50 Remarkable Alumni: Jasmin Kaur inspires others with the written word

From UFV grad to celebrated author, Jasmin Kaur (BA ’17) is making a difference through the written word. She’d always dreamed of publishing a book, and now she’s published two: a novel and a book of poetry. Despite her longtime ambition, she didn’t know how to reach that goal at first.

“It felt like something so distant and lofty that I wasn’t sure how to get there. But it was my experience going through the creative writing program at UFV that helped to shape what that could look like. It was the first step to get to that goal,” says Jasmin.

One of the professors that made a big impression on her as a budding writer was Dr. Michelle Superle. Jasmin appreciated the hands-on experience she got from Michelle’s work study program at a local school. Some of that early work that Jasmin wrote in Michelle’s class ended up going straight into her novel, If I Tell You the Truth.

“It’s like a direct pipeline of work that I created at UFV to actual work that I published in the world,” Jasmin explains. “That mentorship gave me the encouragement that I needed to keep going. It really did shape my creative world.”

Now Jasmin is working toward her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. She recommends that current students take advantage of any opportunity to intern in their field during their undergrad.

“We almost miss out on this opportunity because we’re a little bit overwhelmed with work sometimes. But those chances to hone your skills in that safe space at university will translate into real world skills that will come in very, very handy as you move forward,” she advises.

Since graduating, Jasmin’s used the skills she learned at UFV to create work that matters. Her poems have resonated with people far and wide, being featured in Vogue magazine and shared by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Tessa Mae Thompson and Reese Witherspoon. Her book of poetry, When You Ask Me Where I’m Going , was shortlisted for the Goodreads Choice Awards 2019 and was named CBC Books’ Best YA Book of 2019. Jasmin’s seen her words emblazoned on protest posters and shared in court room victim statements.

Empowering so many others to use their voice has been the most meaningful part of Jasmin’s work. Her poems give voice to those fighting for social justice, and strike a chord with women’s rights advocates, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The strength and inspiration that people receive from her message inspires Jasmin to keep writing. She finds poetry to be a powerful tool in the fight for social change.

“It helps us imagine new worlds, new realities. Poetry feels expansive compared to traditional prose or nonfiction,” she explains. “It feels like something that could help us envision the big changes we want to see in our world, which can sometimes feel a little bit unattainable. Poetry allows us to breathe, think, and self-reflect; it takes really painful topics and allows us to navigate them.”

Jasmin demonstrates that the work students create at UFV has far-reaching impact beyond graduation. As UFV celebrates its 50th anniversary, its graduates are preparing to shape the next 50 years to come. Whether through trades, science, poetry or politics, UFV students are using their voices to effect change — leading future generations into worlds we can only imagine.