Jasmine L. Blanks Jones

Jasmine L. Blanks Jones is a Research Fellow and Director for Civic Engagement at Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Ph.D. in Africana Studies and Education from the University of Pennsylvania (2021), a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, and a B.S. in Music Education from Florida A&M University. Her roles include founding and leading B4 Youth Theatre, a Liberian NGO focused on arts education. She is a recipient of prestigious fellowships including the Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Research Scholar award.

Her research focuses on global public health, arts education, youth civic engagement, and African post-colonialism. Her primary research site is Liberia, where she employs Participatory Action Research, Practitioner Inquiry, and critical ethnography. Her work bridges education policy, diaspora studies, and community-driven initiatives.

Award highlights include the Dr. William Fontaine Fellowship in Africana Studies and the George and Alice S. Hill Fellowship. While her profile does not explicitly mention grants or advising roles, her leadership in NGOs and policy research demonstrates impactful community engagement.

Her educational journey includes teaching middle school music in Maryland and leveraging her Master’s thesis into a sustainable arts education NGO. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of education, public health, and diasporic identity.