Ur Mom Ashley was far from a mother figure at the beginning. She eventually resolved to cultivate her own corner of the Internet. “I actually started my YouTube channel when I was 12 years old, only to post about ten videos before deciding to focus on school,” she reveals. “However, during my freshman year of college, I finally had the courage to pursue YouTube again! It was definitely something I had always wanted to do after falling in love watching the beauty guru era of YouTube. Watching some of my favorites, like Bethany Mota and Emma Chamberlain, really inspired me to get my channel off the ground, as I really wanted to create a little community where I could share my favorite things and just be myself. Over time, it became a natural way for me to film videos about my life and an incredible way to bond with my siblings. I’m grateful it’s become such a big part of my life, and I look forward to continuing to work on my content full time.” Her iconic nickname came about later. “Funnily enough, it was actually my Spotify username that was created off a spur-of-the-moment decision. Coincidently, it stuck! A lot of my friends say I have motherly tendencies, so the name seems to fit.” She builds her content from a cornucopia of sources. Every idea passes through multiple perspectives. “I gain inspiration for my content from all over the place. I enjoy watching YouTube videos of all genres, which often inspire multiple ideas for me. I’ve even drawn ideas from some of my past content. But I have also been lucky enough to have amazing friends and siblings on whom I can bounce ideas off of.”
Anyone will tell you that your 20s can be a mixed bag, depending on what you make of it. Ashley tries to take everything in stride. After all, today’s misstep is tomorrow’s cherished lesson. “So far, I’ve learned that working toward your goals always pays off – even if things don’t happen exactly as you want them, you still gain experience that you can take into other areas of your life. Sometimes you need to ‘ask’ for things to be given – so work hard and the universe will work in your favor!” If you’re feeling stressed, just breathe and remember you’re a fresh flower in the garden of life. “I am someone who occasionally feels overwhelmed by the prospect of my 20s, and for me, what always helps is reminding myself that I’m young and there are so many new things to explore – I don’t need to have everything figured out right now! I think a lot of people my age are worried about optimizing their time in their early 20s, when in reality, there are plenty of people who don’t become ‘successful’ until their 40s, 50s, 60s, etc.!”
Ashley never takes her visibility as a Korean-American creator for granted. She’s grateful that the digital sphere has opened up representation. “I’m incredibly honored to be a creator that young Asian-American girls can relate to! Growing up, there weren’t many female Asian creators that I could look up to. What I love about YouTube is that anyone can become ‘famous,’ and there is so much more diversity on the platform now than ever before! I expect that the trend will continue, and I’m excited for all of the up and coming minority creators.” People tend to leave her content feeling brighter than they did at the start. Every follower is a crucial thread in her tapestry of support. “Whenever I post a video, it is my biggest hope that my viewers walk away feeling happier and as though they checked in on a friend! I love how tight-knit my community is, and I truly consider all of my viewers my friends.” She’s planning to embark on new experiences and even launching a business! “This year is definitely full of adventure as I am prioritizing travel at the moment, which my followers can get an inside look at through my content. It’s been an incredible experience so far! I’m also really proud to share that I am working on my own matcha line! Not much to share just yet on this, but hoping I can tease this out to my followers very soon.” We’ve never been so proud of our mom.
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Ur Mom Ashley Nurtures a Loving Community. Photo Credit: Luiz Clas.
