can also connect with me on LinkedIn – Jasmyn Wright, Ed.D., where I regularly share reflections, resources, opportunities, and conversations centered around identity, resilience, leadership, and the Push Through movement. My websites are www.jasmynwright.com and www.wepushthrough.org.

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