Member Spotlight: Ashley Blake – Living Life at Full Speed
If you have met Ashley Blake, you know her nickname “Everywhere” is not an exaggeration. She is the friend who shows up for the things that make life full, whether that is dancing, skydiving, or restoring a centuries-old dresser. A connector at heart, she has built a life woven with adventure, creativity, and community, and DFW Young & Social has become one of the rare places where all those threads come together.
Ashley
“Everywhere”
Blake
Background & Journey
Ashley grew up all across the United States, from New England to California to Florida. Moving every three to six months meant constantly learning new names, new rules, and new hallways.
“I got good at being the new kid, but I never stopped feeling like I was always on the outside of a group looking in.”
Today, she lives in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, bringing her adventurous energy to every space she enters. That spirit of always showing up is what earned her the nickname Everywhere.
Passions & Work
By day, Ashley is a Sales Director in the staffing industry. Her role fits her perfectly.
“I am a connector at heart. I love helping people and making a difference in their lives. It is not what you know, it is who you know. Connections are the breath in life.”
Her creative side runs just as deep. A former professional cosplayer and model who made her own costumes, she now restores antique furniture and crafts her own Renaissance faire attire.
When she is not on the ground, she is learning to skydive and hopes to have her license by the end of the year.
Community Connection
Ashley first discovered DFW Young & Social when another group she was in attended a dance lesson. Her first dance social was unforgettable.
“As someone with social anxiety who is typically fairly clumsy, it was incredible to be welcomed like an old friend. People ran up to grab me to dance, even with styles I had never heard of, and had patience showing me the way.”
For Ashley, the community’s impact runs deeper than just events.
“Here, people do not just tolerate me, they look for me. I get asked, ‘Are you coming this weekend?’ like my being there matters. I am seen, remembered, and included. That kind of care is everything.”
Life Beyond Work
When she is not connecting people or dancing, Ashley loves volleyball, anime, cats, and anything that challenges her physically, especially if it involves water. She collects coins and antique snow globes that play music. Ireland tops her travel memories, and next up on her bucket list is Italy’s Apulia region.
Looking Ahead
Ashley’s year ahead includes earning her skydiving license and continuing to grow in her passions. The best advice she has ever received is,
“Hard work and dedication beats talent 100% of the time.”
If she could tell her younger self anything, it would be:
“Everyone is weird and uncomfortable and nervous. Own it.”
Ashley’s life is a reminder that connection does not have to fit neatly into one box. It is about showing up, whether you are on the dance floor, in the clouds, or simply in a place where someone is glad you came.
