Kentucky State Representative candidate Ashley Miller
Ashley Miller, a State Representative candidate from Kentucky, shares her experience of how progressive politics has helped her
prosper into a successful young woman. Her story is below.
Often in the world of politics, being a progressive candidate can be seen as a negative or threatening label. It’s a label that is often plagued with the stereotype of extremism and an ideology synonymous with the pursuit of a new world order. Progressive, by definition, however, is something that anyone entering the political realm should aspire to be.
A progressive is in favor or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are. A progressive advocates for making progress toward better conditions.
As a Democratic and female candidate, progressive has been a label often applied to myself and my politics, and I embrace it! My life has been about constant progress in an attempt to become a better woman, sister, daughter, Nurse Practitioner, and member of my community. Growing up in a family plagued by poverty, drug abuse and violence, being progressive was the only option I had to change my stars. To give my brother, Keith, a positive role model, and to create a situation that my future family would be proud of and safe in, I had to focus not on my current situation, but on progress. The vision I had for my future was similar to what I would see at my grandparents’ home or when visiting with friends from school: a home in a safe environment with the basic life necessities and a happy family. I knew I wanted something different for my future, and enough people in my community knew that too, and helped me along the way. They pushed me toward progress.
I attribute much of my success in life to my grandparents’ ability to give me a sense of normalcy in the middle of the chaos I was living at home and to emphasize a focus on education at a time when I was so angry and embarrassed with life; to teachers that took the extra effort to make sure I focused on school and making good grades; and to my coaches that saw enough talent in me to push me harder than I thought I could go. From my community, I learned what it means to be a global citizen, that education is the key to success, that tenacity and hard work are the only way to chase a dream, that you should be loyal and compassionate, and that once you become successful, it is your responsibility to reach back and help other people. I have chosen to give back to my community by running for State Representative.
I did not grow up thinking I would engage in politics. I got into nursing to help people, and positively change the environment that I lived in. Little did I know, the nursing process would be the means through which I could assess issues in the community, diagnose them, and plan and implement policy to address those issues. State Representative Mary Lou Marzian, as a fellow nurse, helped me see this and realize the impact I could make in the general assembly. My personal and political values are the same. Improving the community will not happen overnight and it takes tenacity and loyalty to the people you serve. It takes the compassion to care about what’s going on in your community and the willingness to sacrifice some of yourself in an attempt to make things better. With these values, with the help of mentors and the fantastic training I am receiving in the Emerge Kentucky program, I pursue a seat in the Kentucky State House.
As a State Representative, I plan to work day by day to make Kentucky a better place. My vision for this Commonwealth is one where everyone, no matter their zip code, has access to a great education. Where Kentucky is no longer known for its’ high rates of cancer, obesity and poor social determinants of health, but is a leader in overall wellness and disease prevention. My vision is of a Kentucky that has economic stability, a strong middle class and with political leaders that are representative of the population and willing to serve people above partisanships. My vision for Kentucky will take time and it will require hard work. It will require the ability to engage with leaders across party lines to move us forward. This vision is about progress and that is what public leadership and policy should be all about.
Let’s be progressive and continuously move our country toward better conditions!