Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

LaughingOne
Sep 23, 2011LaughingOne rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Ashley Judd is my new heroine. This memoir is not only about her childhood and life as a sister and daughter to Wynonna and Naomi Judd, it is about her life and work as an advocate on behalf of the vulnerable people in the world, visiting people with HIV/AIDS, women/girls who were prostitutes and sex slaves because they were sold or bought or raped or had no other way to make any money for their children and families, AIDS orphans and other orphans. Through her work with Population Services International (PSI) Ashley traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Guatemala, India, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (all written about in this book), and other places. She played with children, sat with very ill people, hugged them, held them, loved on them (is how she put it), and witnessed their lives. She told them “I will not forget you” and went on to talk about them at the United Nations General Assembly among other venues. She gave of her time and her personal money. She worked with the people she was with, doing what they were doing. She was present. She had privilege and recognition as a Hollywood figure and she used it to help better the lives of those who had much less than she; she used her influence to raise money, to get donations. The stories Ashley told in this book moved me to tears more often than not. They also gave me great hope. I truly admire what Ashley does, who she has become through her work on herself and with others in the world. She is an intensely spiritual person without being doctrinaire about it. She seems to live her beliefs as fully as anyone possibly can, with no regrets. She advocates for feminist social justice change. Read this book, learn more about Ashley Judd and her work. Read it! Change! Be the change you want to see.