Meet Ashley Crawford, a working mother and extremely dedicated member of the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) since joining in 2020. Although she has been with the League a short time, she has certainly made a huge impact and was recently recognized by the Membership Development Committee as an “MDC Rockstar”.
About Ashley
I was born and raised in Asheville, NC. While I loved the mountains, I had grown up spending summers at the beach, so upon graduation from high school, I moved to Wilmington, NC and got my undergraduate degree in psychology and my master’s degree in social work. I left Wilmington in 2011 and moved to Roanoke Rapids, NC to work as a mental health therapist for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). In 2013 I moved to Charlotte and met my husband on eHarmony in 2015. In 2018 we welcomed our daughter, Grace, into the world. Being a mother and a wife are two of my proudest accomplishments because they both have made me grow in more ways than I ever dreamed possible. If you had asked me ten years ago if I wanted to get married and or have a child, I would have said, “No,” because I knew it would be tough and push me outside of my comfort zone of doing everything “my way.” However, when I reminisce on the day I walked down the aisle to my husband, Ollie, and on the day we welcomed Grace into our lives, I knew then, and I know now, these two humans are the best things that have ever happened to me and for me.
I am fortunate enough to say that in my lifetime, I’ve had three people whom I consider heroes: my mother, my father and my daughter. Since I can remember, my parents, Phil and Robin Shope, have worked tirelessly for our family to not just survive, but to thrive. My dad owned a grading business and was part of the movie industry in Asheville. My mother, a seventh-grade teacher, taught for more than 30 years. However, though my parents knew the meaning of hard work within their paid jobs, they were also just as active in the community. Growing up some of my favorite memories are volunteering at a local soup kitchen and watching my dad put on fishing seminars where he would teach adolescents how to fish. Many of these young people did not have anyone in their lives who would simply get on their level and show them the joy of being outdoors with those they loved.
“I will never forget the love and care my parents gave in the areas they volunteered. I credit them both for helping shape me into a woman who truly thrives on giving back to those in my community.”
My daughter, Grace, born prematurely, spent her first two months of life in the NICU, has been hospitalized multiple times since her discharge, and has too many medical specialists for a three-year-old. Tough start for a little person, right? However, this little girl is the most resilient human I have ever met. Grace has fought through more in three years than most do in a lifetime. She will not stop trying and will often say to me, “I keep trying, I keep trying, I don’t give up.” How lucky am I to see this in my daughter! Recently, my husband, Ollie, and I did a fundraiser for Levine Children’s Hospital, and Grace helped us prepare gifts for babies in the NICU, their caregivers and the medical staff. I am fortunate that this tiny, but mighty, human wants to give back at such a young age. In summation, these three individuals have taught me how to never give up, how to work for my dreams whatever they may be, to fight through and stand victorious over the challenges life brings you, how to show genuine love, empathy, and compassion to others and be the change you wish to see in this world.
JLC Impact
I joined the JLC in the summer of 2020. I had spent the year prior taking care of Grace, who was born prematurely, and at the time I wasn’t sure if I could take on both the JLC and be a working mother. However, after speaking with JLC member and leader Alysha Cormack, I decided to step up to the plate and join this amazing community of women. During my provisional year, which occurred during the height of the COIVD-19 pandemic, I was a part of the Leadership Development Institute (LDI), the Get on Board program and an active member of my provisional group. I was also part of the provisional group, “Provisionals Fighting Poverty,” which was the top group fundraiser for the Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) in March 2021. Throughout each of these initiatives, the JLC has pushed me to grow outside of my comfort zone, become a more dynamic leader and become more involved in our Charlotte community. I firmly believe some of the opportunities I have been given within my job, including a promotion, stems from the training, programs, and volunteer placements I have been so fortunate to have been a part of within the JLC.
“The JLC has not just taught me how to be a better advocate for others in our community, but it has also shown me how to advocate for my goals, both personally and professionally. It has truly been an honor to work alongside and learn from some of the most influential women in Charlotte.”
Since joining the JLC, I have given my time and talents in an effort to improve the lives of those in our community. As I have grown within the JLC, I have tried to embody many of its core values: diversity, collaboration, community, empowerment of others, leadership, respect and service. I have made a conscious effort to put forth my genuine and authentic self and have aspired to help fellow League members to do the same. Further, I have become a firm believer that you get out of the League what you put into it and now, as a provisional group leader, I encourage the women in my group to take advantage of all the amazing growth opportunities the JLC provides its members. I see myself as a JLC Change Agent because, simply put, I am a bridge-builder and a woman who thrives on amplifying the strengths of others. I want those who interact with me to walk away feeling energized about who they are and feeling confident on how to bring change into their own lives as well as into the lives of others. I am a firm believer that part of our job as human beings is to make our world a better place. That is the beauty of our time here on Earth – to give selflessly to those in our communities and advocate for those whose voices are often silenced. The JLC provides the space, the training and the tools to make this happen.
In regards to being recognized as a “Member Development Committee (MDC) Rockstar,” I would like to share one of my favorite quotes from Brene Brown:
“Owning your story and loving yourself through the process is one of the bravest things you will ever do.”
Over the past three years, my story has changed and evolved quickly and often. When I became a member of the JLC, I decided to present my authentic self, which included both my battle wounds and my talents. The JLC embraced me as is, and when I received this recognition, it affirmed that becoming a member was one of the healthiest decisions I have made as a new mother and as a woman in the workforce. I appreciate my fellow MDC members and JLC leaders validating the footprint I am working on making, both personally and professionally, here in Charlotte. I remain eager to spread the mission of the JLC and to help build membership for years to come.
Fun Facts
Some hobbies I love are being outside and exercising, traveling, trying new foods, giving back to the community and spending quality time with those I love, especially my husband and daughter.
I am the kind of girl who hits the ground running every morning, and to be completely honest, learning how to relax is a consistent work in progress for me. However, if I could choose to do anything for a day, I have two things I would love! One: I would spend time with my best friend and husband, Ollie (away from technology, social media and people), where we could relax and be at peace. Two: I would travel to a different part of our country and do volunteer work. While two extremes, both of these ideas encompass things I love: quality time with Ollie, traveling and giving back to communities in need of support.
One of my greatest personal feats is running the 2016 Boston Marathon. This experience is in the top 10 happiest moments of my life. I qualified for Boston after my first marathon, which was the 2015 Disney World Marathon. When I set my mind upon something, I’m a woman who will give blood, sweat and tears to accomplish the goal at hand. I quietly went into the race at Disney World to not only succeed at my first marathon but also to qualify for Boston, and I was fortunate enough to achieve both.
While I have a multitude of goals both for myself and my family for my 5-year plan, I will let you in on a few ideas that are so very important to me: Continuing my journey with self-exploration and being ok with my areas of imperfection (emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc). Learning to be more appreciative of where I am in my life and embracing the types of change that will allow me to grow in a multitude of ways. Advocating for my needs, personally and professionally and advocating for my husband’s and daughter’s needs. Finally, learning how to lean into and embrace what happiness looks like for me and not compare it to what society says happiness should be.
