Hon. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

Raised in North Carolina, Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara is a minister in the United Church of Christ and the Executive Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality, which promotes LGBTQ rights across the South. She was elected to Buncombe County Commission in 2016 and represents District 1. One of her focus areas is promoting policies that help children thrive, including expanded access to early childhood education. She serves on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, the Community Child Protection Team, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization Board.

Jasmine is a graduate of Brown University and received a MFA from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College and a MDiv from Harvard Divinity School. In 2015 she was named a Center for American Progress "Clergy to Watch For" and her writing has been published widely, including a short story collection. Jasmine and her wife, Meghann, live in Asheville, NC, with their son.