Pussy Power Post #10-Ashleigh Rae
Ashleigh Rae has this really amazing ability to see the silent beauty in all things. She has, through her work as an educator and photographer, been able to foster beautiful developing humans and capture beauty in spaces that most of us might see as bleak or sad.
I feel privileged to be able to see the world through her eyes thanks to her photography. And I’m grateful that she’s in charge of guiding and teaching at least a few of the kids that will make up our future. Our future is definitely safe in her hands.
Meet, educator, photographer, visionary, Ashleigh Rae.
I’ll start with a very LA-esque question. What exactly is it that you do?
Exactly? Well, from September to June I teach during the week days. I have a special education license and, so far, it seem the New York City Department of Education interprets that as "she can teach anything." I've taught US History (my least favorite topic), Living Environment, Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. Algebra is my favorite of them all. I've really grown to appreciate the topic more than I ever did before I taught the subject. In fact I often described math as my least favorite subject when I was in school, which just reinforces my belief that God has a good sense of humor. Teaching and lesson planning are such creative processes. It's basically communicating through a performance medium. The kids seem to appreciate my efforts and are pretty damn awesome, so I keep going back.
The rest of my creative energy is put in to making photographs. I started that habit in high school and now I do it basically all of the time. I'll shoot with whatever I have, and I'm dying for a new phone. I could just go get one, but I'm working on a teacher's salary here and shouldn't make such extravagant impulse buys. My upgrade is coming in the late Spring. It's really upsetting when I see an image and can't get a version of it that really scratches that photo itch. Other times I shoot on real cameras. A Canon DSLR, Sony mirrorless and a Canon FTb are the cameras in rotation. I shoot because I love it, and more so because I can't help it. Every once in a while, I get the opportunity to do something commercial. I'm open to doing that more, and right now I'm working on some long-term portrait projects.
What inspires you?
I'm really interested in human perspectives and how they're affected by our experiences. All of us are these offshoots from some universal energy, at least that's what I believe. It's interesting to me how we apply our life force in this world, and what happens when we interact with each other. I love people watching. I mean, maybe I'm just nosy. Who knows? But I'm definitely inspired by humans, our effects on each other and on the spaces we occupy. I also read and look at art to get inspired. Artifacts of human existence. ...you ever read over something you've written and roll your eyes? That just happened to me. But, I mean, I meant it so...
Give me an abridged version of your journey.
I'm still on it. I thank my parents, my whole family really for a lot of amazing things I've experienced. Nothing is ever ideal, and my family definitely isn't. But there was a collective agreement in the generation before us, it seems, to expose the next generation (us; me, my siblings and cousins) to just varied experiences. My mother definitely wants to hold me as close as possible, but there were key moments in my childhood where she let go more than I know she wanted to at the time. I thank her for that. It's how I try to "mother" myself now, meaning how I try to love and push myself now.
Ashleigh with her mom circa 1987.
What’s your biggest accomplishment thus far?
I'm learning to laugh at myself; how to take the things I do seriously without taking myself too seriously. I joke that I'm growing backwards because I was such a serious kid. I feel proud of myself when I communicate honestly, or as honestly as I can.
What’s next for you?
That's the big question right now. I'm getting married in the summer of 2019, which is huge. My relationship with my fiancé has grown as we have, we've known each other for about 15 years. He's the one person who gets all of the most unabridged versions of me, and he loves me. So there are some questions in my mind about our future together, but they're more situational; babies, houses, etc. Pretty confident in our foundation.
Professionally, I'm exploring new ways to share my photographs. Putting myself "out there". I'm also using photography in different ways. As far as teaching, maybe I'll start an Algebra YouTube channel or something.
Name one major goal for the future so your sistren can manifest that with you.
I would really like to share my work with wider audiences. That includes teaching and photography. Also prayers up for the nuptials.
Name: Ashleigh Rae
Age: 34
Location/Region: New York
Industry: Photography, Education
Theme Song: Really depends on the day.
Favorite Place to Travel: Almost anywhere. I prefer to have accessible coasts. I don't like being landlocked.
Best Book You’ve Read in the Past Year: Just finished She Would be King by Wayetu Moore.
If You Were A Color You Would Be: Royal Purple/reddish-purple
Favorite Article of Clothing: Right now, black cashmere sweater. I bought a few second hand cashmere pieces for the winter.
Biggest Fear: Spiders.
#1 on Your Bucket List: Photograph a band on tour.
Daily Affirmation: Do not forget what your eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart. <--not an affirmation.
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