Yasmanth

Our History

Yasmanth was founded in 2007 during a cultural exchange in Cartagena, Colombia. Since then, Yasmanth has launched Rhythms of Culture – Children Helping Children, Aurora Over the Silk Road, and S-A-F-E (Sharing the Arts of Free Expression). All three programs were started with the mission to empower youth to connect with their heritage and rise above their surroundings to positively impact their lives and communities. Since our inception, Yasmanth has reached thousands through national and international tours and workshop. We don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Our Founders

Yasmanth was co-founded by siblings Anthony and Yasmine Garay. Currently, it is run by Yasmine while Anthony contributes in a consultant capacity.

ANTHONY:

Currently a junior at Johns Hopkins University, Whiting School of Engineering, Anthony is studying Computer Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He is passionate about community outreach in the context of entrepreneurship and equal opportunity to education. In addition, he is proficient in the Darbuka, a Middle-Eastern drum he performs with during Aurora Over the Silk Road events. Anthony maintains a passion for helping others and believes in the power of community.

YASMINE:

A senior in high-school, Yasmine is a fierce believer in the power of dance, music, and language to unite individuals from all backgrounds. She persistently works to challenge the basis of prejudice and intolerance through programs such as S-A-F-E, her personal project to give immigrants and refugees a safe environment in which to share their cultures while at the same time forging a sense of community in their new homes. Dancing for the past fifteen years, Yasmine is dedicated to preserving her heritage through performing and teaching her ancestral dances as part of Rhythms of Culture and Aurora Over the Silk Road. Above all, Yasmine believes in education and free expression, and hopes encouraging both in children is the key to achieving a world of equality, respect, and tolerance.

Rhythms of Culture

Rhythms of Culture was started with the intention of building a global community of talented, underprivileged children from all walks of life and giving them a stage to express themselves and represent their cultures. This was accomplished through uniting with organizations in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras to carry out the project Rhythms of Culture, Children Helping Children. From the theater Manuel Bonilla in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to Walt Disney World,  over a hundred and twenty children were given the opportunity to engage with their heritages and represent their cultures on an international level. Read More

Aurora Over the Silk Road

Aurora Over the Silk Road was created to encourage youth to be curious about where they come from and learn the importance of preserving their heritages.  AOSR is custom to each venue, with programs for younger and older audiences alike. All programs include a performance of dance and music and workshops, which cover different aspects of the cultures of Xinjiang, China, the ancestry of Yasmanth’s founders. AOSR has been taken to audiences both nationally and internationally, travelling to cultural centers, children’s museums such as as the Strong (the second largest children’s museum in the nation), and youth centers at military bases such as Fort Hood. AOSR is always free of charge. Read More

S-A-F-E (Sharing the Arts of Free Expression)

Yasmanth’s newest program, S-A-F-E, is scheduled to launch in 2018. Its main purpose is to help create safe spaces for immigrants and refugees to openly share and teach their cultures within their new surroundings. This will be accomplished by working with local cultural centers, schools, and libraries to host events that encourage cultural exchange. The hope is to foster creative environments where newcomers feel welcomed and can share a little of their homes with their new communities.

Yasmine Garay

Address: 450 Lexington Avenue, Front A #1062

New York, NY 10017

Phone Number: 305-775-3021