Unapologetically herself, Ashley Avery’s Story
A mom works as a motorcycle mechanic and teaches her daughter by example that true power comes from unapologetically being yourself and seeking the things that bring you joy.
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 works as a motorcycle mechanic and teaches her daughter by example that true power comes from unapologetically being yourself and seeking the things that bring you joy.
Here’s HER Story.
Ashley Avery isn’t looking for “normal”.
“Most people ask me, well why don’t you get a desk job, you know, so you don’t have to - it’s like, I just – I can’t, you know. I gotta be busy, I gotta be moving,” she says.
She grew up learning how to make things move.
“I wanted to be like my dad, because he was, you know, he worked on helicopters and airplanes and, you now, messed with cars and stuff, too. So that’s kinda where, I kinda grew up around all of it,” Ashley says.
So when the time came for her to choose a career path, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.
And it turns out she passed that inspiration down to her daughter.
“She keeps telling me she wants to do exactly what I’m doing when she gets old enough to get a job,” she says.
Ashley knows success doesn’t come from choosing something conventional.
It comes from choosing something that moves you.
“Work towards it. Don’t be afraid, don’t back up, just keep going forward,” Ashley says.
She says whichever direction you take, be sure to pack your grit from the journey.
“I’m not afraid of anything, that I know of,” she says.
That’s not to say she doesn’t have bad days. Ashley says she’s been knocked down.
“At the end of the day, you gotta look on the bright side and think it’ll eventually get better,” Ashley says.
She credits her ability to get back up again to the people that show up for her.
“Having that support from people and actually believing in you, so you can move on and go forward,” Ashley says.
Wherever the road takes her, Ashley knows as long as she keeps driving, her destination *will always be success.
“Just a hard-working mom, I guess, just trying to support family, just trying to make it. Or, not trying to make it, I am making it,” she says.
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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