We were lucky to catch up with Ashley White recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ashley , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Being the only member in my family on the Autism Spectrum as well as in sports, I always had to find a way to carve my own legacy and beat the odds. For years, I had to prove my worth and work twenty times harder than the next person as I continued to fight for my place, whether in sports or in life. I know my worth and value within myself as I continue to utilize my gifts and talents, as well as my passion for sports and storytelling, to provide a platform for athletes around the world to share their stories through my podcast, “Bonafide Her Podcast.” I always believed that inspiration is one of the greatest gifts you can offer someone, as it gives them hope to keep going in what they love to do. For me, being an Autistic woman in sport and an athlete, I wanted to share my gifts, and hopefully, it will inspire others.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a sports podcast host for my podcast, “Bonafide Her Podcast,” a writer for Beautiful Ballers, as I write articles on female athletes and women in sports to share their stories, and an Athletes’ Advocate. I created a broadcast channel for athletes called “Athletes’ Advocate” on Instagram, where I provide a safe space where the athletes are respected, seen, and heard beyond their sports, as well as highlighting the importance of athletes’ mental health.
It’s not every day you see or hear someone like me who is doing what I am doing with my purpose in sports and beyond. As a woman on the Autism Spectrum, I always had to carve my own journey to get to where I’m at. I believe every person should have the opportunity to share their journey on different platforms, whether it’s through writing or podcasting, and that is what I am doing for athletes around the world: providing a safe space for them. Regardless of how different I am, I know I am human just like everyone else, and I know I have a story as well, but it only takes the right person and people to recognize it.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three skills/areas of knowledge that impacted my journey the most were empathy, resilience, and inspiration. I say all three of those things because I was able to empathize with the athletes that I work with or communicate with through my podcast, as well as sharing their stories. Resilience because I have fought hard every day to carve my own legacy in the sports world and in life, especially being on the Autism Spectrum, I have to work 2o times harder than the next person, and I continue to prove why I am capable and still standing. Inspiration because every day I pray to inspire someone to keep going in what they love to do, as I aspire to inspire others.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Honestly, I would pray. I would pray that I continue to be alive to see that decade left or even the next day. Honestly, you have to be able to live in the present and not worry about what tomorrow will hold or what happened yesterday. There’s a reason why today is a gift because it’s the present.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/bonafideherpodcast
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashelise.3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonafideherpodcast
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
