Jari Jones Explained

Jari Jones
Birth Place:	New York, U.S.
Years Active:	2018–present

Jari Jones (born 1991)^[1] is an American trans Femme activist, performance artist and creative. Jones was a cast member, script consultant, acting coach, and producer of Port Authority.

Career

Jones was the first black trans woman producer of a film competing at the Cannes Film Festival.^[2] In 2020, Jones was one of the nine faces in Calvin Klein's 2020 pride campaign.^{[3] [4]} Apart from acting, Jones advocates for transgender rights and is part of the Black Lives Matter movement.^[5] Jones is a promoter of self-love, Blackness, and femininity.^[6] Jones has been featured in New York Fashion Week, becoming the first Black transgender woman to display the No Sesso brand on the runway.^[7] Jones has modeled for other brands including Dove in their "Goodbye Judgement, Hello Underarms" campaign and Elizabeth Suzann's "Clothing is Political" campaign.^[8] She participated in The Real Catwalk in New York City in 2019.^[9] Jones is featured on Calvin Klein's YouTube channel to express her support for LGBTQ+ youth. She is a self-proclaimed, "mom to a whole bunch of queer youth."^[10]

She has written for Nylon, The New York Times, Allure, and Out magazine focusing on the representation of queer, transgender, and people of color in the media. She was featured in Netflix's Tales of the City series.^[11] She is the first black trans producer to have a film in the Cannes Film Festival.^{[12] [13]} The film, Port Authority, also included the first trans woman of color, Leyna Bloom, in a lead role.^[14]

Filmography

Film

!Year!Title!Role!Notes

2019	Adam	Schuyler
2019	Port Authority	Naima	Also associate producer
2021	On Our Way	Nina
2023	Mutt	Fiona

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2018	Pose	Butt Smack Woman	Episode: "The Fever"
2019	Tales of the City	Ronda	Episode: "Days of Small Surrenders"
2019	Transparent	Skylar	Episode: "Transparent Musicale Finale"
2023-2024	Bob's Burgers	Marshmallow	2 episodes

See also

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City
• NYC Pride March

Notes and References

1. Pérez Sánchez. Fernanda. 2020-06-28. Jari Jones: Conoce a la modelo transgénero de la que todos hablan. Vogue México y Latinoamérica. es. 2020-06-18.
2. Michael. Michael Love. 2019-05-29. Jari Jones Made History at Cannes Film Festival. 2020-06-27. Paper.
3. Web site: Palumbo. Jacqui. 2020-06-26. Black trans model Jari Jones fronts Calvin Klein's Pride campaign. 2020-06-27. CNN.
4. Web site: Avila. Pamela . 2020-06-28. Black Trans Model Jari Jones Fronts Calvin Klein 2020 Pride Campaign. 2020-06-29. E! Online.
5. News: 2020-06-26. Jari Jones, la trans afroamericana que protagoniza campaña de Calvin Klein. 2020-06-27. Por Esto!. es.
6. Smalls . Krystal A. . April 2021 . Fat, Black, and Ugly: The Semiotic Production of Prodigious Femininities . Transforming Anthropology . en . 29 . 1 . 12–28 . 10.1111/traa.12208 . 235561519 . 1051-0559.
7. Web site: Jari Jones is Building a Legacy for the Future . 2022-10-14 . V Magazine. September 24, 2020 .
8. News: Naidoo. Alicia . 2020-06-25. Pride Month: Calvin Klein chooses plus-size model activist Jari Jones. 2020-06-29. The South African.
9. Brooks. Jazmin . 2018-12-03. 'The Real Catwalk' Event Reminds The World That Sexy Comes In All Sizes. 2020-06-30. Essence.
10. Web site: Jacqui Palumbo . Black trans model Jari Jones fronts Calvin Klein's Pride campaign . 2022-10-14 . CNN . June 26, 2020 . en.
11. Web site: Jari Jones. 2020-06-28. Avalon. February 28, 2020 .
12. Web site: 2020-04-29. Clothing Is Political: Jari Jones. 2020-06-28. Elizabeth Suzann. https://web.archive.org/web/20200511202957/https://elizabethsuzann.com/blogs/stories/clothing-is-political-jari-jones. 2020-05-11. dead.
13. Web site: Handler. Rachel. 2019-05-19. Port Authority's Cast on Their Viral, History-Making Cannes Moment. 2020-06-28. Vulture.
14. Ford. Rebecca . 2019-05-14. Mumbai Hidden Gem: 'Port Authority' Showcases a Different Kind of Ballroom Love Story. 2020-06-28. The Hollywood Reporter.