Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa, 92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, 105.1 The Block, and the Tuscaloosa Thread are proud to present the 2022 Black History Makers of Alabama supported by Sealy Furniture Outlet, Twelve25 Sports Bar & Entertainment Venue, and Red Oak Credit Union.

The Yellowhammer State is filled with great African American leaders from the past, present, and future. We thank our West Alabama community partners, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Delta Phi Lambda Chapter, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Xi Omega Chapter for their continued support.

Jasmine Rainey is a Black History Maker

“Black History means so much to me because it is a constant reminder that my ancestors have worked so hard to create a prosperous future for me. Because of them, I feel that I have a personal responsibility to continue educating and promoting racial reconciliation.  There is so much energy and momentum around African American heritage today; more than ever before. When Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday, my first reaction was tears of joy. I can only imagine how that must have made our ancestors feel. While we still have a lot of work to do, I hope they can smile knowing that the seeds they planted back then have given way for me and my children to continue pushing forward.” - Jasmine Rainey

A native of the west end of Tuscaloosa, Jasmine was instilled with the value of hard work at an early age by her parents, Greg and Faye James. After graduating from Central High School, Jasmine attended Alabama A&M University with her sights set on working in healthcare, like her mother.

 

In 2009, Jasmine returned to Tuscaloosa and began working at an independently owned and operated hotel. This is where she realized that her desire to work in a career field that helped people was impactful on many levels.

She transitioned from guest services to sales management and built her career portfolio in the hospitality industry. In January 2017, she received a call about a job opportunity at Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports which serves as the destination marketing organization for Tuscaloosa County. In April of 2017, Jasmine began serving as Associate Director of Visitor Services and Tourism. In her role, she serves as a community asset by targeting and attracting tourism events to our area.

Rainey advocates for the hospitality and tourism industry in Tuscaloosa county. “You must have a heart for helping others. Customer service is not something that can be taught. It is developed from within. I want people to come to Tuscaloosa and be blown away by our charm, great food, rich history, and southern hospitality.”, says Rainey. 

Additionally, she is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa. She was also named one of Tuscaloosa’s 40 under 40 business leaders. In 2019, the Alabama Tourism Department recognized her Tourism Rising Star. In 2021 she was the recipient of a West Alabama Young Leaders award.

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Jasmine has a passion for the business community. Serving on the Board of Directors for the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce has allowed her to feel like she is making a difference both locally and regionally. She also has a passion for giving back to the community by serving on the Board of Directors for Family Counseling Service, and the Young Leaders Society for the United Way of West Alabama. Most recently, Jasmine has been appointed to serve on the board of the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights & Reconciliation Foundation. 

She is a proud single mother to two sons, Elijah and Carter. Just as her mother taught her, she teaches her sons the importance of helping and serving others. Coming from a lower-middle-class family and having to go without sometimes, she understands the importance of giving and paying her civic duty. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, dancing, cooking, and cheering for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

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