Meet Judy L. Perry

We recently connected with Judy L. Perry and have shared our conversation below.

Judy L., we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I draw my resilience from having watched my mom struggle through life and bounce back as if all was well. As I traveled through this life, I have experienced death, trauma, poverty, violence, sickness, and homelessness. Each time I face these challenges, I remember my mom’s strength, love, motivation, and fortitude. Although I didn’t understand the cause of her struggle until I had my child at age 15, she always seemed to make us feel like we were one of the wealthiest families on the block. But the truth was, we were one of the poorest, and mom was a single mom raising four children.
I would watch her come home from nursing school exhausted, and she still managed to make us dinner with what she could find in the cupboard. The hardest part was seeing her sick and in pain, but she always kept going. After graduating from nursing school and using her finger to choose a destination on the map with her eyes closed, she chose New Orleans, LA. She said, “New Orleans it is!” She applied for a nursing position at a prominent hospital, packed up my little sister, and moved. I thought that was one of the most courageous, boldest, and adventurous things anyone could have done. My mom always bounced back until she couldn’t. She passed away right before Hurricane Katrina. On her deathbed, she looked at her four grown children and said, Now I know what my purpose on earth was.” For her, it was raising us. I have never met a more resilient, strong, and determined woman. “This is where my resilience comes from. It is because of her and the Lord that I have been able to weather the storms of life, is motivated to keep moving forward when it gets hard, think of my family and other children and families, and leave a legacy of wealth, power, strength, and love.”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

As we were dressed sharply on our way to church, my youngest son made a very unexpected statement. He looked at me and said, “Mom, you should be a model.” I was taken aback but also pleasantly surprised by his suggestion. It made me reflect on my past involvement in the arts and think about the potential talents of other children and young people. I couldn’t help but consider how financial barriers often limit access to pursuits such as modeling, dance, and other forms of classical and cultural arts.
That moment with my son and my musings inspired me to take action. With the help of a $5000 grant from the United Way, we established and successfully implemented an afterschool program at a local school. This program aimed to provide opportunities for children and youths to explore and develop their artistic talents, regardless of their financial situations. With a dedicated team and the community’s support, a pilot program of Jubilee was launched to make a meaningful impact in the lives of these aspiring young artists.
As the Founder and Executive Director of the Jubilee Career Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit after-school organization, I am proud to now lead a unique initiative that creates opportunity and access for children, youth, and families. Our mission is to bring Art, Education, and Inner Healing to youth and their families, addressing their social, emotional, and intellectual development through the arts and education. I feel this unique approach sets us apart in our field.
Our mission is to offer children, youth, and families opportunities to receive high-quality after-school and summer programming, education, and exposure to cultural, classical, visual, and performing arts and inner healing through collaborations and social networks. JCCPA was conceived and launched in 2006 as an unincorporated organization by my son and me. We believe in the transformative power of the arts, which all children and adults can experience. The arts are a way of finding healthy expression of feelings, thoughts, emotions, and ideas. We desired to create safe and nurturing spaces for this to happen, inspiring hope and transformation.
Coming from a background of performing arts, with a father who croons like Sam Cooke and a seamstress mother and fashion designer, at a young age, my brother, two sisters, and I would put on talent shows in the living room of our home. I dreamed of someday becoming a singer, model, and prima ballerina. But my dreams ended when I became a teen mom at age 15, and my mom couldn’t continue paying for my classes. While attending high school, my dream was re-ignited with a full-year scholarship to dance, but after the scholarship ended, so did the dancing (in the studio, anyway). My mom couldn’t afford the cost of the life of a ballet dancer. The blessing was that I discovered I had many other talents hidden within. I began painting, drawing, making clothes, and playing the guitar and piano, but my dreams of fulfilling my career as a professional artist were not realized. I went on to obtain my associate’s degree in business management and take care of my children. I later graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s in human development and Family Studies in Childhood Settings.
Having a baby and being married at a young age, I became a victim of domestic violence. As a Teen Mom, I was trapped in an inter-generational cycle of domestic violence; therefore, I know first-hand the effects of domestic violence and past trauma and its impact on social, emotional, and intellectual development and how it gets in the way of learning and growth. As a mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother, I have experienced the power of the arts and inner healing. It is because of these experiences and the path to inner healing that is the driving force to create more significant opportunities for my family and other children, youth, and families who experience domestic violence, poverty, and trauma, and families with talented kids who dream of fulfilling artistic futures and careers with no opportunity or access.
My journey of healing from domestic violence and trauma began at Destiny House, Inc., a Domestic Violence Agency for Pregnant and Parenting Teens, Adolescents, and Their Families. I started as a domestic violence advocate and progressed to various roles, finally becoming the Coordinator of Pregnant and Parenting Teens Programs.
I integrated art into my work, using it as a healing tool for parents and teens who have experienced trauma. I also contributed to community organizing and served in various capacities in community-based organizations.
Furthermore, I am a Facilitator of Mind in the Making (MITM) and Play and Learn initiatives. I learned about the link between social-emotional and intellectual development in children’s learning and the importance of meaningful connections and engagement of children, parents, and caregivers in academic success.
I am incredibly thrilled about running the Jubilee Career Center for the Performing Arts after-school program to serve the communities of New England. I consider it an honor to provide safe places of peace, inner healing, and fun.
I am excited to continue to provide arts and technology through our mobile arts and technology school buses, affectionately called JMATS and The Bio Bus. Jubilee Mobile Arts and Technology School Bus. JMATS travels to different schools, communities, recreational facilities, and afterschool programs offering sewing and fashion design, digital and graphic arts, and mixed media workshops to Worcester’s children, youth, and young adults. The “Jubilee Fleet” mission is to bridge the digital divide of arts, science, and technology. We are incredibly excited to have acquired another bus I call The Bio Bus, a full-fledged science laboratory on wheels. The Bio Bus will follow the same format as JMATS. Still, it will provide science experiences bridging the science engineering and technology gap amongst those with limited opportunity and access to science and technology.
My ultimate vision is to establish the Jubilee Cares Family Education Complex, which will provide continuity of care, arts, and education for children, youth, and families from infancy to adulthood.

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?

There are many qualities I would say that were impactful in my journey, like being kind, compassionate, ambitious, and creative. However, one of the qualities that stands out to me the most is courage. When trying to create something that has never been done in my family anyway, with no money and just a vision, it takes courage; fear will always rear its ugly head. Someone or something will always be saying or creating a barrier to your success. Whether it’s someone saying, ” I know I won’t see her again,” or you are being your worst enemy with low self-esteem, negative self-talk, or self-image. There were many times I did not see myself as courageous, But I would remember my mom’s strength and tenacity, and I was blessed to have the Lord and people around me to encourage me and speak positivity and strength into my life. Humility is the other quality that has had the most impact on my journey. It would be best never to forget where you’ve come from when you begin to rise. Always remember where you came from and those who helped you get there. “No man is an island,” and even if you think you got there alone, you didn’t!! There is always someone cheering for you, praying for you, and wishing the best for you and your success; you may not see them or acknowledge them, but they are there.
Another quality that significantly impacted my journey was Honesty – walking in truth and integrity with myself and others. I emphasize honesty and integrity because my first step was to come to terms with myself, my life situations, and who I wanted to become. I could choose to believe the societal lie that I was just a teen mom with four kids, living in poverty, and destined to always be on welfare, or I could believe in the vision I had been given to be the CEO of somebody’s company somewhere, someday. Little did I know it would be my own. Being honest with people, my finances, and life in general has taught me that trust is built through honesty and honest communication. And to do otherwise would have created a path of insecurity, unreliability, and duplicity.
I would advise folks early in their journey regarding how they can best develop or improve: Learn to be Adaptable and adjust to new situations and challenges. Stay flexible in your approach and resilient in the face of setbacks. Try stepping out of your comfort zone regularly and embrace change and opportunities for growth.
Always Communicate with honesty and clarity. Communication is encoding and decoding; how we say something or receive a message can make or break a relationship, business partnership, or organization and business. Practicing good listening skills, active listening, and accepting and giving constructive feedback are necessary skills of effective communication that are essential to your personal and professional growth in business and life.
Third, concerning humility and never forgetting where you came from, remember that you never want to be the smartest person in the room. You always want to be open and willing to learn, for “there is wisdom in the multitude of wise counsel.” Surround yourself with those who are where you want to be and learn and hone your craft. Domain knowledge and a deep understanding of your field can set you apart. Stay current with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices. Most importantly, always stay curious, seek mentorship, and never stop learning.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

The greatest challenge we are currently facing is acquiring funding to purchase a vehicle to transport children to our afterschool program.
We would love to be able to extend our programs to reach more children and youth by offering transportation and scholarships. This year, we will pay almost $15,000 per quarter to transport four children from school to our program using a private service. Sometimes, I pay out of pocket to ensure the children can participate in the program. Although other established companies within the city provide services, the vans are either full or do not service the schools our students attend. If we had our own reliable vehicle(s), that would significantly lower the cost of transportation and allow us to extend our reach to more children and schools and offer scholarships.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Josh Harris: Bonag Studies, Jaribel Carboo, Chase Brown: JCCPA Intern

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