“I’m a big community person. I’m a person who will be like, ‘I think I know someone for you.’ And then I’ll put everyone together. So I’m a big person on lending a helping hand. My platform is for highlighting folks. I’ve highlighted over 50 black junior astronomers for Black History Month, which I will continuously do. I founded the #BlackInAstro Week, which was very successful. I had no clue it was even trending until other people told me. I didn’t even realize until it was the middle of the week, and people were saying, ‘congratulations!’ And I was like, ‘wait, what? Okay, thanks!’ I didn’t realize it was that big.

“Community for me and using my platform to promote others — it’s something that really makes me happy. It’s very important to lift others up because for me, I don’t see people who look like me. You never know who’s watching, or who will get inspired. The next generation of scientists will be amazing. This generation of scientists is outstanding — but the next generation will be amazing, so on and so forth. We’re just going to keep lifting each other up and making sure that we all have each other’s backs, because right now is a critical time in our lives. We need each other more than anything.”

Ashley Walker, Intern in the Undergraduate Research Associates in Astrobiology program at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, is photographed in her home in Chicago, Ill. via video conference, Saturday, July 25, 2020 in Alexandria, Va. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

It's time to celebrate!. Over 100 Seattle area children joined the WNBA, Pitney Bowes, the Seattle Storm at the First A.M.E. Child and Family Center in Seattle for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and got to cut the ribbon to officially open the renovated Reading and Learning Center.

The Storm won the revitalized Center for the First A.M.E. Child and Family Center through the 2008 Fast Break To Reading literacy program.

Pictured from left to right are: Seattle Storm Centers Janell Burse and Ashley Walker, WNBA Legend Jennifer Azzi, First A.M.E. Seattle Executive Director Cecilia Williams Bryant, Pitney Bowes Vice President of State and Local Government Alfie Charles, First A.M.E. Seattle Chair of the Board and Pastor Carey Anderson, Seattle Storm CEO and President Karen Bryant, Seattle Storm Guards Tanisha Wright and Sue Bird, and Seattle Storm Forward Swin Cash with area youth in Seattle.

(c) 2009 WNBA Enterprises. Photo by WNBAE

Published in the Ledger, 2009.

Ashley Walker looking pretty casual with her boot.

Not the way anyone wanted the season to end.

Coming out of the team huddle, Suzy was in tears. Not sure who ripped her, but someone did.