Grace and Gumption, Ashley’s Story

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - News 12 is working with the Grayson Crisis Center to prevent violence by changing the way our community values women.

We’re highlighting one woman a month who redefines success by achieving HER goals in HER way.

This month, a mom who took on the changes the pandemic brought with grace and gumption and when she mastered that, she took on something even bigger.

“Pre-pandemic, it felt like things were more how much can I accomplish, how many things can I get done in a day.”

Ashley Ford can get a lot of things done in a day.

When the pandemic started, she took on homeschooling her three kids and since then chose to keep doing it.

Not to mention being on the board of Belden Montessori and a member of the Sherman Service League.

“It makes me really grateful for the life that I have,” said Ford.

But the dose of perspective that came with 2020 had Ashley wanting to do more.

So she signed up to be a response advocate for sexual assault victims.

“People just show up with the clothes on their back,” she said.

Immediately, Ashley saw the need for change was great in her community.

But it’s being met, with one show of strength at a time.

“With nothing concrete except this idea that things can be better, things could be different. So, just stepping off into the darkness and hoping that people are there to help get them through,” said Ford.

So she’s meeting people where they are.

“Success less is a measure of quantity and more of quality,” she said.

Ashley says anyone who shows up ready to use their gifts to help others, even if it’s out of their comfort zone, is already successful.

“I can’t do anything to match the strength and the courage that everyone else has so I just feel like I am there where I can be,” she said.

To nominate someone you think has redefined success, or to learn more about this program and how it aims to prevent violence in our community, find the Grayson Crisis Center’s HER Story page here.

This publication was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Grant # 6 NUF2CE002508-02-02, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Texas Department of State Health Services or the Texas Office of the Attorney General.

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