MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Jennifer Weaver is an award-winning journalist and TV executive producer of digital news. She is the mother of three children and lives in Orem, Utah.
18 / The Beauty Battalion / www.TheBBmag.com
/ Cover Feature /
The role Jessica is known for
currently is as the O.U.R.
Director of Aftercare. It’s a
position she is humbled to
serve in as she believes this is
her life calling of speaking for
others who don’t have a voice,
providing food and shelter to
those who can’t provide it for
themselves, and finding safe
havens for children and youth
who have been rescued from
bondage of enslavement.
“If it was your child or cousin
that was on the news being
reported that they were being
sold for a few dollars for sex,
what would you do? I fully
realize that this is a hard
question to sit with very long,
but the youngest child I’ve
worked with that had a price tag
put on her was six months old,”
Jessica said. “So, again, I ask
you: What would you do if it was
your child or your cousin?”
As for herself, Jessica has
answered that question by
being proactive with the
knowledge she has gained over
a lifetime that includes
establishing relationships and
mentoring with the intent to
facilitate healing for survivors.
She recently coordinated a
mentorship program with the
Huntsman School of Business at
Utah State University, and the
first mentor interns are now
serving at an aftercare center in
Peru.
“I cherish living a life that is
purpose driven. I am so far from
perfect at this, but I’m striving
to grow in this every year I get
to be on this earth. I cherish
life,” she said. “From a young
age I was taught that life is
short.”
While life may be short, Jessica
is living it to the fullest on her
terms by continuing to locate
safe homes and organize care
for children who have been
rescued from deplorable
conditions of human
trafficking. She is dedicated to
improving aftercare to best
serve the needs of children of
all ages around the globe.
“Some people say, ‘Don’t take
life too seriously.’ While I
understand that thought
process, I would still say, ‘Take
life seriously!’ Every day is your
chance to do great things! The
part to take seriously is as
young and as early as possible!
Define well what greatness is to
you,” she added. “Money, fame
and valuing too highly the
opinion of others, in my opinion
is not greatness. Greatness will
always be well defined as
finding joy by genuinely loving
others for who they are, letting
others love you, and loving God.
This is what I cherish in life and
how I would describe a
beautiful life that is being lived
well.”
To people struggling with life’s
challenge’s, Jessica encourages
them not to give up. She
especially wants the youth to
know that they are cared about
and they matter in this world.
“If you’re in high school, or on
your children’s PTA, or the next
CEO of a company, try to be the
person that everyone feels you
genuinely care about them,”
she said. “Remember we don’t
take ’things’ out of this life with
us; the only ‘things' we get to
leave with is our character.”
Character isn’t trying to look
perfect, according to Jessica.
She believes it’s freeing one’s
self from trying to look perfect,
something youth don’t seem to
realize is within their control.
“Just do your best to be honest
with the things that make you
beautiful and the things you’re
still working on. Adults are still
'figuring things out', so it’s
totally OK for you to still be
figuring things out,’” she said.
“Lastly, ascribe unsurpassable
value and worth to everyone
you come in contact with
because that’s who you are and
that is who they are.”