"Go with the flow!" It sounds like good general advice, right? Be open, experimental, and willing to try new things. But, it also is a pretty passive way to live your life. It's letting life happen TO you, rather than you being intentional with your decisions. Ashley Valentine was kind of just going with the flow. As a teacher—a role moreso stumbled upon than sought after—she wasn't necessarily unhappy, but she was taking on too much, trying too many new things...to the point of burnout. It wasn't until she learned how to prioritize herself, and her wants and needs, that she began to align her actions with her intentions. She had known her purpose was to support urban youth in literacy, but, for her, was teaching the best way to do that? By founding Rooted MKE, a Milwaukee-based BIPOC bookstore and tutoring & makerspace (launching in March 2022, hopefully!), Ashley seized control of her journey. She decided to root her life in her own soil, on her own path. | You can follow Rooted MKE on Facebook (@RootedMKE.Tutoring) and Instagram (@rooted.mke)!
