Harmony Project to Spain: The Journey of Alumna Jasmine Hernandez
The true measure of any nonprofit that serves children is found in the lifelong trajectories of its alumni. Jasmine Hernandez, a 2022 Harmony Project graduate and a 2026 graduate of Amherst College, perfectly exemplifies how access to arts education unlocks a world of global opportunities. From starting in second grade learning the flute to becoming a Fulbright Scholar, Jasmine’s story shows how music builds the confidence necessary to shatter barriers.
Jasmine posing for a picture after graduating from the prestigious Amherst College in Massachusetts.
Expanding Horizons and Building Faith
Jasmine spent 10 years at Harmony Project, starting at Leimert Park before moving to the EXPO site. While she mastered the flute, HP secretly prepared her for a much larger stage. In the seventh grade, a sponsored trip to Washington, D.C. to perform with the Howard University jazz band fundamentally expanded her worldview.
"That trip made me believe that wow, there's more than just Los Angeles. There's so much more that I have to explore and research and think about and play and learn."
Jasmine with other Harmony Project students on the Howard University field trip.
This early exposure to out-of-state opportunities inspired her to pursue her undergraduate degree across the country at the prestigious Amherst College. Beyond the cool field trips offered by Harmony Project, the deep mentorship she received from dedicated teaching artists instilled a profound sense of self-worth.
"There is an aspect of the teachers believing in you and your whole group believing in you and then it sort of leads to you believing in yourself. It’s like watering one’s garden with faith."
Breaking Barriers for First-Generation Success
Jasmine’s high school senior year picture.
Attending college brings significant hidden financial stressors, especially for students from under-resourced communities. To ensure her success, Harmony Project supported Jasmine throughout college via the Jackie and Howard Banchik Scholarship.
"I was a Banchik scholar recipient for all four years of my undergrad experience at Amherst College and I would say it provided an immense amount of support with books, school materials, but also on the other hand the east coast gets really cold and I never had owned warm clothing and snow boots."
By relieving the financial strain of textbooks and winter essentials, the Banchik Scholarship allowed Jasmine to thrive academically. She successfully double-majored in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought alongside Latin American Studies, ultimately graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors.
A Fulbright Scholar
Today, Jasmine is translating the collaborative skills she learned in the student orchestra into a budding professional career. This summer, she is working in the Los Angeles office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, one of the largest law firms in the world specializing in business litigation and arbitration.
Her journey takes an international turn this fall. In September, Jasmine will move abroad as a prestigious Fulbright Scholar to teach English to students in Asturias, Spain.
"If you would have told me in second grade that I would have moved to Spain to teach English as a Fulbright scholar I would have not believed you at all."
Why Your Donations Matter
Jasmine’s achievements prove that donations to Harmony Project are direct investments in breaking systemic cycles. When donors fund free instruments, private lessons, and non-musical resource support, they provide a safety net that empowers young people to dream far beyond their immediate zip codes.
"It's extremely critical to have this program for under-resourced communities because without it it would be a continuous cycle of poverty and we're breaking those cycles with Harmony Project."
Jasmine's transition from a seven-year old student holding a flute to a global ambassador teaching in Spain proves that when you give a child an instrument, you’re not just giving them access to music but a key to the world.
About Harmony Project:
Harmony Project is a nonprofit that provides high-quality music instruction and social support to children year-round at no cost throughout community hubs in Los Angeles. As one of Los Angeles’ largest music education organizations, Harmony Project is dedicated exclusively to serving children from low-income families and under-resourced communities. Harmony Project envisions a world in which all students have equal access to opportunities to learn how to play music and the resources needed to thrive in college and beyond. Harmony Project’s holistic approach to student success has resulted in impressive outcomes with 98 percent of the graduating high school class accepted to a college or university during the 2025-2026 academic year.