Ashley Simpo is a Sacramento, California-based writer, designer, content strategist and online community manager. She’s written for Those People and also started the website Her Wild Tribe with Marie Young. Check out what advice she had for us in the interview below.
Blavity: What inspired you to create your website and at what point did you effectively decide that this is important and I need to work on cultivating this idea?
AS: At first Marie and I wanted to take concepts from our separate blogs (GoodLooknOut and The Temporary Things) and merge them into something that was more about Sacramento (where we live) and kind of bring to the surface some of the things that were going on in the arts scene. As we moved forward with that brand there was a point where I kind of said — I think we should go in a different direction and focus on creatives because I just didn’t see a lot of opportunities for creatives to dwell digitally and create a community and kind of grow and connect. After we shifted our focus everything fell into place, we were much more connected personally to that concept.
B: Who are some of your biggest influences both on your work and in your life and why?
AS: I am really inspired by women who are changing how black women are seen today. Qimmah Saafir of Hannah magazine is a big inspiration to me, obviously Morgan DeBaun, Lauren Ash is doing really cool stuff in Chicago with Black Girl in Om, I really respect Felicia Gordon for what she and John are doing with Those People. I’m also hugely grateful for Her Wild Tribe’s co-creator Marie Young — she’s been such a driver for pushing the limits of my abilities both in work and in life. We’re both single moms and we’re both creatives and that combination is oftentimes very daunting, so we both do a great job of being supportive but also keeping each other on our toes which is everything when you’re trying to get a brand started.
B: In having the conversation about black women who are creators, what is one thing that you hope that women who come to your website leave with?
AS: I hope they leave with at least two things. With more resources than they started out with — whether it’s a partner to collaborate with, a photographer for their style blog or a workshop that fills a gap in their skill set. I also hope they leave with the knowledge that black women are seriously serving it right now. I think we grow up with this narrative that black women can fit into one of maybe two or three preconceived boxes and in reality we are so deep and so creative and so hard working. We are capable of doing so much and that needs to be confirmed, so I hope they go to our site and engage with us to feel that confirmation and maybe recharge their batteries a little.
B: Why is Her Wild Tribe unique and what do you ultimately hope comes out of it?
AS: Her Wild Tribe is unique firstly because we are strictly focused on women of color who are creatives. There are some incredible resources out there such as MyCC, who are supportive to black creatives as a whole, but we are focusing specifically on the challenges of women of color. We are also striving to be resource-focused. So we want to be not just where other creatives may come to see who some of the illustrators in Brooklyn are but also where a company might go to browse creative directors to hire. We will be launching some really cool events in 2016 such as creative retreats where a group of creative women can actually build a supportive tribe with each other and really get to know one another. We’re going to also be launching some workshops in our key cities lead by creatives who have so much to share. The event portion of HWT is going to be so amazing, we have a lot in store.
B: What is your working relationship like with your collaborator and how did it begin?
AS: Marie and I met because our kids went to the same preschool. We realized we were both bloggers and our friendship kind of took off from there. I mean to meet another creative, blogger, mom who lives in a city like Sacramento is so rare! And we literally have seen each other through it all. We have spent many a night working late on our site or on other projects together while our kids are running around like crazy monsters in the background — stuff that might drive other people completely nuts! She is really good at being supportive and not letting the people she cares about give up on themselves. And when you’re trying to do things people are telling you might be impossible, that’s energy you need around. The basis of our friendship and working relationship is really the concept of Her Wild Tribe. You need sisterhood in order to thrive — that whole concept of going further together and why that bond is important for women.
B: What are some of the biggest obstacles to creative women of color in your mind and how can those obstacles be overcome?
AS: I think we are told who we are from a young age and we’re often taught to take what we can get as well. I don’t think our parents ever wanted us to settle but I do think there has been a strong element of being grateful for stability instead of reaching for the riskier things in life. Being a creative is risky. There’s competition and oftentimes not a lot of money at first. You’ll look around and see people in other fields and think maybe you’re crazy for wanting to be a painter or a singer or a travel blogger, especially when the world might want you to just sit down and be quiet and smile. So really breaking out of that barrier is huge for creative women of color. I think it’s really vital that we look to our staples of inspiration and repeat the mantra, “She can do it. I can do it.” Realizing that the only thing between where we are and where we want to get to is time and effort. That none of us are privileged — it’s all hard work.
B: Do you think that diversity has become the new buzzword in discussions about cultural discrepancies in the workplace? If that answer is yes, then what can websites such as Her Wild Tribe do to help combat this?
AS: Diversity is definitely something you hear more about now, but I still think it’s not really being taken seriously yet. I hope it proves to be more than just a trendy thing to say in a board meeting and becomes a new standard. There is so much color lacking in the creative fields and in most fields I think, because it is more about who you know than what you do. I think we have been kept out of that circle because we don’t run in the same crowds and so opportunities are going to our white counterparts because someone’s dad plays golf with someone’s uncle and bam — you get an interview. It’s not that you’re less deserving, it’s that you are less exposed. So Her Wild Tribe will be that place where you might end up at a HWT party or a retreat or on a chat with someone who could be the missing connection to your next employer. We really want to fill the holes in our community that tend to keep us from progressing simply because we’re left out of the conversation. So, you know, let’s create our own conversation then.
B: What is your personal definition of a creative, and how do you think the sometimes limited definition of creative can cause some to feel like they’re not a “real” creative?
AS: Personally I think a creative is anyone who doesn’t use a blueprint or a template but instead leaves a true piece of themselves in the things they do. Creatives don’t just have to be people who went to art school and design or paint or play instruments. Creatives can be social activists like Jonetta Elzie or culinary experts like Chef Ahki. We’re talking about people who do more than just a job, but leave a very personal mark on what they do, and who aren’t afraid to venture into the world of being their own brand.
B: What is your process like for creating your own work, and how does it differ from the process of creating for a project like Her Wild Tribe?
AS: As a writer, my own process is very chaotic and kind of emotional. I write mainly about things that have set a fire underneath me, so I’m kind of banging on the keys of my Mac, listening to The Roots or something, stopping only to fact check or ponder on synonyms. Her Wild Tribe is collaborative and it’s very much planned out and multidimensional. So much work goes into HWT, we have several meetings a week, we plan out our content, we do extensive research on who is who and what they’re doing – it’s a very tedious process and a very mindful process. Her Wild Tribe is definitely where the type-A skills have to come out and I actually love that I get to be the raging creative with fire in her pen and also the digital and content strategist for something that’s much bigger than me.
B: What are some overlooked ideas about creativity and overlooked creative work from black women in your mind?
AS: I think just that creativity is a side note or an unnecessary extra not to be taken seriously. You don’t exactly garner as much respect for being a creative as you might for being a lawyer or doctor. People are only fascinated by creatives who have made it big, it seems. But creativity is actually so vital in our economy, especially in today’s society of big business and uneven power distribution. We have to embrace small businesses and vendors and support artisans and entrepreneurs if we want to see a shift in that. As for overlooked creative work? Definitely social work and activism. I think that area is not initially seen as being creative but it’s extremely creative in my mind. I’m talking about women who are seeking social justice or bringing food and wellness awareness to communities that have otherwise been left out of that equation. Creativity is often a choice but one that you feel you have no choice to make because you are drawn to this particular work, whatever it is. It takes a special person to stand on the front lines of these issues our community faces and put their voice and name on it and own it and represent it. They are not often compensated for that work, they have insanely endless hours, they put their all into that and it is most definitely creative work. I am fiercely proud of the black women who are driving these movements, they deserve as much applause as we can muster and you will certainly be seeing them featured and discussed in the HWT community as we grow.
Feel free to check out Ashley and Marie’s work at Her Wild Tribe
