Communication Within the Community is the Only Way to Effectively Create A Solution

Ashley is a member of the Young Women of Color Leadership Council. 

My name is Ashley.  I am 18 years old, and I am a freshman legal communications major at Howard University in Washington D.C.  I was born and raised in a large suburb just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.  With a population near 760,000, my community is third largest in the Atlanta metro area.  It is the second most affluent county with a black majority in the entire country.  There are 124 churches, 145 schools, and 3 free health care clinics.  Nearly half of all teens, ages 15-19, have a baby, and, of them, 21 percent will have another child before their 20th birthday. Such startling statistics are not reconciled by a mere “tsk tsk” and shaking of the head.  Instead, solutions are found through the collaborative efforts of a people.  However, when you are in the midst of such a large crowd, it is easy to get confused, bewildered, or, even, lost.  That is why I advocate on behalf of those who can not or will not speak for themselves.

Growing up in a pious environment can hinder the ability to be honest about “unacceptable” behavior.  This includes sex, homosexuality, etc.  Without a medium to express ourselves freely, the youth in my community are left uneducated and at risk.  This cycle of ignorance breeds the statistics I mentioned earlier.  I, too, have fallen prey to the religious influences provided me.  However, I now have a more independent view of the issues that plague my community.  My views do not always coincide with those of the religious entities in my community, but I have found that many in my community also have opposing opinions.

In 2005, I began working with a local organization called Divinely Inspired and Very Awesome (D.I.V.A.) Girls.  D.I.V.A. Girls is dedicated to the advancement of young women in my neighborhood through self-empowerment and community service.  It is through this organization that I became affiliated with Advocates for Youth.  I enjoy doing my part to aid effective communication between all aspects of my community.  It is because of my training with these groups, that I am able to work to become a part of the solution.