FOR BOOKINGS AND INQUIRIES EMAIL YAZZIESPEAKS@GMAIL.COM
I was born and raised in Washington, DC and attended DC Public Schools. I graduated from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, DC in 2011 and then went on to earn my Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications and History from Elon University in 2015. I furthered my education by obtaining a Master of Divinity degree from the Howard University School of Divinity in May 2018. I am also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., one of the illustrious historically black, academic excellence and service-driven sororities that is a member organization of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Divine Nine). Additionally, I am the author of Daily Reflections for Social Entrepreneurs Journal.
Yasmine Arrington Brooks
In 2010, while I was a junior in high school, I founded the non-profit ScholarCHIPS (www.scholarchipsfund.org). ScholarCHIPS provides college scholarships, mentoring, mental health supports, and a peer support network to children of incarcerated parents, inspiring them to complete their college education. To date, we have awarded over $500,000 in college scholarships to 88 scholars, with 45 college graduates so far. From 2020 to 2022, I served as the Juvenile Justice Fellow at the Virginia-based, non-partisan policy reform nonprofit, The Center for Public Justice. There, I highlighted the stories of directly impacted individuals, credible messengers, and diversion program leaders. I also led convenings to bring together faith-based leaders to educate them on ways they can engage directly in recidivism and restorative justice work and practices.
I am honored to be a 2023 CNN Hero, a 2022-23 Soros Justice Advocacy Fellow, and a 2019 Just Leadership USA Leading with Conviction Fellow Alumna. My work with ScholarCHIPS has been featured in TeenVogue, Essence, Black Enterprise, Forbes Magazine, The Washington Post, and the Baltimore Times, and on ABC7 News – WJLA, WUSA9, and NBC4. I have received several awards, including the Washington Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 (2021), Arizona State University’s Champion for Child-Wellbeing Award, the Linowes Leadership Award from the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Peace First Prize, the DC Social Innovation Prize, The Loving Award by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, the Angel Among Us Award by the Negro Council of Women, the Samuel Huntington Public Service Award, the Samuel Halperin Public Service Award, and Radio One WKYS Top 30 Under 30, among others. In addition to my advocacy work, I am also a professional plus-size model who promotes body positivity and self-love. I have modeled for brands such as Ashley Stewart, Dia & Co., and Avenue.
Of all my accomplishments, I am most honored and proud to be the wife of James F. Brooks, and the mother of our son.
I love interacting with ScholarCHIPS’ scholars, alumni, and their families, and serving as a near-peer mentor to the organization’s scholars. I am dedicated to being an advocate for children of incarcerated parents, incarcerated individuals, and returning citizens. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with ScholarCHIPS’ Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and community partners to expand the capacity and sustainability of ScholarCHIPS. My goal is to ensure that children with incarcerated parents have the holistic support they need to graduate from college and be successful in life for generations to come. In doing this work, scholar-by-scholar, ScholarCHIPS is breaking down the taboo, stigma, the burden of shame, and societal systemic barriers that disadvantaged youth often face in pursuing higher education, ultimately breaking cycles of poverty and incarceration.