Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Judon.
Jasmine, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Evanston, IL, a northern suburban city right outside of Chicago. I moved to Los Angeles in 2014 after graduating from Northern Arizona University. I had hopes of getting into the entertainment industry, doing modeling and acting. I got a job as a waitress at Chili’s in Manhattan Beach to support myself while I met people in the industry to gain connections. I was able to find acting coaches to focus on commercial work. This landed me getting connected with casting agencies for background work. I was able to land positions on shows like How to Get Away With Murder. Alongside my efforts to be a commercial actor, I dove into modeling groups on Facebook and Instagram to meet people that way. I soon found myself gaining more traction down the lane of modeling, landing my first gig in LA Fashion Week in the fall of 2014. I took off in the lane of modeling, still holding onto my skills in acting. I had other aspirations in life, as far as my career and skill sets, that I thought could translate into modeling and help me stand out amongst the rest. So I advanced myself from a server to a bartender in other restaurants and also obtained my real estate license. I wanted to make sure people knew I was diverse and multi-dimensional, even if it didn’t make sense to them initially. From 2015 until 2024, I maintained my multi-dimensional status, selling multiple homes for my clients, bartending and serving at restaurants around the South Bay area, walking in multiple fashion shows around the Los Angeles area and San Diego, and working with countless photographers all over Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, and Atlanta. Modeling is truly an artistic expression for me, a way to let go of all that I have going on in my life and just have fun, which is why I still incorporate it in my life today. Getting to be someone else for a moment, or express an idea I had, and watch it come to life through a photographer’s camera lens is gratifying.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been all butterflies and rainbows getting to where I am with modeling. I have had my fair share of meeting people who claim to have a name in the industry and just sell you a dream. I was very vanilla to the entertainment world back in 2014, so I was hungry for my “big break.” But, I quickly had to gain knowledge of how things are done and discern who was someone I could trust. Meeting the wrong people almost discouraged me from maintaining a status in the entertainment world, but I knew what I wanted to do, so pivoting became my best friend. And just like that, I found my way again and persevered to higher heights. I feel I still have the opportunity to grow since I don’t think I’ve reached my full potential.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Today, I have continued to work in the service industry; however, I feel like my time here is coming to an end soon. Being in the service industry allowed me the flexibility I desired outside of work, like modeling, international traveling, and pursuing other career aspirations. Through it all, I have self-developed into a resilient individual. And yes, I am still modeling. My work can be found on my Instagram page. My life has been an amazing journey from the girl I was in 2014 to the woman I am now in 2025. I have maintained necessary friendships from my childhood and college, and have met great people over the years in the entertainment and service industries, all with life stories as unique as mine. My life may not make sense to others. I’m not even sure if people reading this will understand why I did the things I did or why I am doing what I am today, and I’m okay with that. I didn’t know what I was going to say in this interview because I don’t consider my life to be one that someone would like to see on television, full of excitement and uncommon success. What I am is a real woman in her thirties, living a life that others can relate to. So I hope that through me telling my story, someone can feel seen and will keep going to get the life they know they deserve.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up in Evanston, IL, I was outgoing and always curious about things I didn’t know about. I thought my mom knew everything simply because she was an adult, so I had to find out things on my own if she wasn’t knowledgeable about it. I was interested in art and music, enjoying all classes related to them and participating in school talent shows. My teachers recognized me for many years for my talent. I was heavily active in sports like basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, flag football, and track and field. I danced at school on the pom squad, church, and took classes ranging from hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and ballet. Initially in school, I was not among the “bright stars” in academics because I didn’t know what it meant to succeed in school and what it could do for me. All I knew was I had to go because that’s what my mom said, and my friends were going, too. I didn’t start to excel in that space until 7th grade. There was a point in high school where another student and I would compete for the highest grade in the class; that’s how much I changed for the better. I finally wanted to succeed and excel. My college life in Flagstaff, AZ, was no different when it came to my academics; I just had to factor in how I could navigate independence. This did get hard at times, but I feel my mom prepared me for what she knew, and I had to figure out the rest. I lived closer to my dad, so I felt safe being away from a place and people I was used to for so many years of my life. However, at the school I attended, I knew no one. I didn’t know it then, but this would be the way I would live my life from that point on: taking risks with no fear.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovegorjas/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-j-319b1b4b/
Image Credits
Karmic Apperal
Nelson Onyeji
Emmanuel “Lito”
