Ashley Martinez-Brown on Overcoming Adversity and Fostering Growth

When was the last time you truly felt the impact of gratitude in your life? Join me, Nika Lawrie, as I engage in an uplifting conversation with Ashley Martinez, a community beacon at Cuidando Los Niños in Albuquerque. Our journey from college friends to professional allies offers a tapestry of shared experiences, demonstrating the profound influence of enduring friendships and collective resilience. We celebrate the work of those who strive to uplift the most vulnerable, shining a light on Ashley's commitment to transforming the lives of homeless children and families.

Change is constant, and this episode serves as a testament to the power of a positive outlook and the solace found in meditation and intentional living. As Ashley and I reflect on our personal evolutions, we uncover the ways in which adversity can foster growth, creativity, and a renewed sense of purpose. Our candid discussion reveals the pivotal role women play in fortifying communities through nonprofit endeavors, and how the pandemic's challenges have been met with innovative solutions that maintain the humanity and dignity of those we serve.

Wrapping up, we revel in the joys of companionship and the significance of gratitude. This heartfelt exchange is more than just a conversation; it's a celebration of the bonds that sustain us and the sheer joy of making a difference. Listeners will leave this episode feeling inspired by Ashley's stories, emboldened by the courage it takes to face life's hurdles, and perhaps, with a renewed commitment to acknowledging and appreciating the profound connections in their own lives. Connect with Ashley: http://clnkids.org/ 

Transcript

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Supporting Homeless Children and Families

Nika Lawrie 0:24

Welcome to the Inspired with Nika Lawrie podcast . Hi everybody , I am so excited that you guys are joining us today . I have a very special guest with me . She is one of my all-time best friends in the world . We are besties when it comes to music and craziness . We work together and went to college together . We have a wonderful history together . We have been through a bunch of trauma together as well , just really had each other back throughout this whole lifetime that we have had as a friendship . But anyways , I could keep talking about that and keep going . I want to introduce my wonderful , wonderful interviewee today . Her name is Ashley Martinez . She works with a wonderful organization called Fidondo Solos Ninos here in Albuquerque , new Mexico . Welcome , ashley , I am so grateful for you to join me today .

Ashley Martinez 1:24

Thank you , Nika , for having me on . I am super excited to be here and super excited to have this conversation with you and get the word out about what we do here and the impact we are making in our community .

Nika Lawrie 1:37

Yeah , definitely Okay . So before we get into the interview , I want to just take a moment to acknowledge you for the amazing amount of work that you have done in our community with multiple different nonprofits and causes , because I know you've been involved in a lot of them . I had the absolute pleasure of working with you through the Alzheimer's Association , where we got to help people all over the state dealing with dementia and Alzheimer's disease . But you do a ton of other things which we're going to get into , and I just want to say thank you , because I think what you do to support the community is just outstanding and we're lucky to have you .

Nika Lawrie 2:14

Thank you , I appreciate that very much , yeah , okay . So , ashley , my thing is that I usually don't read bios about my interviewees . I really want people to be able to tell their own story in their own words . So can you tell me a little bit how you got started and kind of walk me through the process ? How did you end up at CLN and just how did you start working in nonprofits and supporting the community in general ?

Ashley Martinez 2:39

So I guess let's start with how I started working for nonprofits because , as most college students , I didn't know where I was going , what I was doing after college . But in terms of direction , thanks to you and our friendship , you know , the opportunity arose to be a part of the Alzheimer's Association . I myself had the personal connection in terms of my grandmother having dementia , so it was definitely the right fit . But what really changed my interest in terms of like this is the field I want to be in is that specific job , because I started off as an administrative assistant and honestly , that was . It was a hard , emotional job , just because of the fact we had to pick up those calls and talk to caregivers and just hear their realities . And I felt that .

Ashley Martinez 3:37

And while I was going through college , the main thing I wanted to do was give back . I was like , yes , I'll get this degree , but I want to make a difference After I leave this earth . I want to make sure that I have an impact made and I changed somebody's life and , even if I'm not remembered right , like , at least somebody's lives have been changed by my actions . Yeah , just that ripple effect . Yeah , exactly , it's definitely that ripple effect . And so to be able to put those smiles on individuals' faces . I mean , I'm definitely one that would give anything to anybody else before I give to myself . So I felt like nonprofits fit perfectly with who I am and what I stand for really , that's beautiful .

Nika Lawrie 4:23

I love that I've been giving people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing in my life , so I think it fits you perfectly . I try , tell me a little bit about CLN or Cuadando Solicininos . Tell me about what you do there and how you got started there .

Ashley Martinez 4:39

Awesome . So , going back to college , I had initially always wanted to work with kids right . My major was strategic communications . I didn't really know how to connect that with kids at that time , but I also took family studies as my minor and I wish I would have taken it in the beginning and totally made that my realm .

Ashley Martinez 5:04

But with communication and family studies together I was able to move into this position and so in this position I get the best of both worlds right , because as development director , as you know , you have many roles and many hats , absolutely , and the most rewarding part is being able to , because I always wanted to be a teacher growing up but I mean it's like an anti-mode for me because I get to see the kids but then I could come out of the classroom and still do my work . So for me it's kind of like the best of both worlds . I get to just like I did in college . I get to do the communications part but also the family and really I mean a lot of these kiddos go through hell and back and tell me a little bit about what CLN actually does Like .

Nika Lawrie 5:55

how do you , how do you ? I know you work with children , but how do you support the children ? For the listeners who don't know about CLN ?

Ashley Martinez 6:01

Absolutely so . Cui Lando has been around for 30 years , and which is amazing one to stand up for that long . But we take a dual approach on homelessness , and so what that means is , not only are we providing our kiddos , six weeks to five years old , with a five-star education for free , we are , on this end , we're helping the parents . So once they're enrolled , we start a family success program for them , and so , within two months of our program , they either have to have a job or they have to be going to school . So we have those stepping stones for them . But on top of that , we also have a housing program , so we are literally pulling our families out of homelessness into stability . That's amazing , it really is . I mean , 80% of our constituents are single women fleeing from domestic violence situations . Okay , and when I first started here , that number was very daunting to me , because that's high , that's huge . Yeah , that's a huge percentage , and I feel like society in general gives homelessness such a stigma . Right , because if you close your eyes and I said the word homelessness you picture the man on the corner hand-handedly . You do not picture a six-month-old baby on the corner right , and in terms of media , sometimes they portray it as , oh , people who do drugs and alcohol are the only people homeless , right , right , which is , in fact , not true . They are amongst us all . I mean , any of us at any point could be homeless right now . And in terms of our families , they're doing it to save their kids and themselves in a lot of these situations , and so that's kind of the model we have .

Ashley Martinez 7:59

And for our kiddos , when they come in , they are 75% developmentally behind from normal kiddos . So , and that's physical , that's cognitive , all of the above , and when I see these kids have been through hell and back , I mean it in the deepest sense yeah , because they have seen , I mean , but it's also crazy because it's their normal , Right . So that's what we have to portray to our donors is , yeah , it's sad , but to them that's their normal . That's even sadder because we as adults need to be able to say okay , I'm going to be a voice for this child who doesn't have a voice , right , and this goes into what you teach women in your program . When they come into our program , their self-esteem is shocked , right , and when your self-esteem is so low , it's hard to pick yourself up . Absolutely , yeah . And so what we do here is wear their foundation . We become their family and we say look , just be honest with us , tell us what's going on , so that way we can help you .

Nika Lawrie 9:06

So I love , I mean I love what you guys do , because I think it's a population that is so detailed and okay , like this is the best place to support someone who has to't work , not seen .

Nika Lawrie 9:16

You know there is not enough focus on this population , especially with women with children who come from domestic violence and you have been battered and don't have the tools and skills to rebuild on their own . And you touched on it a little bit . I think the homeless population that we tend to look at is , you know , these older men . We a lot of times think about veterans , which is heartbreaking in its own sense . We think about , you know , the drug addicts that have kind of lost control of their lives in that sense , but we rarely see the women on the street with the children . What are some of the things that that we just as general , you know , women who you know are lucky to have kind of a home and positive situation , I like what are some of the things that we can do ? Just support organizations like yours and support some of these women to help kind of rebuild their lives .

Ashley Martinez 10:12

I love it and you know that , in terms of what you were saying , because of the fact that a lot of people it's an out of sight , out of mind kind of thing , right , and all of us are guilty of it . I was guilty of it before , before I even knew about this organization . I it wasn't even a thought , right , Right , you don't think about homeless children . It's just not a thought . Unfortunately , a lot of people are afraid of reality and , honestly , I said I feel like I've grown in this position just because I've been hit with so many reality checks in my own life . Yeah , yeah , that I'm like wow , like I don't know . I just have a different view and I can connect stronger and do my work better because of through everything that I've done . I mean , it's helped to where I am right now and so it goes hand in hand with what you teach your ladies in your program and it's , I mean , even us who work here . We have to make sure to keep our self esteem up and our morale going , because there's so many situations that we see here . I mean when we have to call CYFD , those are the worst days Absolutely . I can't even imagine the worst days the first time we had to call .

Ashley Martinez 11:34

I mean , the first two weeks I worked here , I cried like every night when I went home , just because you hear the stories , you hear how the kiddos are . I mean we had a kiddo who he was having headphones hold his pants up , so he had like the iPhone headphones , so those were tied to hold his pants up , but he was also not eating enough , and so to be able to see their growth , it's just so amazing . I mean , these kids are so cool . I feel like the coolest person in town every morning because I get to say hello to them and they're just , they're just so much life and you see their smiles and but also you see their conversations . So if you would stay , if you would come visit us for a week , right , and then go to a normal say normal , but normal preschool , a different preschool , you'd be amazed because the conversations are extremely different because of their circumstances , Right , Right , I mean outside on the playground we had a kid who threatened to shoot another girl .

Nika Lawrie 12:41

Oh , my gosh .

Ashley Martinez 12:43

Or stab her , and or you know , when they're riding on the bikes . Oh , let's stop at the smoke shop , you know . So , like it's .

Nika Lawrie 12:50

It's amazing what you hear , the conversations , you hear how much they've picked up from the environment that they grew up in .

Ashley Martinez 12:56

Yeah , my third day I had one of our preschoolers who was five . She looked at me and said daddy punched mom in the face this morning . Oh my God , and for that I mean that truly , that truly got me . I mean I was a household growing up in domestic violence as well . So for me to hear that she was brave because I can tell you I never did that and as adults you have those regrets . But looking back at these children , like being able to give back to them and give them the strength that that you as a child didn't have , like if everything , because you see their growth .

Nika Lawrie 13:39

So what are ways that you know myself or our listeners could support you guys ? Is it through donations ? Is it volunteering ? Is it ? What's the best way to approach that ?

Ashley Martinez 13:51

The best way would be a monetary right now , in terms of it kind . We do accept items , check children , clothing , any house items . Since we do get our family's house a lot of times they don't have anything to take with them . So I always tell donors just imagine moving into your first department and not having a thing , from pots and pans to plates and bowls , from a simple poster of Mickey Mouse , and you know I mean that could change the mindset , right , right , what's what you have in your environment affects your mindset but also affects the other steps to success .

Nika Lawrie 14:31

Yeah .

Ashley Martinez 14:35

Yeah .

Nika Lawrie 14:37

So what have things been like for you guys ? Through COVID and the pandemic ? You know I've heard a lot of reports that people are really concerned that there's actually more domestic violence going on right now , even though it's not being reported because people are stuck in their homes and unsafe environments and they may not feel safe to report the situation at the time . What are you guys seeing and what are your concerns ? You know , as some of these home orders are being lifted , do you think you're going to have a wave of people coming into you ?

Ashley Martinez 15:11

Sadly . Yes , that is definitely one of our concerns , just because you know what you just said , where the numbers , even though they're not high , that's actually more scary because you know that means that a lot of kiddos might be being silenced . And sadly , we do live in a world of a lot of unknowns right now , and that's with COVID and that's in everything in the households .

Navigating Personal Changes and Finding Positivity

Ashley Martinez 15:36

But we have been lucky during COVID we actually have six of our families , so prior COVID we had housed let's see , we were at about 38 families and so we were able to house the rest during COVID , which was great , because once COVID hit , it was no go right . We stopped our housing program , everything was paused , right , but we had the problem because there was an influx of individuals in the shelters and those shelters are big enough for social distancing , right , so that increases their chances of getting the virus . Has there been ?

Nika Lawrie 16:22

an uptick of cases . Do you by chance know in the shelters ?

Ashley Martinez 16:27

There has not . So as far as we know , there was only one in the West Side shelter . But other than that , it's been okay , it's a blast , it's lucky . Oh , we were , and we were just so happy to get as many people as we had housed . And then , once , once those shelters filled up because all of them were filled in Albuquerque had no other choice but to reopen our housing program in order to circulate individuals into housing so they can take more people in Right Right , so I'm going to get a little personal with you .

Nika Lawrie 17:04

I want to know so you've mentioned , you know you had domestic violence in your life growing up and that you had some struggles , and I know some other things have happened to you throughout your life what are some of the personal changes that , or habit changes that you've had to make in order to get to where you are today ?

Ashley Martinez 17:23

It's a great question because that's a lot , a lot , a lot of personal changes . Um , you know , there's a lot of things that happen in life that are unknown to why it happened , uh , but sometimes you just have to really reset and , uh , for so long , I had a lot of a tragic events happen and occur time after time after time , and when that happens to you , you get stuck in a spiral , right , so you don't really have .

Ashley Martinez 17:53

You don't have time to breathe , you don't have time to look , you don't have time to stop , period , um , and I chose to flip that switch right Because it's it's up to you . It's up to you , I mean , as much as anybody could tell you . I don't know how many times you told me , you know , come on , you could do it Like it's all here and it's like um , and so for me , what I did was I mean , it's that positive perspective , right , like , think , think of the positive , think of the positive , um , and I think what really really changed , to be honest , is is , you know , as you know , as diagnosed with cervical cancer at the beginning of the year , the day after they said that I was cancer free , oh yeah , Like that takes my life and that's that's my turning point on it . That was my hoe . I need to buckle up , do whatever I can , right ?

Ashley Martinez 18:53

Because when I was told I had cancer , I was like I'm not done , like I didn't even get started , right , that was my first initial thought . Like I haven't even gotten started on my capability and the energy that others are putting towards me , right , and , and uh , and it's that because I there's so much energy . That's been positive energy that's been surrounding me for through all of these traumatic incidents . The fact that those positive energies have not left helped me grow stronger , and so I want to make sure that I'm I'm utilizing that energy now and putting it in a better direction . So and that's how I started looking at things , it's like where am I putting my energy ?

Nika Lawrie 19:39

Yeah .

Ashley Martinez 19:40

And like . So I visualized energy as like this positive bubble of like cool color and right like here's my trickle , is bubble of positivity and I'm going to keep this in my realm and I'm going to keep those positive energies in there to make sure that I stay focused Right Uh , meditation has been key for me . That is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do .

Nika Lawrie 20:04

It's hard to stay focused , but once you get used to it it's so . So , um , just enlightening . It just changes your energy in your body .

Ashley Martinez 20:14

It is the most highly recommended thing I remember for anybody . Um , I was always afraid of seeing myself in the mirror in terms of , like , mental health , right . Like so many ups and downs , I just didn't want to deal with what was in front of me . But when I decided to go , you'd flip that switch and say , you know what , well , what can I do ? Right , what can I do ? Right , what can I do because I have control over what's taking place , right . And so I'm like cool , jumped on an meditation app which was brought by another positive energy . Right , like I was a positive energy who came into my life and said you know what , ash , try this . Right , it wasn't like a force or anything , it was just like try it . I'm like , oh , does it hurt ? Right . And so being able to sit still is so hard . Yeah , to let your mind go . It is the coolest place to be in and it's helped reset my being every day . So I try to make it intentional . That's beautiful .

Nika Lawrie 21:22

Because I think you become so much more creative as well when you just let your mind sit . I know I get some of my best ideas when I'm just kind of disconnect from the world and put my phone down and turn off the TV and just kind of breathe , even if I'm not consciously trying to meditate . Just that silence , just that break from all the chaos helps kind of reset and get more creative Exactly .

Ashley Martinez 21:50

And I was . I mean , I'm lucky enough to be born in the time where technology was like barely coming in . We still had dialogue , but I still had to be . And so I feel like , for a lot of people in this age frame right like 28 to 35 , it's weird because we're so we , we have that patience . We have that patience in order to like , wait for that phone call , like , oh my gosh , is he going to call me ? Yeah , like , but we also jumped straight into , like , this world of technology and it was like , okay , we have to be on the up and up , we have to be . You know , this , this , this , it's so fast paced that nobody said , hey , slow down .

Nika Lawrie 22:37

Yeah , I think it's okay , it's okay to slow down . I think that is the biggest . I'm so glad you said that . I think that if there's one thing that I want to drive home to the listeners , or to any women out there or anyone at all , really is it is okay to slow down , like it is okay to not get everything done . It is okay to be imperfect , it is okay to put your phone down and not respond to every single message . It's okay to slow down . I think that's such a huge , huge , amazing piece of advice you're giving .

Ashley Martinez 23:12

It's one of the hugest pieces of advice and one of the hardest . It's true , it's a great advice , but it's super hard For me . My coping mechanism with all my traumatic events was just like , all right , I'm going to throw myself into this , I'm going to throw myself into this project , I'm going to do this , I'm going to do this . But when you're constantly going , I mean I just have one positive upside about COVID because you go anywhere , you can't block anything , right . So I mean to take away positives for those out there who are still working from home or not being able to see their loved ones , I mean , take this as an opportunity for self growth , absolutely , yeah . And I feel like self growth has like this weird like perception on it . Right , like people are like , oh yeah , self growth , I like , but it's real . Like when you get into it , you're like cool , like you're missing out on so much . I was pure and other people really don't matter .

Nika Lawrie 24:13

And .

Ashley Martinez 24:13

I don't know if it's age or what , but I'm like you know what ? Like it's true , the people who are there for you are there for you Anybody else at a certain point . Like you know , many young graduates are watching this . Like just know , like don't worry those people , they might be there , but like look you , you're here .

Nika Lawrie 24:35

Right , I really had two college friends and you guys are literally still my best friends and that's totally fine with me and that's the reality is , you know you pick , pick widely because you know majority of the people in your life will only last for a certain season and then you guys are meant to go different directions and that's okay . But the ones that are with you , those are the ones that you really need to invest in and build those relationships and support each other and choose those people wisely for sure .

Ashley Martinez 25:10

And I like how you said seasons , because that's definitely a great description of life , because , uh , I mean , my life goes like this there's so many ups and downs , like like the worst scribble ever , like there's there's no straight path . And I believe that there's no straight path for anybody . Yeah , no , I have a perfect slate that says cool , I want to do this . And if this is going to happen , like do , do , do , do , do .

Nika Lawrie 25:36

So , on your bumpy path , what are some of the best resources that you've come across that have helped you um with personal growth , with overcoming strategy , with just getting stronger and healthier in general ? What are some of those resources ?

Ashley Martinez 25:54

So I would say number one would definitely be , uh , therapy . You know , that's one thing that , uh , a lot of people are afraid of . You know , I was afraid of that for the longest time . Yeah , I remember , and I I would miss to go , but sometimes it's just because you don't connect with the , the therapist you have .

Nika Lawrie 26:13

That's the biggest thing I wish people would realize is that it's not therapy itself that's the issue . It's that you have to find the right person that you need to talk to .

Ashley Martinez 26:22

Yeah , exactly , um . And then , once you have that , then you start realizing a lot , because the therapist kind of just throws back at you what you say , which is kind of like right , and it gets . I mean , sometimes I'm frustrating , but then you're like I get it .

Nika Lawrie 26:37

Right , but that's kind of the whole model . That's that's positive psychology really , and that's really what behavior change is about . Um , with coaching , it's the same thing . It's really trying to um help clients understand that they already have the knowledge and willpower within them . They just need help identifying it and pulling it out of themselves so they can implement it to , you know , create really good change in their life . And so sometimes when they're throwing those things back at you , I know it seems um , you know , counterintuitive or like kind of a waste of time . But the idea is that you're actually coming up with the answers for yourself . You just needed a person to facilitate that for you .

Ashley Martinez 27:21

Exactly , and I'm definitely that person Like I'm more of a to-do list person , like I do have like left-brain features where I'm like super creative and think of like co-words and new words , and words that people don't even know , but new words new things .

Ashley Martinez 27:38

I have my own book . I'll be copywriting that for you , dude . But uh , yeah , I mean it's definitely , it's not easy . None of this is easy . Life isn't easy . Nobody said it was ever going to be easy .

Ashley Martinez 27:52

But I feel like I keep the words that my mom told me . She said , you know , it takes courage for a person to live every single day , Absolutely , Absolutely . And that is so true because I mean , it's the little things . You wake up in the morning . Hey , you woke up somewhere out there in the world . Another person did not get that chance to do so .

Ashley Martinez 28:15

You know , you have two arms , let's use them . You have two legs , let's use them . So , like you said , implementing what you have in front of you or on you in order to grow . And once you have that view , I mean write it down , Because if you don't write it down , it doesn't happen . Then it's just the thought . Right ? There's so many thought bubbles that go through my head on a daily basis that , unless you're like , stamp it on , I'm going to do this , like get it done . Or , as you say , own it right , Like own it . You know , Absolutely , If you want to do this position and you'll be proud because I own it and I do own it and I've grown and it's helped me because I reassure myself . Yeah , I was here , we're doing good and we're making an impact and changing lives .

Nika Lawrie 29:08

Yeah , changing lives . That mean you really truly are changing lives , and that's such a wonderful , wonderful thing .

Ashley Martinez 29:15

Oh it's awesome when these kids get housed . Oh it's like the best day because they're like guess what , teacher Ashley ? Like we're going to the house today , like I get my own room , there's kids . It's amazing .

Nika Lawrie 29:32

So for somebody else that wanted to make you know positive change in their community , similar to yours , what advice would you give them , you know ? What direction would you point them in ?

Ashley Martinez 29:43

I would point them in the direction of awareness , because unless you aren't aware of the topic and or the situation , you will not be contributing Right . So I would say help spread awareness , get involved . I mean , go like our CLN page and help us share . Help us share all of our posts and we have amazing volunteer opportunities . So if you have you know business , we do big . If you do have big groups like 20 or more , you just shoot me an email and we could work out a date where you guys come and clean the playground . You know we've had T-Mobile do that with the sand . They actually flipped all of our sand , which I don't even know was a thing , but put bleach on it and then you flip it . Yeah , it takes away any bugs or anything in there .

Nika Lawrie 30:36

Interesting .

Ashley Martinez 30:38

Yeah , so we definitely have those opportunities and just really talking about this issue because , like you said , it's not in the forefront , which super concerning because these are children . These are children in our community , specifically Albuquerque yeah , I mean , this is happening all over the country .

Nika Lawrie 30:56

It's a huge issue really across the world . But yeah , and it should not .

Ashley Martinez 31:01

But the only reason it is is because it's that out of sight , out of mind mentality . So it really breaks the cycle and break the stigma of this .

Nika Lawrie 31:10

And one reason , you know , kind of bounce off of that , One reason why I try to focus so much on women , is that I really think if you empower a woman , it empowers the entire family , because the woman really feeds , you know , into taking care of the children and raising the children and making them stronger people .

Empowering Women, Supporting Families, Building Community

Nika Lawrie 31:30

They breed community relationships where it's the grandmother and the aunt and the you know the whole family dynamic and then they tend to feed into the community as well , where they do community volunteering and support and you know food banks and things like that , and so often that's female driven . You know , I think that the nonprofit world is a really good example . I think it's like 70% of the employees in the nonprofit world are females . They're women and so I think if you empower a woman , you empower the family and then turn and empower the community and empower the world . So I think it's wonderful that you guys really try to focus on that .

Ashley Martinez 32:10

Yes , definitely , and we also . I mean I could do virtual tours now , because now that you know we're COVID , we're not letting anybody with staff and children in the building . But if anybody would want to take a tour , I mean the best tour guide in Albuquerque , so definitely make sure to take it , give a good tour . But that's what I love about my job , right ? If you gave $1,000 today , I could show you exactly where that money goes . And it warms my heart because to be able to give that to a donor instantly is amazing , because it just shows them that , hey , you are changing lives and changing the direction .

Ashley Martinez 32:49

And I mean we teamed up with United Way . Yeah , so we teamed up with United Way to do a feeding families program , and so what this program is is they started this campaign . We get money from United Way , from everybody in Albuquerque , and then we go and support a local restaurant and then we buy the food and give it back to our children and families . And this has been an amazing program and I've been super honored to run it for our organization , because a lot of these people have never eaten at these places and to have good quality food . It's dignity . We want our families to have dignity . They're just like them , they're no less , they are no less than us .

Ashley Martinez 33:42

And one of the moms it really got me because she said it feels good to feel the same . And I said , well , what do you mean ? She's like it feels good , it feels good to just feel normal for a while , because you hear media is always slashing homelessness and I mean I have some people who've asked well , where are they ? How come I never see them ? And it's like whoa , would you want to be a single mom on the corner with three of your babies .

Nika Lawrie 34:12

Yeah , you have to think about safety and keeping those children protected . And what is the safest environment for them ? And panhandling on the corner is probably not the safest place to have three children under the age of 10 or something Like that . There's shelters and lots of other places that they can especially with their baby babies . Cause like six weeks , like those are baby babies , yeah , so where can people connect with you online ? Where's the best place to reach out to you ?

Ashley Martinez 34:43

So they can connect with us on Facebook . Facebook is a really good platform for us . On our CLN page , we are actually going to be doing a huge rebrand , or rebad brand . When we started off with our good last , emails went to CLN kids . Now we're going back to Quedadelociños , so you'll be seeing a new website here in July . So brace for that . Yeah , that's all the secrets I could tell about that one , but it's definitely going to be exciting . So help us really push this out .

Ashley Martinez 35:19

We have some excited COVID fundraisers in the mixture , so be aware of that In COVID . That's one thing about development . We'll probably go into this . But COVID has changed fundraising across the board . Oh , absolutely , and it's crazy because it's like well , you literally have to pivot , like you're pulling a Ross on friends right , pivot , pivot , yeah , and just jump in to this digital realm but turn fundraising If you can't stop fundraising . Right , because we need nonprofits , we need nonprofits . Hands down , absolutely , yeah . So converting to that is interesting , but it's also fun because you can be innovative and creative . So if there's anybody out there who's like , well , what can I do ? Help be innovative . Let's come up with something cool together , like if you have a business out there and you're a small business owner and you have a great idea . Let's do a paint night , let's deliver canvases and let's do a virtual paint night right ? Or a karaoke night on Zoom .

Nika Lawrie 36:34

Oh , wow .

Ashley Martinez 36:36

No , we love the more amazing . That's fun . Let's get innovative together , because together that's how we're going to make a change Right ? Not by me , not by just you . It has to be together with no divide .

Nika Lawrie 36:53

Yeah , I think that . I think the key thing is understanding the community around the nonprofits and that you can be in multiple communities and multiple nonprofits and support them all . And it's not always monetary . Sometimes it is just making introductions to other people , maybe it is just dropping off supplies for the paint night , something like that . It doesn't necessarily always have to be a monetary donation .

Ashley Martinez 37:20

Absolutely , and that's a great point because , let's say , somebody did donate art supplies , then we would be able to host a fundraiser and actually get 100% of those proceeds back . Right , right , yeah , and so that really really helps . But I mean , it's just togetherness at this point and it's going to be interesting to see how the world comes together . I mean , I have high hopes . I do have high hopes for humanity .

Nika Lawrie 37:46

Yeah , it'll be fascinating to see if all these nonprofits go back to major events , like in person major events , even after there's a vaccine . It'll be interesting to see what the permanent changes are long term .

Ashley Martinez 38:03

It is definitely going to be interesting . I don't know . It's going to look like it's evolving and it's weird to be a part of that because it's like it's your position and you're like , oh , just moving with the world , like just trying to go . But at the same time I mean generosity . The generosity that I've seen during COVID been amazing . Yeah , we didn't stop once COVID hit . Once COVID hit , we kept going . We launched a social media campaign . We raised $30,000 . Oh my gosh , yeah , and that generosity , wow . Like people were just sending in checks and they're like I don't need this stimulus check . Here you go , put it to somewhere Others that can benefit it more . Mm-hmm , even we had individuals who were even laid off and still donated .

Nika Lawrie 38:59

Like that's key , because they just be important Because , you see , oftentimes the people who are closest to needing the service are the ones who are usually the most generous , because they know that direct connection and they have been humbled by the situation and so they know how important it is . And so , even if it's just a dollar or two or 50 cents , they do what they can to support the causes .

Ashley Martinez 39:28

Absolutely , and like we had a great success story because we had ordered a food for staff day here and it was a local business and it turns out the owner actually used our services and so she was like what , you guys saved my life , like she's a business owner now and she's kicking butt and taking names and so like he was able to do that and was like no , this one's on me , like to be able to hear that like that much powerful , hell , yeah , yeah , you know , that's just like you did it and that's what we want for our families . I mean , we're a year program but let's say you have one more year of college , you're doing good . We'll extend that for you . We're here for you . We just want success and unfortunately we have some families that don't make it through the program , but that's because of you know , dad comes back in the picture or they just move . Sadly , some of them just disappear and we know we have them again . Those ones are hard , those are very hard .

Ashley Martinez 40:41

We had a kiddo who left the program . She graduated the program . She actually started when I started and that was so hard . That day was so hard because I was like I'm proud of you . She's like I'm proud of you too , and the say bye . Like her name was Moschka and she was so cool . We danced .

Ashley Martinez 41:00

Like I watched her grow through the infant classroom into the toddler classroom and when she first started I mean there was anxiety . She would scream and cry and for a lot of our kiddos I never realized like that was a thing right , like I didn't realize that kids could have anxiety . Oh yeah , it's rough and it's hard to see that . These teachers here amazing I do not have . They are amazing because they're all bilingual , they have the biggest hearts ever seen and they have patience of an angel because they are able to pick up a child and just give them the love that they need and I don't mean that in no disrespect to the family , but visual and actually being in front of a child and engaging with them is huge and developed through . If you don't have those cues , then you're off Right and for a lot of our families they're either in a stroller most of the day being pushed around , so they're not seeing mom or dad , they're just being in a stroller , and that also affects their capability in terms of physical development .

Nika Lawrie 42:18

Yeah , just that connection , that physical contact and the eye contact . Absolutely , it's a huge , huge deal that I think a lot of people don't understand . Yeah , so , ashley , I have some quick fire questions that I want to go through with you before we leave today . So , short answers , the best that you can , real quick , ready , real , real quick , let's go Okay . So what is the best tip that you have for making the world a better place ? The card Ooh , I love that answer , mm-hmm .

Ashley Martinez 42:55

The humble Sit down . I'm going to have to probably write that .

Nika Lawrie 43:01

I'm going to do that too .

Positive Mindset and Personal Growth

Nika Lawrie 43:04

What is the most important thing you've learned in your life ? No-transcript .

Ashley Martinez 43:11

Mindset , your mindset , positive mindset , helps your direction Absolutely .

Nika Lawrie 43:19

Absolutely yes . What would you like to say to encourage other women to live a healthy , happy life ?

Ashley Martinez 43:30

I'm going to steal your quote and say okay , and I mean in the sense that , be you . I feel like for the longest part of my growth I wasn't sure who I wanted to be , what personality I was comfortable showing to people . I'm happy to say that I'm in a position where I can be genuine , I could be authentic and I could be me , and that's okay .

Nika Lawrie 43:56

And you're a beautiful person just the way you are . So thank you , you're welcome .

Ashley Martinez 44:03

But yeah , let's just be you and own it . Own everything you do , whether it's a mistake , whether it's a not a mistake , whether it's good or bad , own it . I mean , just take the end . I think that's hard for a lot of people in life when they make mistakes . It's hard to be like , oh , I made a mistake . Right Like , just own it . I mean , you know , when you look back , in the end it's all worth it because you can make choices .

Ashley Martinez 44:30

Every day is a fork in the road . You think of it this way Every action you do is going to take you in a certain direction . Right Like , so just have control over it and try and keep that control . That's the hardest part . Right , it's like all right , cool , you could be a cruise control . But then all of a sudden your engine blows out . Right , and then your , your steering wheel pops off and you're like wait , wait . It's all in your mind . But like , those positive energies , those forces , the people pushing you to move forward , but also you like you are the only one that could change you , no matter what ?

Nika Lawrie 45:05

Yeah , amen to that one . That is the absolute truth . Yeah , yeah , I think I think oftentimes , you know , especially as women , we , you know , when we're younger , we wait around for the right man or right partner to come and change your life . And , you know , make our dreams come true , you know , and then we look at the right job , it's going to do it . And then we're like , well , you know , once I have my family and the right house and you know the kids , then you know my life's going to be perfect . And what you start to realize is you move through those steps and you still aren't happy , or you still aren't content , or you still aren't where you want to be , and what you realize is that you haven't done the work on yourself yet , you haven't become who you need to become in order to get to that spot .

Ashley Martinez 45:52

It's also in terms of like the the words you use right Instead of maybe or someday , if you start changing into tomorrow or today , right Today , like the day I found out I was cancer free . Like today , whoa second day . Like I literally woke up and I was like different person , like I'm so different because I'm like dang . I dodged a bullet in . That bullet like woke me up , it shook me to my core .

Nika Lawrie 46:21

It truly has been amazing to see you change . Just . Your entire energy is so much brighter now than it was even a couple months ago .

Ashley Martinez 46:30

I think it's been a really profound thing to see happen , and I see that , because I , in meditation , I take myself out to see where I've come from . You have to look back , no matter what you have to . You have to look back and celebrate that and say you know what ? That was hard Like dang . We've been through some stuff , right , like there's some stuff , we saw some things , but all of that has allowed us to be right here in this moment . Yeah , right , like I'm where I want to be , you're where you want to be .

Ashley Martinez 47:04

We're changing lives and trying to make impacts , right , like that's big stuff and a lot of people are still having their will I don't know , or like what ifs , like , oh , maybe someday , you know , and it's just changing that perspective . And it's hard , by no means Like anybody on there like it's definitely hard but it's possible . Yeah , and I mean that in the sense , like I know you guys don't know my whole story , but I mean it's possible Because I've been in some pretty dark places and when you see that darkness and it's so dark it's it's up to you to pull yourself out .

Nika Lawrie 47:47

Absolutely , absolutely , yeah , okay , ashley . Final question you ready ? What is the best habit change that you've made in your life that's made a positive impact ? We might have already touched on this , but if you have another one , you can share that one too .

Ashley Martinez 48:05

A gallon of water a day . This has been the best positive impact in my life In terms of mindset . It just makes your body feel good and it keeps you full , and I mean just eating healthy and staying active . For me , it's working out . Like working out is my , my adrenaline rush . I mean like , ew , why do you do that ? I mean I do crossfit , and it's literally an adrenaline rush because you feel like you're going to die after every workout . But then you don't right , did you die though ? Did you , did you ? Yeah , you die , and then you come back to life afterwards . That's how I view my life . Right , my life's so intense , but I'm here . Yeah , I'm talking to you and you know I have the courage to be here today and , happy for it , I'm owning it .

Nika Lawrie 49:02

I'm so proud of you and I am so grateful for your time and your knowledge and just joining me today . So thank you so so much , ashley .

Ashley Martinez 49:11

Thank you for making your positive impact in the world and everything that you do for these ladies , because I mean , it's hard . It's hard for us , as women , to admit our insecurities right . All of us women are insecure . Don't you tell me in the webcam that you're not . All of us have insecurities , we're just afraid to talk about it , and so thank you , because I feel like you help bring those out , so it's very important .

Nika Lawrie 49:44

I appreciate that , thank you , is there anything else that you would like to share with the listeners , anything you think they should know ?

Ashley Martinez 49:54

Nope , if you haven't got involved with Nika before I mean get involved with her She'll give you a chance and and she's one person she's the first person who gave you that chance to the path that I am on now . So you were a key stakeholder in all of this , because you were you were that chess piece that started the me on this journey .

Nika Lawrie 50:14

You're making me cry .

Ashley Martinez 50:17

I don't know where I would be in terms of like work , right Like I would I , my world would be different , it would not be what it is right now and I wouldn't be the person I am , honestly . And so thank you because if , through nonprofits , I feel like my heart's gotten bigger , my respect for people has gotten larger , my world view has definitely opened and giving and philanthropy and all of it , like I'm in it to win it and I love it and thank you for being a part of that .

Expressions of Gratitude and Farewell

Nika Lawrie 50:57

Well , thank you . Thanks for your friendship . Yeah Well , thank you so much . Actually , it has been such a pleasure speaking with you . Thank you , you too .

Ashley Martinez 51:06

Bye to all you listeners , Hope you enjoyed our yeah bye .