We recently had the chance to connect with Dara Ashley and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dara, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I am chasing impact and generational change, not just temporary wins or surface-level success, but deep, transformative outcomes that outlast me. My pursuit is rooted in the belief that access, equity, and opportunity can shift entire lineages. I’m driven by the possibility that one scholarship, mentorship connection, or leadership opportunity could alter a student’s life trajectory and, by extension, their family and community.
To stop chasing this would mean accepting the status quo: that systemic inequality is immovable, that opportunity should remain limited to a select few, and that my voice or the collective voice of those I serve doesn’t matter. If I stopped, it wouldn’t just be a personal pause but a surrender of the possibility of change.
But impact isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. I chase generational change not because it’s easy, but because the alternative, a world where people like me or the students I advocate for are unseen, unheard, and unsupported, is unacceptable. So I continue the chase, knowing each step forward matters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Dara Ashley, the founder and executive director of the Dara Ashley Foundation. Our mission is to create a lasting impact with new opportunities for minority college students nationwide. We provide scholarships, one-on-one mentorship, leadership development, and community-building experiences that help students succeed in school and thrive in life.
Our work is unique because it’s deeply personal and intentionally community-driven. We’re not just handing out scholarships—we’re investing in students as whole people, helping them discover their voice, sharpen their skills, and build networks that last well beyond graduation.
We’re expanding our national LeadershipU program, growing our mentorship pipeline, and launching more partnerships that connect students to real-world opportunities. Every initiative we launch is built to create generational change, and we’re just getting started.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is the one I have with my mom, Dr. Iris Freemon. She is the blueprint of strength, resilience, and purpose. Watching her navigate life with both grace and grit taught me what it means to lead with integrity, serve with intention, and never lose sight of who you are, even in the face of adversity.
Her example showed me that success isn’t just about personal achievement, but about how you uplift others along the way. She instilled in me the belief that I am capable, worthy, and responsible for using my gifts to create change. So much of who I am, how I lead, how I love, how I show up for my community, is rooted in the lessons I learned by simply watching her live.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me gratitude and contentment in a way that success never could. When everything felt uncertain or stripped away, I learned to appreciate the small things, the quiet wins, the people who stayed, the strength I didn’t know I had.
It showed me that peace doesn’t come from having more, but from recognizing what already surrounds you. In contrast, success often pushes you to chase the next milestone. But suffering reminded me to pause, breathe, and be deeply thankful for the present moment. It grounded me in purpose, not pressure.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is the real me. There’s only one version of myself, and I’ve never learned how to be anyone else. I don’t put on a persona to fit into rooms or conversations; I lead, speak, and serve from the same place of truth every time.
Whether mentoring students, building community through the Dara Ashley Foundation, or spending time with loved ones, I show up as myself. That consistency matters to me. It’s how trust is built, impact is made, and how I stay grounded in a world that often pressures people to perform instead of just be.
I’ve found freedom in authenticity and made peace with the fact that not everyone will connect with who I am, but the people who do, do so genuinely. And that’s more than enough.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do, but more than that, I’m doing what I’ve been called to do. For me, this isn’t just a passion or a career path; it’s an assignment from God. I believe the Lord has instructed me to walk this journey, serve others, build something bigger than myself, and be a vessel for change.
Everything I do through the Dara Ashley Foundation, every student we support, every door we open, it’s not by accident. It’s part of a greater purpose I didn’t create for myself, but one I’m honored to carry out. I couldn’t be fulfilled doing anything else, because this work is directly tied to my faith and calling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedaraashleyfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daraashleyfoundation/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dara-ashley-foundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daraashleyfoundation
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDaraAshleyFoundation
Image Credits
Foundation Images from Instagram
