Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Wallace.
Jasmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I had a date with destiny…
At the age of 12, I started my praise dancing and mime journey. Funny thing about it is, it wasn’t my choice; it was my mother’s. I was the shy, quiet girl who absolutely hated standing in front of people with all eyes on me ( still up to this day I still hate being the center of attention with everyone watching, whewww, my stomach goes through so many loops). I remember my mom telling me in church one day, “you’re either going to sing in the choir or you’re going to dance, I don’t care which one you choose, but you are going to do something”. I chose to dance and somehow got sucked into doing both.
Back then, dancing was just me participating and being apart of the youth ministry; even up until my sophomore year of high school. My teenage plan was to play ball all through college and go to school to “help children” (I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at the time, I just knew I wanted to work with kids and I was sure I didn’t want to be a teacher and now here I am graduating college next year to be one lol). By the middle of the basketball season my sophomore year of high school my love for playing ball had suddenly ended. I decided to quit, take dance more seriously and started taking more time out to practice because, in actuality, I really have two left feet. As the years progressed, it wasn’t a hobby nor some extracurricular activity. Ministering through Mime became my voice; my way of letting people know that God’s Got You. It allowed me to spread my wings and come out of that shy shell. Crazy thing is, I’ve danced millions of times and yet my stomach turns in knots but the moment that song starts, I become a dancing mouthpiece. Now, I’m a 23-year-old mime, dance instructor, a soon to be a teacher (University of Houston, 2020), babysitter, and a giver who is working on a few projects that will help change the lives of others.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Most definitely! I think one of the biggest challenges that I struggled with was to enjoy the ride. I absolutely HATE change. You’re uncomfortable, it doesn’t feel good, and sometimes the process hurts. I had to learn ( & still learning) that all these things are necessary for growth. I’m also learning not to put so much pressure on myself and that making mistakes is normal, in fact, they’re key essentials to becoming a better you. It took me a while to realize that I hold and possess something special inside. Yes, there are other dancers, yes there are other teachers, and yes there are other organizations doing things like Toy Drives just like me; but I also have something special that the worlds need to see. So, I had to stop comparing myself to others.
My advice for any young women who are just starting their journey is to enjoy the process. You TOO have something to bring to the table, and if this helps… you too have a date with DESTINY! Think about the characteristics of gems that are inside a vault. You may be hidden for now, and its reasons for that. You are saved and kept safe until it’s your time to come out and shine. You are valuable and worth it baby girl and when that time comes don’t be afraid to show it. Follow your dreams and always remember to keep God first, when the journey gets tough, trust me… he got you. He’s really dope!
We’d love to hear more about Jasmine Wallace Ministries.
Jasmine Wallace Ministries was designed to empower, strengthen, and encourage others to become a better version of themselves. It focuses on the important aspects of worship through dance and outreach for the children here in the city of Houston. For the last two years, Jasmine Wallace Ministries have gotten the opportunity to teach as a youth dance instructor for conferences, collab with some amazing people from different places, and had been hosting a yearly Christmas toy drive for the past three years now (Launch: November 1, 2019).
I think what sets me apart from others is my creativity. The fact that I allow myself to be my own person opens room for me to become more fluent in my craft. The biggest thing that I’m proud of about Jasmine Wallace Ministries is all the pouring into the lives of the boys and girls that the ministry does. It warms my heart to see the smiles on their faces. The ministry recently accomplished its first youth praise dance and mime worship night back in August and the kiddos loved it!
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice for finding a mentor is to make sure that the person will not only encourage and guide you but to also hold you accountable for your actions. If that person doesn’t push you beyond what you thought you couldn’t do he/she is not a productive mentor. It’s important to be mindful of who you choose as a mentor because anyone who is coming to help you, will not take from you. Are they more of a help or more of a leach? Once you’ve met that person; be a great listener. What has always worked for me was to listen and observe closely. You can’t grow productively without first listening. Every great leader was first a great follower.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 7133196720
- Email: jasminewallaceministries@gmail.com
- Instagram: _jasminewallace_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JasmineWallace014
- Other: https://youtu.be/Eg3qE9nTSa8
Image Credit:
Cedric Fisher Lensical Genius, Dominque Howard, Diara Brown, Channette Hitchens
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