a chat with ashley simpo
Describe yourself?
I’m a writer, author, editor and mum of one nine-year-old boy, Orion. I’m a divorced single mum living in Brooklyn, New York, but originally from California. I’m a fierce advocate for all things related to parenthood in general, as well as marginalised communities.
What was your experience of becoming a mother?
It was emotional from the very beginning. The most impactful thing was learning the gender of my child on the day Trayvon Martin’s murderer received bail. The lack of justice made me really sad and momentarily hopeless about what happens to Black boys in the world and what could happen to my child. I had to think about how I could raise my son differently and became focused on ensuring he felt seen and empowered. I wanted to make sure I paid close attention to how he was engaging at school and decided I wouldn’t make decisions about how he should feel. That commitment gave me some comfort. Then, when Orion was about three, his dad and I separated. It was a time where I had to be as mindful as I could, learn as much as possible and try to break whatever generational cycles existed in my family.
Did anything surprise you about motherhood?
Everything surprised me. Until I became a mum, I didn’t get how ill-equipped everybody is for parenthood. You tell yourself: I’ll wait until
