AFS is excited to announce the keynote speaker for the 327th Commencement! Along with the awarding of the diplomas, the commencement address is an essential part of the ceremony. Jasmin Velez, alumna from the Class of 2011, has been chosen to address the AFS graduates of the class of 2024.

Jasmin Velez ’11 is a diasporican organizer and activist based in Kensington, Philadelphia. She holds a Master of Arts in Anthropology and has close to a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector. Throughout her career, Jasmin has dedicated her efforts to community education, engagement, and advocacy, focusing on community health initiatives with projects ranging from vaccine education to environmental justice, community gardening, and land justice.

In her current role as the Lead Community Organizer at Kensington Corridor Trust, Jasmin has taken on a multifaceted set of responsibilities. Her duties include expanding membership involvement in city, state, and federal campaigns, conducting outreach, base building, training, and education among residents and small business owners. Jasmin is dedicated to amplifying the voices of impacted communities and working with them to envision a brighter future as they see fit.

Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. at Temple University in Geography and Urban Studies, where she is examining the impacts of gentrification and displacement in the Latine/x community. Jasmin is an avid gardener who loves spending time in nature. She firmly believes in the power of organizing to drive impactful and long-lasting change for communities.

The Commencement Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 12 at 5 p.m. in The Grove of the Abington Meeting House. A livestream link will be sent to the AFS Community.