Ashley is a fifth generation Philadelphian whose roots trace back to South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Texas. She is an environmental health scientist, an educator at heart and in practice, and a creator of nurturing spaces and experiences that nourish people’s spirits and desire for building community. Ashley founded and is now co-leading Land Based Jawns, a spiritually-rooted and spiritually-grounded project that offers land-based skills and healing workshops for Black Philadelphians. All of her work – interpersonally, professionally, and academically - is about helping Black folks' re-member and reclaim our relationships to the Creator, to our ancestors, to each other, and to our Earth mama. Ashley was also a co-creator of Philadelphia’s First Urban Agriculture Plan, a multi-year project that has defined new ways to collaborate and share decision-making among grassroots organizers, City agencies, and urban planning firms.
