About HUSH
How Understanding Something Helps (HUSH), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is a Detroit based agency that provides resources and trauma-informed care to individuals experiencing challenges resulting from domestic abuse, mental health and identifying as a member—or an immediate family member—of the LGBTQ+ community.
Its founder, Jasmin Barmore, founded HUSH in 2021 after experiencing her own trauma from domestic violence and identifying as an immediate family member of the LGBTQ+ community. She seeks to help others avoid the same fate.
Purpose
How Understanding Something Helps (HUSH) is a human services organization providing trauma- informed care and resources to those challenged by unresolved traumatic experiences related to domestic violence, mental health and those who identify as a member—or an immediate family member--of the LGBTQ+ community.
Vision
How Understanding Something Helps (HUSH) is committed to breaking the silent coping factor and bias stigmas placed on those living with or surviving traumatic experiences related to domestic violence, mental health and being a member—or an immediate family member— of the LGBTQ+ community.
At HUSH, we believe telling a person to mutely deal with their truth only adds another layer of trauma to their current circumstance(s). Instead, we believe How understanding something helps is true: if you understand something, it helps.
Mission
How Understanding Something Helps (HUSH) wraps its services and support around individuals challenged by unresolved traumatic experiences related to domestic violence, mental health and the LGBTQ+ community.
Jasmin M. Barmore
HUSH founder
A native Detroiter, Jasmin Marie Barmore founded HUSH in 2021, in an effort to amplify the silent voices of the LGBTQ+ community and victims along with indirect victims of domestic violence. She added the mental health community to HUSH in 2022, following the uptick in mental health challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2009, Jasmin suffered from domestic violence at the hands of her then-husband. She left for good in 2011 with nothing but the clothes on her back. She spent many years repairing the trauma the abuse left on her, combined with the childhood wounds she suffered from resulting from the silent coping factor forced on her by being an immediate family member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Oftentimes, Jasmin, never thought she would achieve her dream of becoming a journalist. Today, she holds a Master's degree in Journalism from New York University and is a Neighborhood and Community reporter for The Detroit Free Press, where she uses her platform to further amplify silent voices.
Always having a strong passion and love for giving back and serving her community, Jasmin, joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority., Incorporated in 2021. She is a volunteer mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit and she also tutors students in grade levels K-2 in reading and writing.
While Jasmin loves giving back and telling stories that positively impact and uplifts her community, her most recognized work was during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jasmin was the first to report on 5-year-old Skylar Herbert, Michigan’s first child to die of COVID-19. The story made national headlines and impacted the world on the severity of the coronavirus.
Before that, in 2019, during her NYU days, Jasmin published her first story in The New York Times, Sunday style section—a profile of the first African American Mukbang millionaire.
Throughout her community, Jasmin continues to uplift silent voices. She has covered a genre of neighborhood stories including, Detroit’s response to the COVID-19 vaccine and other COVID-related community stories, policing issues within the city, Charles Pugh and his return back to the city, domestic violence, and more.
Along with Jasmin’s love for telling stories, she uses her spare time during Easter designing 4ft tall children’s Easter baskets. Currently, she donates them to children in less fortunate situations.
Jason McGuire
Vice President
Jason McGuire serves as the Vice President and director of business operations for HUSH. He became involved with the organization in 2021, after learning of the impact domestic violence had on homicide rates in Detroit, following the pandemic.
Born and raised in the motor city, Jason is passionate about his hometown. He consistently strives to improve the well-being of his people by maximizing his efforts in helping to protect and build up his community. Growing up, Jason attended Jared W. Finney and Golightly Vocational High Schools where he was encouraged and challenged to expand on his innate curiosity for “the way things work.”
He pursued his passion for learning about “all things mechanical and operational” throughout his life. As a result, Jason became an avid reader and self-taught incessant student. Jason is the CEO of ABC Professional Enterprise LLC. He currently manages and operates over 100 acres of Detroit marinas along the Detroit River and is one of 11 Black-certified marina managers in the United States--and the only one in Michigan.
Jason strives to lead by example in his community. He is a proud father of three boys and a protector of his family.
Edith Tanjia Green-Barmore
Secretary
Edith Tanjia Green-Barmore serves as the Secretary and Director of Program Development for HUSH.
She has over 20 years of human services experience from her role with the State of Michigan in the health and services department. She became involved with the organization due to the need for support services in underserved communities. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, but raised in Detroit, Edith serves as an asset to vulnerable communities with
her case management skillset.
Edith holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, with a passion for selling real estate. Her most prized possession, however, is her daughter, founder and President of HUSH, Jasmin Barmore.
Tara Wallace
Board Member
Tara Wallace serves as a Board Member for HUSH. She became involved with the organization due to her mission in women’s empowerment.
Born and raised in the small rustic town of Jayess, Mississippi, this mompreneur is no stranger to uplifting and empowering women from all walks of life and does so in her many television appearances and public speaking forums.
After graduating from Jackson State University with a bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts, Tara moved to New York to follow a childhood dream of becoming an actor. She enrolled in the Actors Studio Drama program at The New School, where she received her master’s degree in Fine Arts. From there, Tara began to take her place as a professional both on and off the big screen.
After graduating from The New School, Tara became greatly involved in theatre and studied the roles of women who paved the way before her. But, it wasn't until 2013, when Tara's breakout role on VH1's hit show Love & Hip Hop, that the name Tara Wallace, became a household name.
While Tara is most known for her reality star character along with her guest appearance on, WE Tv's Marriage Bootcamp and BET’s After Happily Ever After, Tara is passionate about giving back to vulnerable communities and empowering women suffering from trauma as a result of a failed relationship.
This dedication led Tara to co-author the self-empowerment book, The Goddess Potential: A Guide to Developing a Relationship With Your Inner Self.
Aside from acting, writing, and philanthropy Tara's most prized accomplishment is being a mother to her three boys: Jamison, Kaz, and Gunner Pankey. Being a mother Tara says is where the source of inspiration for her many talents comes from.
The Tara and Jasmin story
Jasmin met Tara Wallace via social media after reading a book that Tara co-authored: The Goddess Potential. During this time, Jasmin was navigating through the rebuild of her life after her abusive marriage. She found strength and purpose in the words written inside the book and in hopes of building a closer relationship with Tara, she designed Easter baskets for her three sons: Jamison, Kaz and Gunner Pankey, byway of a business Jasmin started in 2010: The Gift Basket Boutique, during her abusive marriage.
Initially Jasmin's goal with the business was to generate income, but to also provide herself with an outlet to channel her pain through creativity. However, Jasmin would soon discover that her most happiness with the Easter baskets was felt when she would donate the baskets to underprivileged families just to put a smile on the children’s faces—the same as Jasmin would smile after creating the baskets.
For years, Tara was unaware of Jasmin’s past with domestic violence, but when she learned of it, she continued to help Jasmin advance her business and later, her educational journey to New York University. When Jasmin left to go to New York, she was bamboozled with the place she was supposed to live, and so Tara took Jasmin into her home so she would have a place to live while going to NYU.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for Tara opening her heart and home to me when I moved to New York for grad school” Jasmin says. “Just like I used to give back when I donated Easter baskets, Tara gave back to me.”
Today, instead of retailing baskets, Jasmin desires to donate Easter baskets to underprivileged children through her nonprofit HUSH. And Tara is again right by her side uplifting and supporting her.
“When I first met Jasmin, I knew there was something special about her, Tara said. “But I also knew there was some deep pain inside her and I wanted to help, so I did.”