“I was adopted and it saved my life.” Ashley begins the interview by speaking about her past struggles in foster care and her wonderful adoption that was “no short of a fairytale.”
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ashley, she spent her childhood in 14 foster care homes until she was finally adopted by a loving family. Ashley is now a college graduate, New York Times Bestselling author, and an advocate for adoptable children. Her book, Three Little Words, is a memoir and a national bestseller. Ashley has also appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Nightline, Nancy Grace, ABC Primetime, Montel Williams, and other national media outlets.
Ashley goes on to answer my first question: what would you tell a family who is considering adopting a child? She responds passionately, affirming that “The thing to also remember is that there is an age, gender, disposition, development level, or sibling group out there for ANY family. There are just too many kids out there to turn your back on the possibility of adoption.”
Although Ashley went through some tough times in abusive foster care families, she always felt the need to advocate for herself and other children who were going through similar challenges. Once adopted, her life improved dramatically. Ashley continuously emphasizes the love her parents gave her, saying: “I know my parents love me just as much as their biological sons, and frankly, I may be even closer to my parents in some ways.”
Nowadays, Ashley and her husband have fostered 12 children. Unfortunately, none of the children have become free for adoption, but Ashley assures me they will “jump at the chance to adopt any of our kids that we feel a deep connection with.” Ashley is also currently serving as a National Child Welfare Ambassador for the American Humane Association as well as on several national and international boards including, Amici de Bambini, OrphanAid Africa, Ghana; Children Without a Voice USA; and Family Focus Adoption, USA.
Ashley has some words of encouragement for children undergoing foster care, including telling them to persevere through these dark times in their lives, and reminding them that their “life experiences actually make them much more capable of success.”
Ashley ends the interview with these words; “My story isn't unique and my experiences mirror that of thousands of other youth struggling in care. Youth must take responsibility for their own futures, make positive choices, find their passions, and surround themselves with people who are going to help progress them to the next stage in their lives. Communities must also rally around these youth to ensure that we have better outcomes.”
It was an absolute honor interviewing the incredible Ashley Rhodes-Courter, and I would like to thank her for her time and what she gives to the world.
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