Mane Up Memphis Podcast
Mane Up Memphis Podcast serves up practical therapy insights, financial-empowerment tips, and inspiring Memphis stories—straight from the nonprofit that says “wrap-around support or bust.” Hosted by LMSW & CFSW Joey Laswell. New episodes every Tuesday.
Mane Up Memphis Podcast
Episode 5 - Cultivating Community: The Heart of Mane Up Memphis
Send us a message at info@maneupmemphis.org
When passion meets purpose, communities transform. In our latest episode, we sit down with Jasmine West-Hunter, the dynamic Volunteer and Event Coordinator for Mane Up Memphis, to explore how this innovative nonprofit is reshaping Memphis through mental health services and financial literacy training for youth ages 11-25.
Jasmine shares her fascinating journey from agricultural business student to community builder, revealing how she was drawn to Mane Up Memphis after witnessing founder Racheal Shantel speak with rare authenticity about her path. "She showed the grit, the grind, and the heartache," Jasmine explains, "and I resonated with it." This conversation pulls back the curtain on what drives the people behind organizations working to lift up Memphis's next generation.
The heart of our discussion explores Jasmine's vibrant vision for community events that could strengthen Memphis's social fabric. From family-oriented water balloon fights to an elegant "Bluff City Gala" featuring upscale versions of Memphis soul food, her ideas reflect a deep understanding of what brings people together. We dive into her unique passion for agricultural sustainability, where she dreams of teaching Memphians food preservation, livestock management, and creating community-based food systems.
We also tackle the universal financial challenges facing younger generations, discussing the concept of "generational financial trauma" and strategies for breaking negative money cycles. Jasmine offers candid advice to her 18-year-old self that listeners of all ages will find valuable: "Don't max out that credit card!"
Whether you're curious about nonprofit innovation, community building, financial wellness, or simply love Memphis, this episode offers fresh perspectives on how we can all contribute to a stronger, more connected city. Check out Mane Up Memphis at maneupmemphis.org to learn about volunteering opportunities or to support their mission. Remember, as Jasmine says: "Mane Up, y'all!"
#ManeUpMemphis
Hey everybody, joey Laswell here from MainUp Memphis. This is the podcast where we talk about our organization and the nonprofit. I'm a licensed social worker and also a financial social worker and basically on this team we provide mental health services and financial literacy training for people 11 to 25. So we're really trying to lift up this next generation of youth and you know, I'm just something that I'm really passionate about and proud to be a part of this organization. And so what we're trying to do is we're trying to highlight some of the people in this organization and just kind of tell a little bit of their story.
Speaker 1:What is it that drew them to Made Up Memphis? Just kind of tell a little bit of their story. What is it that drew them to Made Up Memphis? And you know just what have their experiences been like in Memphis since. You know, because everyone has different experiences I'm a transplant. I've only been here a couple of years, but a lot of people have been here when they're raised been here 10 years. So, you know, just curious to learn more about their relationship to Memphis and some good memories and things like that their relationship to Memphis and some good memories and things like that. So in honor of that we're going to have. Well, we have the lovely Miss Jasmine West Hunter and she's going to tell us a little bit about well first of all. So what is your official title at the organization the Volunteer and?
Speaker 2:Event Coordinator.
Speaker 1:All right, that's a big, because we do a lot of volunteer stuff and a lot of events, right? So, okay, that's a big, big title, a lot of responsibilities, so so let's talk a little bit about what was so what's your background in in school.
Speaker 2:What did you go to school for? So currently I'm pursuing a bachelor's degree in agricultural business. So currently I'm pursuing a bachelor's degree in agricultural business, farming, basically farm manager. It's kind of a passion of mine, that's kind of grew on me over the years. So, yeah, that's what I'm doing, Okay.
Speaker 2:And then how did you discover Main Up Memphis, or how did they discover you? Well, I attended the Influence Her conference, which was an all-women's conference held by this amazing organization called the so you Foundation, I think, and I had the chance to go because my business mentor at the time was speaking there. And while I was attending, I had the pleasure of seeing Rachel speak for the first time and I heard her story and I just kind of just honed in on it. I thought that was beautiful, because, you know, a lot of times we meet people and they like to make it all glitz and glam and all I did was smile and be pretty and this is how I got here and she actually showed the grit, the grind and the heartache and I kind of resonated with it. So that's how I found her, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if you want to go back to episode three, that's when I interviewed Rachel Chantel, the, you know, the owner, leader, creator of this organization and her vision. You know she's thinking many, many steps ahead. So just, we got some exciting things coming and yeah, so that's basically probably how a lot of us here at man at Memphis, Rachel was the glue we're a moth to the flame of her you know she is the light.
Speaker 1:That's like man. So I'll get off my retro soapbox. But, um, so yeah, like we're all drawn to this organization for a reason, I think, and it's, it's the mission, it's the community part of it. Um, so what? I guess what I'm curious about, like, uh, with the, if you had a magic wand and let's say we had an unlimited budget and we could just spend however we wanted to, what kind of events would you put on, what kind of things would you put together, and how would that benefit the city of Memphis?
Speaker 2:Well, unlimited budget Number one. Of course I would make our festival a more grander, bigger thing as far as that's concerned, but really I would hone in on the family events, because I feel like we are totally missing out on places where you can go as a family and have fun. So I would do water balloon fights community water balloon fights.
Speaker 1:Do water balloon fights community water balloon fights, uh, but I'll see houses, cookouts, dance parties, uh, block party, I don't know dance parties, okay, well, now I'm saying block parties because I remember when I was a kid we used to have block parties yeah, this was not, this was in this was in different city, but you know yeah, no, we have block parties.
Speaker 2:The only thing is I don't want you know what happens at a block party. Oh, only thing is, I don't want you know what happens at a block party.
Speaker 1:Oh I gotcha you want to keep it family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, family friendly, family oriented so really fun things like that. I will build another liberty land. Honestly, I would put it. I would put a six flagsags here somewhere, honestly, yes. I would do an amusement park Unlimited budget Like. Imagine us having a theme park here.
Speaker 1:Well, we are working on a community center, right? Yeah, that's like one of the next big things that we're, you know, in the process of. Okay, so we'd make our annual event, which is the.
Speaker 1:The festival, the festival which will be our third one next year, on May 2nd 2026. Go ahead and mark your calendars, people, because this one is going to be hot, you know it's going to be. Yes, so be on lookout and then really help us participate. You know, help us make this a great event, you know? Volunteer, Volunteer, madeupmemphisorg. So what are some of the volunteer opportunities that some of the people can expect to do if they wanted to volunteer?
Speaker 2:So some volunteer just work at an event. We would have a cleanup crew, setup crews, food and beverage, greeters or hospitalities, what else, what else, what else, what else, what else. I think really that's it Honestly the cleanup, the breakdown, the setup crew and really just extra hands, because you know sometimes we need extra hands to kind of like, hey, I need you to go send a message all the way across over there.
Speaker 1:So things like that, just a pretty easy stuff, yeah but at the same time they're helping a greater mission, you know and and really like getting hands-on and some of the booths that I've already been a part of, you know people seem to want the sense of community back you know, or they want a stronger sense of community and and that's really what I think we're trying to do here is is recreate or or build an organic sense of community within the city.
Speaker 1:I know that Memphis has a lot of different parts and segments, and you know, just like any big city, you know. But the core of Memphis, I think, is is, you know, very diverse, but you know, yeah.
Speaker 1:Gritty grind, you know diverse, but you know, yeah, gritty grind. You know, like left city, everything, like everything that we bring to the table. You know, and, uh, and that's, that's part of our charm, you know, and I think, I think honestly, I'm thinking about it recently in memphis is about to have a moment, a good moment, I think you know, yeah, because you know there are.
Speaker 1:there are other community leaders and community organizers, organizers that are doing some amazing things, and the more I'm in this nonprofit space, I'm seeing some great companies, great organizations doing great things. So, yeah, so I mean I'm just like I said, I'm just super, super pumped to be in this type of organization, super, super pumped to be in uh, in this type of uh organization. So, um, when it comes to uh events, um, so, if you had like going back to the unlimited budget, if you had your budget to make your own special, unique event, let's, let's go crazy. All right, I would do a black and white suit and tie.
Speaker 2:Um, have you ever you've seen like the 20s? Uh, fun fact, I am obsessed with the dapper downs of the 20s. The style of the 20s and the 50s are.
Speaker 1:Jenny's a girl like that kind of.
Speaker 2:Put on like a great gas be typing. I'm talking about all out Dinner thing and we actually go. There's a lot live jazz band, a great live jazz band? Yes, and we are just twisting the night away.
Speaker 1:Honestly, man I mean that's, that's such a simple thing, but I mean that's, that's totally doable, like, let me, it's totally. I mean you, you pretty much just manifested it because now it's out there, it's, it's out there, it's spoken. So what would you call this event? Um, let's see, because now it's out there, it's out there, it's spoken.
Speaker 2:So what would you call this event? Let's see, we can brainstorm it. We're brainstorming.
Speaker 1:Yes. So, people, if you're listening, I want you to shoot us a message and, you know, give us some ideas. What would you call this event? What would you have in this type of black tie? So, black and white suits is that what you're?
Speaker 2:saying black and white suits, tux, everyone tux. Okay, all right, so like a formal gala gala type of thing oh wow, glitzy, I like that really I'm talking about high and you had no prom dresses. I need designers type things, you know what I'm saying america glitzy again. I like that okay there we go okay and I wouldn't. I would call it um. I don't know um dazzlings for mental health or something like that. We're like um.
Speaker 1:Okay, I don't know I mean we don't have to come up with the name on the spot, but you know, we're putting it out there. We're going to crowdsource this Bluff City Gala. Bluff City Gala. Okay, all right, I like that.
Speaker 2:I like that, something like that. It would be something like that. I'm going to come up with it.
Speaker 1:I think if it's going to be a gala, we need a pretty fancy name to it. I think, yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 2:Let's do something in French, ooh.
Speaker 1:Let's make this in French. Man, my French is really rusty, I wouldn't even know. But okay, all right. Well, I like this idea Honestly. You know, I think you know people, I think you tap into something too. Like, you know, after you get to a certain age, like when you're out of high school school, when are you ever going to go dress up and go to a dance a really fancy dinner. No one has the opportunity to do that anymore.
Speaker 2:And the second thing is great food. We are not doing any food but food. The food has to be phenomenal.
Speaker 1:Chef grade phenomenal. Like absolutely Okay, just so you guys know, memphis has a lot of amazing food in this city. So you know, if you're a restaurant, you think you want to be a part of this, hit us up. You know, let's get this going. You know Where's the chefs. Right right.
Speaker 2:They're going to make all of like our Memphis soul food and we like contemporary them and make them, oh yes, and level them up to a michelin star. So like the ribs are really famous out here, like I would love to see what. So how could someone take that and make it like fine dining fine dining memphis yes, fine dining with me. Fine dining with Memphis.
Speaker 1:Now we're on some drugs, fine dining with Memphis.
Speaker 2:Fine dining with Main Up Memphis.
Speaker 1:Hmm, fine, dining with Main Up Memphis.
Speaker 2:Okay, I like that, I like that Like a food tour, where it's like high grade. You buy in to it and then you get this extravagant of contemporary Memphis food Mission Star.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, bring some eyeballs to Memphis in a different light. We have Memphis grit, but we can also be classy, we can be fancy and glitzy. So yeah, I love this idea. I think it's already being manifested, at least in my mind. If anyone doesn't know me, when I get my mind into something, my teeth into something, it's, it's over. Don't be afraid if we start talking about this in future episodes, just so everyone is aware I'm doing this podcast just because I love podcasting for one, but then I'm also trying to tell the story of this great organization.
Speaker 1:We're going to have returning guests, the Mood Dudes. I will say the Mood Dudes episode is kind of taking off a little bit. I'm really surprised and impressed. But I'm also grateful that people are actually downloading, and I mean it's not just Memphis. I have people from across the country now that have already downloaded our episode four, the Mood Dudes. So I'm going to give a plug for that. So that's going to be a running segment. Actually, we're trying to, me and the Mood Dudes are trying to get together tonight and we're going to try to check out or at least I wanted to check out a local pinball spot. There's a pinball bar or arcade in Memphis.
Speaker 2:Are you talking about? Oh, let me cut you off.
Speaker 1:No go ahead.
Speaker 2:It's over in Collierville.
Speaker 1:I actually haven't even looked. I just know I found them on Instagram. So you know, kind of a crazy social networking thing. But I reached out to somebody for my video game idea. There's a developer here in Memphis, cody 901 Cody, I think his name is on Instagram, check him out. He's been working on this project to digitize the city of Memphis in a video game, and so he's basically created a virtual Memphis. And I had this idea of a video game and it's set in Memphis. And I had this idea of a video game and it's set in Memphis. It's a social worker who has superpowers and he basically fights crime. It's going to be like Grand Theft Auto, but instead of beating people up, you're helping people.
Speaker 1:So that's my little pitch for my crazy idea, but it's actually kind of happening. So I reached out to him and then I started following him and now I saw like oh, he posted about this pinball place and I was like, oh man, because I love, love pinball. I used to grow up, I grew up with my dad playing pinball, so I used to watch him and then I played and man, so yeah, I'm just excited. We're going to try to have the mood dudes out there. Maybe we can even do like a live thing, like an Instagram live thing that would be cool Because we want to really highlight Memphis and I've been guilty of.
Speaker 1:If you live in a city long enough, you kind of don't do some of the Memphis things. Well, I actually do want to do some of those things. My mom is actually coming in from Japan on the 1st of July and she's going to be here in Memphis and she's a super fan of the Japanese player and I can't remember his last name, but, yeah, I'm trying to manifest her being able to meet the Japanese Memphis Grizzlies player, because I know it's off-season, but hey, I'm just going to put it out there If I can find a way to meet the Japanese player, which I feel bad. It's like, uh, oh, man, that's gonna drive me crazy. I feel bad now for not having his name on the ready, but I mean, anyone who's a Grizzlies fan knows, you know, that we have a Japanese player. Um, but um, yeah, just stand by, I'm gonna. It's gonna drive me, me crazy not knowing that guy's name, but yeah, so I'm basically turning into a tour guide for Memphis when my mom comes.
Speaker 1:You know how that goes, you have your family coming in. So it's like, oh, we've got to go to Graceland, we've got to go to all these places and you know, now I'm doing all that stuff. So I'm excited to show her, but I want to, I want to do it as a tourist myself. I'm trying to treat myself as a tourist and say, okay, let's go do, let's go do something interesting, you know, um, something that I never would have done. All right, so, uh, yuki kawamura. Yeah, okay, that's him, yuki Kawamura. I actually already reached out to his team, or his people. I went onto his page and I was like, hey, can we meet? So you know, just see what happens. I just want a picture with him and it would be kind of a cool story.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, a lot going on in Memphis, and you know Memphis is a nonprofit, you know. So we're looking at, you know, we're looking for referral sources for mental health. We have our financial counseling program, so, like that's kind of more. My lane is the financial therapy, financial counseling piece of this. So actually, since we do talk about both, I'm going to quiz my guests about their finances a little bit. So you're going to be the first one and we're going to put you on the spot and ask you some money questions. Okay, all right. So first thing is if you could tell your 18-year-old self and give your 18-year-old self financial advice what would be at least one thing that you would tell your 18-year-old self Coming right out of high school?
Speaker 2:Don't max out that credit card. Ooh Jesus, please don't max out that credit card. Ooh Jesus, please don't.
Speaker 1:Don't max out the credit card. I've been there. I will admit I have maxed out credit cards. I've in the past. So I'm even though I'm a financial coach consult whatever financial social worker I have my own financial stuff that I'm going through. As far as like behavioral, you know, because the, the overspending is really, it's a symptom a lot of times of other things like stress and, like you know, like emotional spending and things like that.
Speaker 1:So that's part of what we want to do here at main of memphis is to demystify, you know, personal finances and have kind of awkward conversations about money, because a lot of people just don't want to talk about their finances. It's just.
Speaker 2:It's just so it's just so embarrassing to have it is.
Speaker 1:But it shouldn't be embarrassing because we're all dealing with the same financial stuff, right? Like we're all, everyone, money goes through everybody in in some way shape or form. So, like if we as a whole like, start, you know, improving our finances. Talking about finances, I think it's just going to make things a little bit better. It's not going to solve everything, but you know, like, if we, especially if this next generation, you know, has that foundation of their finances stronger and their mental, mental health is stronger, then, oh man, this next generation is going to go to the, to the moon, you know I think the biggest thing for that was, at least for my generation.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm not going to speak for my generation, I'm going to speak about for me and the people I know. It's um, really the upbringing that we have and the relationship we saw our parents go through with money and so you get in these spaces and you start to talk about money and people are telling you this and telling you that and get into the glitz and glance. You almost don't want to feel stupid when you talk because you don't know. And when you hear someone talk it's like oh, everyone knows you don't max out a credit card. Everyone knows that's a ratio and you're like right, I know it so it's really it's.
Speaker 2:I think for most people it's the part of you don't want to seem like you don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah. You don't want to be the odd one out.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And this is actually something that came up in a briefing. We did a briefing for the mental health court judge just the other day. We did like a little lunch and learn and it was a really cool experience. And, you know, something that came up was generational financial trauma, and a lot of people kind of like scratch their head a little bit, but when they get it, they kind of get it because a lot of financial habits and a lot of financial issues are actually passed on from one generation to the next, because your parents learned from their parents and you know.
Speaker 1:So the cycle kind of continues and if it's a bad cycle, then a lot of times the bad stuff keeps happening. Yeah, so what we're trying to do is kind of break that cycle, but you know you have to be educated to do that, you know. So, yeah, generational financial trauma look it up, it's definitely a thing. And you know, what we're trying to do here is to, yeah, break that cycle. Um, give people an even footing, a firm financial footing and uh, yeah, so all right. So, 18 year old self, 18 year olds out there, don't rack up your credit cards please, please, don't don't do it, don't do it it's not worth it.
Speaker 1:I'm telling you that that item that you're going to buy at best buy and this is just me personal experience uh, it's not worth it. I'm telling you that that item that you're gonna buy at best buy and this is just me personal experience uh, it's not gonna be worth it. In the long run you're gonna regret that, that shiny plastic thing you know. So, um, yeah, just take it from us. Take it from us, you know. Um, you know more. Uh, seasoned financial veterans that know are still flawed and we still make our mistakes. But take it from us. We're trying to give you the game, basically Like, if you follow our advice, then theoretically you're going to be much better off than we are.
Speaker 2:I wanted to ask you a question about that yeah, yeah. I'm an open book.
Speaker 2:So what advice would you give a person that, let's say, we're going through the ups and downs of life and it seems like all you do is work, work, work to pay the bills. And it seems like the bills just keep getting higher and higher and higher, and so you work, work, work, work, work, and then you get yourself to a point to where you're like this is my money. I'm tired of giving it to bills. I'm going to go out, I'm going to buy several shiny things and I'm going to ignore the rest of you, because I feel like all I do is work to pay bills.
Speaker 1:I'm not enjoying it.
Speaker 2:So a lot of us in our generation are at that point to where we're like you know what? We're going to go spend a hundred dollars on DoorDash because that's all we can do.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So how? How do you navigate?
Speaker 1:that that is a great, great question, and I love that you put a lot of like really good detail into this problem that you're basically identifying. And this is really a thing, like people you know, especially generational, like we're in, you know each generation has their own financial like kind of like problem set. And you know, I'm in a elder millennial is that's what I am, apparently, that's what I've been told, so elder millennial, which makes me sound really old, but it's really just I'm an old millennial. But, yeah, we have a little bit different financial like up and down, like we went through the financial crisis of 2008, 2009, and you know like it hit differently.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, I think, what we're, what you really are, you're bringing up some really interesting things because, like initially, you said, okay, you're, you're doing what you got to do, you're paying your bills, you're doing the right thing, but it's just such a grind and you don't have any like any set, any any fun, any satisfaction, so, like you, any satisfaction, so it just feels exhausting and you're never going to get anywhere and you don't get to enjoy life. Well, that's actually something that I've been kind of writing about and thinking about a lot, too is finding that balance of wants versus needs and I think whenever you're in your early period of life you have different priorities. So you're not thinking about retirement whenever you're 18 years old and that's probably understandable. But you already said, if you're 18, you would tell yourself, okay, don't spend so much money. Yeah, it kind of gets into a cultural, sociological lens of what is this generation learning about finances and money and things like that.
Speaker 2:Spend it if you got it.
Speaker 1:Spend it if you got it. Yeah, I think it's a continuation of the YOLO vibe, where everyone was like YOLO and then COVID happened and people were like well.
Speaker 2:Really.
Speaker 1:YOLO, really YOLO, and people were like, well, really YOLO. And people were like, hey, you know, let's do this thing. And I think we're just kind of coming down off of that level of spending, that mentality, and we're kind of licking our wounds now collectively, everyone, a lot of people, overspent and you know, like they were at home and you know doing online shopping and they were bored and so you know, it's, it's a, it's a pervasive thing. It's not just a a youth thing. This is a bigger, bigger issue.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, I mean, as far as what to do about it, it's, uh, it's gonna take these types of conversations, you know, like us, like us talking about it, you know, having a discussion about, like you know, a boomer, you know someone who's 65 is looking at a different financial picture than somebody who's 25, 35, 45, even so, yeah, so then we get into the life cycle of money and all the different things that you worry about at different times of your life. But yeah, I mean, did I actually answer your question or did I just really go in deep about what happened?
Speaker 2:I mean, you're really just taking accountability honestly. So you know, it's just like hey, you got it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly Everything in moderation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, moderation.
Speaker 1:But that's the tricky part. It's a tricky balance because you have to be responsible, you've got to pay your bills, but then you also want to have fun because, like you said, you're working hard for this money.
Speaker 2:So you should not feel guilty at all. Why can't we just go on a barter system Everyone? Let's bankrupt capitalism.
Speaker 1:Let's grow vegetables and do cows and stuff well, that's something we actually um here at the at the laswell house, we do a lot of slow living stuff. So we you know my wife bakes bread from scratch. I mean, we have a bread machine, but you know we do a lot of things like the manual way because you know, uh, you know for one it's like labor of love.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so making a, a grilled cheese with bread that you made yourself, is really. It's just satisfying, you know. So. So that way we kind of like to. You know, we we spend less money too, like we buy. We try to make a lot of meals from scratch too. It takes more time, but it tastes better and it's like healthier and all good stuff. So it's really a. It's like healthier and all this good stuff, so it's really a combination. But I think when you really get down to it, like it's about that sweet spot of okay, I worked all week, I paid all my bills, and then on Saturday I want to go out and get a bite to eat with my significant other, that is perfectly fine. But the thing is, if you're spending frivolously on other things that don't really matter or bring you joy, then that's the problem. So we get sidetracked by all the other little smaller shiny object syndrome and we kind of lose track of the main mission.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the main thing, we keep the main thing around here, and I didn't mean main as in. Well, yeah, we'll keep it. The main thing is the main thing and that's main on. Memphis for you.
Speaker 2:Y'all hear my kids hollering in the background.
Speaker 1:I'm so sorry, that's alright. Like I said, we are human beings here and this is not going to be a perfectly produced podcast, so you might hear some. My son is, you know, he's five and he doesn't understand that I'm actually kind of working here, you know I can't put a, even to put a sign on the door.
Speaker 2:He's not gonna be like oh well that is gonna take the sign down, draw you a picture on it and say you're dead. Look knocking on the door right, right, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, the don't worry about that.
Speaker 1:I think, honestly, at this point in time, people will accept those little sounds and like, okay, that's just, that's just normal life for you, you know we're trying to live lives, but we're also trying to use these platforms to spread our message, but then also, you know, provide people maybe some kind of relief or, you know, a sense of like I'm not alone in this, like other people are struggling with their finances. So yeah, so that's basically. You know, we're we're trying to, we're trying to change the narrative around personal finance here and uh, and that's one of my I guess you could say it's almost like my life passion, my life energy is just like teach people about finance. That's all you know. Like that's just it. You know. So, um, so yeah, I mean, I can go off on that all day. So I don't want to, I don't want to hog up the interview, so yeah, so we've covered a good amount, but I kind of I feel like I want to get to know you a little bit better.
Speaker 2:You know, and like what, what do you bring to the Made at Memphis team? As far as like, what is your superpower? Know, wow, oh, what is my superpower? Um, hyper focused, I'm gonna say I like that I need that I like if rachel was to call me right now and say hey I need you to go look at this email and then reply back.
Speaker 2:I would get off and look at the email and reply back. I don't believe in like waiting uh to get done. I want to go ahead and get it done and also, as quickly as we can get it done, let's get it done with also quality as well. So as far as that's concerned, another superpower IdeaTank.
Speaker 1:Ooh, we've got some podcasts to do together, because I am an idea machine and I think power us powered together, ooh man. We will, we will at least Memphis, at least Memphis. But yeah, you know, we've got a lot of creative people on this team.
Speaker 1:A lot of really passionate people, and you know just highlighting of really passionate people and you know just highlighting the mission here, and then, you know trying to spread some positivity out in the world. Let's be real, we need something positive like just you know so much going on in the world that you know I think we need to. You know we need to push for community, we need to really bring people together and I love that you're a community organizer, you're putting things together, you're bringing people together and even since I've been at the Memphis team, I've met so many amazing people already and I'm making all these different connections across the city And'm like this is this is pretty cool. You know like there's some really, really amazing things happening. Um, all right. So bold prediction five years from now, where do you see made up memphis, or where do you want to see made up memphis in five years?
Speaker 2:um, five years, I want to see made up memphis. Um, I'm going to say we are a household name as far as mental health goes. We have coined mental health and financial literacy and things of that nature. I also a side project of mine that I do want to incorporate. Of course, I do have a background in agricultural business.
Speaker 2:One of my passions is, uh, food, so I do want to tackle food scarcity. So one of the ways that I do want to tackle food scarcity is, um, everything everyone's now big with the community gardens and I love that for everyone. However, uh, most of the community aren't vegans. Ah, so I am a livestock person, so that's probably my major of animal science. I love animals cows, horses, you name it. So, uh, I would like to teach people about food, like how to preserve things like that, whole classes, how to preserve your vegetables once you get them, butchering classes.
Speaker 2:I'm sending my husband to butcher school so he can butcher our cows. So, um, I raise them. I teach you how to raise them, take care of them, give them shots. You know minor things that you can do outside of a vet, because, still, go to the vet and, um, you know, storing me, processing me, stuff like this so we can really be a community that, um, I want to get us to bartering like we don't have to be on the grocery store. Hey, I got a cow. Someone come butchery and share, or something like this so net note.
Speaker 2:Uh, really just teaching people how to get back to the family farm life and sustain by themselves.
Speaker 1:Not really by themselves, but like you know more self-dependently yes, yes, as as much as we can get away from dependency on all the crazy stuff that you know, we I mean even with, like the amazon and and it's really become part of our, our world. But, yeah, it's actually kind of a refreshing to hear, hear people, especially younger people, that want to learn about this kind of stuff and want to teach about it. You know, I mean it's like you would think that, okay, 2025 we're all going to be flying, flying cars. But you know, give me an old truck. Yeah, give me a manual truck. Uh, and I'm I'm happy, you know, give me a super, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, man, we got, we got a lot of, uh, future episodes and things to talk about. Jasmine, like it's, um, it's. I think I'm gonna run out of, I'm gonna run out of space on my computer for all these conversations. But no, like, yeah, that's part like, and that just goes to show you how big we're thinking at this company. We're thinking about the bigger picture. You know, yeah, we work on the, you know, in social work, we have macro lens, your mezzo lens and your micro lens, and so we're doing the micro stuff. But then we're also kind of going to that mid-level, you know, of the community, but then we want to go macro. Like you said, we want to go global, I want to go global.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So what we anticipate and hope to do is have main up and then your city right. So like main up Kansas City, main up st louis, main up uh austin. You know we want to have this model all around the country, you know yeah so that's, that's, that's coming. I mean, we're working on it, it's coming. It's either. It's either gonna happen or or we're gonna get shut down or something, but I think it's gonna. So this is a rocket ship and I'm just happy to be strapped in.
Speaker 1:I'm ready to explore the cosmos together with y'all. So All right. Well, that's a lot. We covered a lot, I think. I don't know like, do you have anything, any last words or any things that you want to hype or highlight, like something going on in your world that you want people to know about?
Speaker 2:Oh, I have, of course. I wrote a book. Ooh, oh yeah, that's definitely going to be in the show notes.
Speaker 1:Okay, what's it called?
Speaker 2:It's called Buzz and the Busy Bees. It is on Barnes Noble, available online only. So I wrote a children's book. It is an activity book as well, just trying to get kids knowledge about bees and our pollinators, because we lost about 80 percent of our farmed bees this year yes so that's really important that we're growing the wildflowers outside. We're not spraying the bug sprays getting a little loud, sorry but we're not. We're not spraying the bug sprays and the harmful chemicals and we're not swatting at our beautiful babies.
Speaker 1:Yeah they're important, they're important, they're important. Yeah, because they're important. Yes, Okay. Well, yeah, I mean that's great. You know, we always like to support artists and creativity. You know I have a book too. You know, about finance and I'm writing another book and, yeah, I actually have an editor and everything have a book too.
Speaker 1:Um, you know about finance and you know I'm writing another book. Um, and, yeah, I actually have an editor and everything. So this, uh this, my first book, was self-published. I did it all myself, but then I actually hired an editor for, uh this, uh other book. So big things coming. I'm excited. Uh, main up, memphis is man. Man, we're going to be a force, you guys. I mean, I'm not trying to be cocky here, but I'm just seeing things happen and I think we're on to something really cool and fun. And, yeah, fun, like, let's bring fun back, come on.
Speaker 1:Let's bring family fun back. Family fun back, you know like movie nights, and you know you know what, what if we could rent? Out a drive-thru. Well, the drive-thru just closed. It's out here.
Speaker 2:But there are some people that have so much land here that they would definitely let us do a drive-thru movie. Yeah, we could just work it out.
Speaker 1:I actually want to create, like you know, did you ever remember having having like those dollar movie stores or movie theaters, like it was like two bucks and it was like a movie from like a month ago or two months ago? Like why don't we have those kind of things, you know, because a lot of people miss out on the first run?
Speaker 1:and you know they would rather buy, spend a little bit less money. So, yeah, so that's my. My goal is to create those, you know, movie theaters that are cheap and play good movies. I want to play like the old movies. So another little fun fact about me is that I used to work at Blockbuster Video back in the day 2000,. 2003. Respect, that's great. Yeah, I became a movie nerd. I was already a movie lover, movie fan, but I became a movie nerd when I was my time at Blockbuster. But you know, I just been really lately, just really kind of nostalgic about those those you know. Like there was something social about going to the movie store picking out a movie, like you're looking through the aisles and like you're talking out a movie like you're looking through the aisles and like it's six o'clock at night yeah, yeah, friday night and you're like, oh, we don't know what to do.
Speaker 1:And then you go pick out the movie, then you argue over the movie like oh well, I don't want to watch that I don't want to watch this. Yeah, yeah yeah, and then you know that's. That's what we're missing like movie watching has become so isolating, you know?
Speaker 2:it's isolating. Yeah, you're creeping up your own watch yeah, I got a little something in the works there too.
Speaker 1:I've got a little side project on that front for movie watching, so stay tuned. Um, that isn't really related to main up memphis, but I do want to have like some kind of movie initiative where, you know, we go out into the community and maybe, maybe, you know, show some really good movies, that that are culturally relevant. I've just heard about Sinners recently. I haven't seen it yet. Sinners, please watch it Okay yeah, you're the second person that said that, and initially.
Speaker 2:I was like I don't know, it's so great.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, we want to have movie events like that, where we highlight culturally accurate representations and celebrations of culture. So, yeah, we got a lot of things coming. Just be be ready. And hopefully you know you were inspired to come join us, either as a as a volunteer or you know we're we're expanding. There might be some jobs out there. Well, there will be some jobs out there as we get bigger and bigger. So, yeah, I mean just some jobs out there. Well, there will be some jobs out there as we get bigger and bigger. So, um, yeah, I mean just we are currently hiring licensed therapists.
Speaker 2:Come, come, come case managers, case managers okay, come, come, come, yes, yes, yeah and managers, uh people, uh licensed therapists that can do management and hold management positions. We are looking. I think we're looking we may be looking uh, but I know for sure licensed therapists and a case manager are. We are hiring big emphasis on the licensed therapist.
Speaker 1:We need licensed therapists yes, okay, can you clarify on license, because I you know, I know that there's like pre-licensed and there's like independently licensed, or so are you looking for independently licensed therapists?
Speaker 2:oh state licensed state license okay, state license you need to be state licensed in tennessee uh to work.
Speaker 1:So yeah, gotta follow those guidelines there you go and we do things. We do things by the book, you know we we have. We are working on the insurance taking insurance right or um for the. Yes, we are working on the insurance taking insurance right or um for the yes, we are working on taking insurance, so that's what we need so, yeah, I mean, come, come join us, either as a volunteer or as part of the team.
Speaker 1:I mean we're going to be, you know, we're going to be interviewing you guys and you know you gotta, you gotta be. This is, it's a cultural thing. You know, like you guys have to fit. You got to fit in with us. We've already got a little bit of a core team going, but, yeah, it's going to be selective, so be you know you got to. You got to have that main up energy. You know what I mean they might know. Oh man, well, miss Jasmine, it's been amazing talking to you. I'm so glad we got to connect. And you know where, where can people contact you if they want to find out about events or volunteering? Is there? Do you want people to email you directly or do you want to just go to the website?
Speaker 2:You can go to the website. But if you have any inquiries as far as event dealings or just volunteering in general careers, as far as event dealings or just volunteering in general, you can reach me at j capital j dot hunter at main up memphis dot org and I will.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll put that in the show notes and um you know just uh uh info at. What so was info at? Is that we said info at main up memphis. No, that was your personal. What is info at main up memphis?
Speaker 2:info at main up memphis. I think that's just our informational uh thing. Okay, I think yeah but if you want information, just go to the website, or, yes, email me.
Speaker 1:Yes, main up, memphisorg. Uh, we're also all over the socials. We're working on getting some more content and, like, I got the youtube channel that I'm gonna start working on and putting some content out there. So, yeah, I'm a busy guy but I love it, you know. It keeps me, keeps me going, gives me an amazing thing to work or to wake up to and start tackling. So you're doing great.
Speaker 2:I love it. You came in and he came in in. He's like, yeah, podcast youtube, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we needed you I was worried that I was gonna scare you guys off with my energy.
Speaker 1:But like I was just like, uh, it was just kismet, it was the, the heavens aligning everything, just yeah, so, um, so, yeah, anyone who who has interacted with me can can attest that. You know I have a lot of energy when it comes to this stuff. I'm just super passionate about talking finances and everything, but then also mental health side. I am a licensed therapist too. So you know, we're, we're, we're. This is a, this is more than just therapy and finances. You know, this is a community, so, um, so, plenty more to come. And you know, uh, jasmine, we're probably gonna, you know, put this out here soon, maybe within the next week or so, but uh, in the meantime, is there anything any last, uh, last minute things you want to? Um, messages you want to get out to the city of Memphis or the world at this point?
Speaker 2:We love y'all. Main Up Memphis if you can, and donate if you can, if you're moved and you're hard to donate or share with a person that you know that would like to donate and love our mission. And yeah, main Up y'all.
Speaker 1:All right. Well, on that note, Main Up y'all. That is it for the main up Memphis podcast. We had the amazing Jasmine West Hunter. I'm Joey Laswell. Until next time, be kind, leave the baggage, keep the change, All right.