JASMINE LEEWARD
Jasmine Leeward is an activist, narrative strategist, and emerging filmmaker committed to the delicate work of culture shifting towards Black liberation, particularly in the US South. They are the owner of Impulse Media, an independent consulting company. They have worked as a Communications Specialist for Marijuana Justice, ReFrame, and New Virginia Majority, a group organizing for racial, environmental, and economic justice through strategic electoral work and grassroots campaigns. Their first short film “dusk” was selected for the 2020 Africana Film Festival. They are currently directing their first feature-length documentary, “LOVE WEST”.
Jasmine's primary goal as a filmmaker is to translate complex policy into accessible stories that inspire people to action. Their work is anchored in pan-africanism. Jasmine is a 2019 Echoing Ida fellow, 2020 Visionary Justice StoryLab fellow, and a 2021 Rockwood Leadership JustFilms fellow. impulsemedia.live
FELLOWSHIP PROJECT AND ENGAGEMENT
FREE OUR FAMILIES: A CHOREOPOEM OF RESISTANCE
8 to Abolition Point:
Free People from Prisons and Jails
To date, no state that has legalized marijuana has also released and resentenced everyone with prior marijuana-related convictions. In partnership with Marijuana Justice and the CannaJustice Coalition, this short film merges dance, spoken word, and voices from the organizers outside and inside to increase the call to Free Everyone in Prison for Weed in Virginia. The time to reunite our families is now.
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Virginia residents deserve transformative legislation which prioritizes re-sentencing of marijuana and cannabis offenses. Any legislation should include felonies, reunite families, and eliminate obstacles to securing education, employment, or housing. Virginia does not need a new War on Drugs which manifests through the creation of new crimes and shuts Drug War survivors out of the market.
Sign our petition: sign.moveon.org/p/CannaJusticeVA
Jasmine can be reached at jmleeward@gmail.com.
MORE FELLOWS & PROJECTS
KULTURE SHOCK VOL. II: TRANSFORMING LEARNING SPACES
8 to Abolition Point
REMOVE POLICE FROM SCHOOLS
SAFETY IS:
YOUTH VIDEO-POEMS IN AUSTIN, TX SCHOOLS
8 to Abolition Point
REMOVE POLICE FROM SCHOOLS