Jazmin Diaz

University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design

Master of City Planning, Housing, Community, and Economic Development

Jazmin Diaz is from Perth Amboy, NJ. She is proud of her Mexican and Dominican roots which inspire her devotion to community, education, and economic development. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a dual degree in Anthropology and Spanish and a minor in Civic Engagement from Wagner College. Throughout Jazmin’s college career she served as a Bonner Leader, an IMPACT Scholar, and a Residential Assistant, striving to foster community and connect students beyond the classroom. As a student, she completed over 1200 hours of service with community-based organizations primarily serving the immigrant and refugee population.

Jazmin conducted research on diasporic communities and trans-local groups in Mexico and New York evaluating the limitations of international economic migration to escape conditions of poverty. In Northern Peru, Jazmin served as a research intern and later a project director for MOCHE INC (Mobilizing Opportunity for Community Heritage Empowerment). In collaboration with community leaders, she conducted a demographic analysis and facilitated the construction of an accredited “eco”-kindergarten, utilizing reclaimed plastic bottles and recyclable items to create a multi-use classroom space. Since graduation, she has worked for La Colmena, a community-based organization in New York, supporting alternative economic models driven by immigrant women and workforce development opportunities for day laborers. Jazmin believes in the power marginalized communities harness to create equitable, alternative solutions to build a more democratic society.

In her spare time, Jazmin enjoys exploring new cities, learning about other cultures through storytelling, and spending quality time with others. Jazmin will pursue a Master of Urban Planning and is committed to build equitable economic opportunities for vulnerable groups abroad.