What’s up ya’ll?! I’m Ashley Slayton, a 22-year-old journalist from Longview, Texas…and I’m a packrat

I’m absolutely obsessed with creating mementos, which is why I’m so excited about chronicling these elections. We’re experiencing history in the making! America’s ready for a transition and that journey deserves to be recorded. People are demanding better health care and an end to the war. American youth want to believe that a college education doesn’t equal a lifetime of debt. And people aren’t shy about admitting this either.

I’m in love with the involvement of our black youth in this process. Actress Keri Washington said “People seem to be realizing their power,” and that realization is nowhere more evident than in our own front yard. As a soon to be alumna at Prairie View A&M University (shout out to the yard), I’ve witnessed first-hand the optimism, the drive and the desire of black youth to be involved in this political process. We’re the future Barack Obama’s, Colin Powell’s and Condolezza Rice’s of the world

It’s our time to realize our power and own it!