Jasmyn Nicole Wright

Dr. Jasmyn Nicole Wright is an internationally celebrated educator, social-emotional learning innovator, and founder of The Push Through Organization, whose affirmation-centred teaching philosophy has influenced classrooms and communities across six continents. Her work bridges education, identity development, resilience training, culturally-responsive teaching, trauma-informed pedagogy, and global citizenship, making her one of the most impactful voices in holistic education today.  

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Pennsauken, New Jersey, Jasmyn’s calling surfaced early. At eight years old, she taught her autistic, younger brother how to write and spell his name –  an experience that shaped her belief in every child’s inherent worth and potential. That belief was strengthened by her spiritual upbringing, which taught her that everyone is born with a purpose. It further deepened as she watched her family push through adversity, modeling the tenacity, authenticity, and vulnerability that now form the foundation of her teaching philosophy.  

Jasmyn earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Spelman College, a Master of Education from Christian Brothers University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University, with a focus on social, emotional, and academic leadership. Since entering the teaching profession through Teach For America in 2010, she has worked in high-need schools across Memphis, TN, Philadelphia, PA, Wilmington, Delaware, and beyond. She is currently teaching fifth-grade students ages 9-12 at The Bayard School in Wilmington, Delaware, while simultaneously consulting globally.  

In 2016, while teaching in an under-resourced third-grade classroom in Philadelphia, she created the now-famous call-and-response affirmation “I’m Gonna Push Through.” Originally designed to help her 27 students overcome self-doubt, the mantra went viral, reaching 3.7 million views within a week. It later became the centrepiece of a global Gap Kids campaign and has since been used in classrooms and communities in over 40 countries, translated into multiple languages – including American Sign Language – and adopted by schools, NGOs, families, and youth programmes worldwide.  

The Push Through Movement evolved into a non-profit dedicated to equipping educators with affirmation-centred SEL practices. Lessons Through Affirmations (LTA), Jasmyn’s CASEL-aligned social-emotional learning curriculum, integrates affirmations, journaling, literacy, identity development, real-world application, and reflection. Originally developed through her classroom teaching practice, LTA later became the focus of her doctoral research, which examined and validated its effectiveness, further solidifying the movement’s impact on both teacher capacity, student resilience, and the broader field of social-emotional learning. The framework and model measurably increases engagement, confidence, emotional regulation, and teacher capacity. Her research documented a 23% rise in student engagement, a 27% increase in confidence and emotional regulation, and significantly stronger teacher-student relationships.  

Jasmyn's work has garnered widespread recognition, including features in Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Elle UK, the International Literacy Association, and national campaigns by Gap Inc. She has received honors such as being a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms Fellow,and awards such as Educator of the Year, Leaders Who Make a Difference, and Outstanding Georgia Citizen.  

Jasmyn is also a sought-after global consultant and keynote speaker. She has led TEDx Talks, panel discussions for the US Department of State’s Global Teaching Dialogue, keynotes with the Delaware Department of Education, facilitated teacher training across schools and districts in the United States, supported teacher training and curriculum development in Bangladesh, coached educators in Austria, partnered with edtech organisations in London, created teacher training curriculum for educators in Liberia, and delivered keynotes for many major conferences in the USA and abroad. Jasmyn also conducts empowering, interactive author visits, reaching schools in person throughout the United States and virtually across the globe. Her book, ‘I’m Gonna Push Through!’, published by Simon & Schuster, extends her message to children around the world.  

 Her classroom results remain profound: increased literacy proficiency, fewer behaviour incidents, improved mental health indicators, and student-led reflections that demonstrate deep identity awareness and emotional resilience.  

 If one achievement defines her legacy, it is this: transforming a classroom affirmation into a global movement of hope, identity awareness, resilience, healing, and empowerment – teaching children everywhere that they are enough, they are worthy, they matter, and they can push through anything they put their minds to.