Meet Ashlyn Clark McCague!

Aaaand now we'll hear from my lovely friend Ashlyn. I'm going to post one of our earliest shots together that I'm stealing from Ashlyn's Facebook page.

Way back in 1995

Next year will be our 20th year of friendship, and that's where it all started!  Just a couple of 14 year olds, one with perfect hair, chilling at the Spragues' house.  Ash has joined the tribe of fundraising professionals and works for an awesome organization called CALM (Child Abuse Listening & Mediation) which you should definitely check out, but she is gracious enough to support Diaspora as well.  

Here's more from Ashlyn: 

I just love this picture

MC: Diaspora's mission is to empower families and individuals, starting with young people. What's one of your favorite childhood (or teenage) memories?

ACM:  I am very grateful to have several of those memories, to the point it is hard to choose just one. There is a video of me at age 3 or 4, jumping on a small trampoline in the backyard.  My dad asks me what I want to be when I grow up, and I respond that I want to be a pilot, a doctor, an astronaut, and a mommy.  My parents always encouraged me to dream big, and that I could achieve anything I wanted.  Of course, as of now, I am none of those things, but not because I ever felt I couldn't.

MC: No matter how many times I finish a marathon, it still seems a bit implausible. What advice would you give to someone tackling a difficult and seemingly insurmountable goal?

ACM: I always overwhelm myself when I look at the big picture, but if I break things down into smaller segments, or look at pieces of the picture, it doesn't seem so bad.  Lists, and boxes I can check off, are my friends.

MC: What is a cause that you feel passionately about? (Feel free to promote a particular organization or organizations.)

ACM: I currently work at CALM (Child Abuse Listening & Mediation)  a counseling center for children and families in crisis in Santa Barbara, CA.  As a native Santa Barbaran, I feel passionate about protecting my community, and providing my neighbors with the tools to prevent and heal child abuse.

Thanks, Ash!