Jasmine The Invincible

I'm proud to introduce my UNpacked series! In UNpacked , I will tackle issues concerning race, gender, socio-economic status, etc that I uncover or grapple with during my travels. I hope it sparks a dialogue for you to have with your loved ones, or even encourages you to do research and further educate yourself about the topic. * * * While doing research for future road trips, I found myself visiting Virginia's official tourism website for ideas. After clicking through a few pages I came across a listing of African American historic sites that I was initially very excited to explore. No matter where I vacation I ALWAYS visit black historic sites. It is my way of feeling in touch with my heritage, as well as learning more about the history of the travel destination. However, what I found on the Virginia webpage gave me pause. In an overview of Monticello, located in Charlottesville, VA, I read the following: See Monticello through the lens of the Hemings Family, the best docum...

Let’s face it, we’d all like to have a little extra in our bank accounts, pockets, stashed under the floorboards…ect. According to a study led by the American Psychological Association (APA), 72% of the Americans surveyed reported feeling stressed about money at least some of the time over the past month. Answer honestly: would you have fallen in with the stressed out 72%, or the 28% who are Scrooge McDuck diving into a pile of gold coins as we speak? Whether facing a tough financial hardship or saving for that swanky vacation to the Maldives, managing bills and other adulting expenses can leave you in the red (or at the very least, seeing it). The great news is that there are many ways to supplement your income other than setting up a lemonade stand in your neighborhood. Find a side hustle that not only brings in the loot, but optimizes your skills, schedule, and resources in the best ways imaginable. Here is a list to get you started on your journey to earning (and savin...

About six years ago I made a bucket list following the completion of a vision board exercise. I prayed on it and waited on awesome things to start manifesting in my life. I waited. And waited. And waited some more. In the middle of all the waiting, I struggled to find my footing amidst my "quarter-life crisis". I worked several part-time jobs alongside one full-time job, I read countless lifestyle magazines and motivational books, and remained faithful... all with the hope that I would chance upon the perfect opportunity that would eventually turn my life completely around. Long story short, that life-shattering, "out-of-the-blue" opportunity that would make all of my dreams come true never came. Despite, not feeling completely happy with where I was in life -- I asked the question of myself, "how can I start living out my dreams sooner than later?" At the age of 24, my bucket list consisted of the following 12 things : Visit a waterfa...

In this the year of our Lord, 2018, in these 50 nifty United States - American families will bring in Independence Day today. As we speak, someone's mama is standing in line at Costco with a shopping cart full of ribs and hotdogs. This celebration has always been bittersweet for me as an African American woman. Historically, my ancestors were not made "independent" by the Declaration of Independence. For that reason, I and countless black folks across the country simply refer to the holiday as "The Fourth of July". Will Smith aka The Fresh Prince stunts at a cookout, plate in tow The Fourth of July is the Super Bowl/World Cup/World Series of cookouts for black families. It is the opportunity to celebrate togetherness and community all the while serving up enough palate-pleasing food to feed an entire army. This brings me to the actual menu. I've been taught by the finest home cooks in my family including my Mom, aunties, and older sis...