Project Description
Jasmine Thurmond, Fellow
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice
Chicago, IL
Jasmine L. Thurmond is a native Chicagoan and a proud product of Chicago Public Schools. She believes her purpose is to serve the children and families of communities that are most marginalized and disenfranchised. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in relationship-centered, servant leadership that empowers all stakeholders to invest their passions and strengths for the betterment of students. Ms. Thurmond is passionate about social justice within education. She believes all children are entitled to an academically rigorous and culturally relevant education that will effectively prepare them for success in life. This belief has guided her in her current role as Principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice, a small but mighty elementary school on the Southside of Chicago in the Englewood community. In her five years at King Academy, she has led the school to Level 1 Status on Chicago Public Schools’ School Quality Rating Policy, secured over $300K in external grants, and established and maintained several community partnerships. In this role, she is fortunate enough to positively impact hundreds of students daily. Her leadership has been recognized by several organizations, including Chicago Public Schools, as she received the Distinguished Leaders—Game Changer Award in 2020. In addition, she was the recipient of Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerich’s Outstanding Commitment to Education Award, as well as the Illinois School Counselor Association’s School Administrator of the Year Award in April of 2021.
Jasmine Gilliam, Ally
Director of Student Supports
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice
Chicago, IL
Jasmine Gilliam serves as Director of Student Supports, Multi-Classroom Leader, and Diverse Learner Instructional Coach at King Academy. Jasmine Gilliam is a 2021-22 Teach Plus Senior Change Agent Teacher Leader and a member of the SY22 Transformative Teacher Cohort. Jasmine continues to serve as Co-founder of JustUs Ed, an organization committed to social justice and diversity and inclusion. Jasmine previously worked as a CPS Network 11 Teacher Facilitator for Social Science. In addition, she is a Golden Apple Teacher Nominee and Chicago Scholar Alumna. She graduated from Syracuse University with a BA in Inclusive Elementary and Special Education and a BS in Political Science. She received her MEd in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.