Jasmine Cooper of 'Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard' Fame Recalls Her Homeless Past

The Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard star Jasmine Ellis Cooper proved that sometimes hardships are what make a person more capable. Recently, Cooper opened up about being homeless in New York City years ago. She and her husband, Silas Cooper were guests on Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” Podcast, and she recounted how she jumped back from a horrible experience in the past. The incident Cooper was referring to was living out of her car a few years ago in New York City. “I choose the path of least resistance,” she explained over Zoom while sitting next to her husband. “So I think that helped me … make it through living out of the car.”

In another interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cooper gave more details about being homeless in her early 20s. "You know, someone the other day had asked me like, you know, it takes a strong person to go through these things, and I'm going, to be honest with you: I never, never thought of myself that way," she reflects. "I’m just sharing what is part of my life." The 31-year-old said that neither she nor her husband believes that they have been through very tough times and that "that's a huge privilege in and of itself."

She further spoke about the support she receives from her spouse. "I think a part of Silas' background that I love so much is that he is so supportive and so reassuring, and all the little, quirky parts of me that got me through living out of the car? He embraces it. I'm still getting out of that survivor mindset," she continues. "I was a little triggered with the whole Milo thing, but it's... it has its ups and downs. It definitely does."

Milo is Jasmine and Silas' surprise, four-legged roommate, the Emotional Support Animal of their housemate Bria Fleming. In the premiere of Summer House: Martha's Vineyard, Jasmine Cooper created a bit of a scene about Milo's appearance, which sure did nothing to please dog lovers. "Look, I have not really grown up around pets," she admits, "but anyone who knows me, knows that I’m like the most chill, adaptable person. But as the host, there's just general etiquette: give me the heads up. For the dog lovers, just know we can talk. Cooper adds, "Milo's cool in my books. Milo takes care of Bria. Milo has my respect always.

Summer House: Martha's Vineyard observes 12 friends from across the country who will be reunited for a two-week getaway in Massachusetts’ posh coastal community, which has been a travel destination for Black Americans. Both Jasmine Ellis Cooper and Silas Cooper organized the retreat but had no idea how or when they signed themselves up for reality TV under the Summer House banner.

“Martha’s Vineyard has always been a hallmark place for a lot of black folks,” Silas Cooper, a first-generation Liberian American, told Page Six. “There is such a rich history behind it. Our story is only a chapter in the many chapters that create the black experience in Martha’s Vineyard.” The Army Reserve officer embellishes, “For the viewers to get to know about this place through our lens, it’s a pretty dope way to sort of introduce the island, for sure.”