Meet Jasmine Gunter

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jasmine Gunter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jasmine, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Looking back on it, it’s clear that I’ve always been a storyteller. As a kid, my head was always filled with stories. Even when I was living in the real world, a part of my mind was far away in a land of pure imagination. Growing up, my cousin and I would play make-believe. One day we had super powers and was saving the world. The next day, we were world class doctors rushing into operation. I remember one day we got into so much trouble while pretending to be conjoined twin; we had tied a scarf around our waist so tight that we actually got literally stuck. When I think of my childhood, I think so fondly of those days. Hours and hours of dreaming up the wild fantasies in my head, and I knew I could do this forever.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

While my official job being the Resident Director/Associate Producer as Geva Theatre, At my absolute core, I consider myself a storyteller. Four words that describe my storytelling are: History. Memory. Identity. Nostalgia. I am inspired by the gaps in history. By “gaps in history”, I am not talking about the textbook version of history handed down to us. I am talking about the tiny, neglected cracks where no one cared or thought to look. Who are the people and the stories that have been lost to time? I search for these gaps in the world. In America’s lineage. In my family’s lineage. In my own life. It is in those gaps, I have found the greatest potential for storytelling. I strive to create art that rediscovers, reimagines, and redefines the past in order to build better, brighter futures for ourselves. Through reaching back, we are propelled forward toward agency, healing, self-expression, and freedom. My work invites us to examine the past from the present point in which we stand. How do we decide what to let go of and what to carry forward with us into the future?

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Adaptable. Curious. Kind.

I think I’ve gotten to far in my career because of these three words, particularly the last. My biggest advice is be a team player, be genuinely curious about other people, and treat people with the upmost kindness. It’s looks easy but it’s a daily practice. .

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

The Harry Potter series has fundamentally shaped who I am as a person. It was a book that taught me the power of imagination and made me a lover of stories and magic.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jasminebgunter.com/
• Instagram: jasminebgunter

Image Credits

Justin Barbin & David Hagen