We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jasmine L Rucker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jasmine L, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The mission is to encourage young people to use all of their God-given talents as a means to build generational wealth. The plan is to spend a lifetime dedicated to advancing positive change in the community. By gaining contextual knowledge of the law in different areas, then studying and mastering hobbies (new and old), I am now on my way to pursuing my passion and purpose as a Juris Doctor, Entrepreneur, and Author by using my God-given talents. God gave them to us. We should not be limited to mastering one.

Jasmine L, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In retrospect, I’m just a girl from the southside of the Forrest they call “Da City.” Yup! I’m the offspring of two lovebirds lingering in a cotton field trying to sustain their summer budgets in a town somewhere east in the Natural State where majority of the children grew up living below the poverty level, 11.6% has a bachelors degree, and only 3.2% has a graduate degree. Somehow this girl found a way to add to the 3.2 %. I left the southside of the Forrest to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in English and Juris Doctor.

The Juris Doctor: Monday through Friday, I’m utilizing my law degree. As an administrative law judge, I conduct detailed investigations to facilitate fact-finding hearings to resolve legal disputes, then render timely decision. As I advance in the study of law, so will my community. One of the main purposes of seeking a law degree was to understand the law and its practice to help teach minority communities about the law and how it pertains to their rights. This knowledge can evoke social and political change in minority communities.

The Business Woman: After 5 PM on the weekday and deep into the weekend, I am a business woman. Currently, I’m filling crochet orders, developing new polish, and planning the re-opening of our online store. JZLASHA’ is a classy & sassy online beauty store I developed for my eldest daughter. We offer nail polish, cosmetics, and handmade crochet products.

The Author: Writing is my first love. Writing is therapeutic and eases my mind after a long day of legal disputes and business research. My books have not been released. I’ve spent years writing, re-writing, and editing the books. They will be a part of a series: “Adventures of a Grit Lit Fem.” The series sheds light on some of the silent battles young adults face as they matriculate through early adulthood.

As a girl from the southside of the Forrest they call “Da City,” it is a great honor to be able to offer my knowledge to other by developing the talents God bestowed upon me. The mission is to pass along this knowledge and encourage others to join in evoking positive changes in their community.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Covid-19 was a force to be reckon with. While accommodations could be made in the legal field to continue work, our business was in shambles. With a mask mandate in place, there was not a demand for cosmetics. People at home were not concerned about making their faces or wearing lip gloss or lipstick under a mask. The production and shipping costs were at an all-time high, we were down in sales, then my manufacturer shut down.

However, the hustle doesn’t stop! The downtime at home gave me an opportunity to pick up an old hobby; crocheting. I was able to add crochet to the store. We were back in business. Now, we’re working harder than ever to recover from Covid-19 for the grand re-opening of JZLASHA’.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Social Media has been the most effective strategy for growing clientele for JZLASHA’.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jzlasha.com
• Instagram: @drclassyjazzie or @jzlasha
• Facebook: JZLASHA’

Image Credits
Adrian Williams @adriancrowned