We’re looking forward to introducing you to Ashley Brown. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Ashley, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is definitely at the top tier of character traits I value. My background as a Soldier adds to that, because in the military integrity is not just a word—it’s a standard you live by daily. Without integrity, intelligence can be misused, and energy can be wasted. Integrity provides the foundation for trust, accountability, and consistency in both personal and professional relationships. I believe intelligence and energy matter, but they only have real impact when guided by integrity. That’s why I place it above the others—it ensures that whatever I do, I do it with honesty, respect, and responsibility.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ashley ‘A.B.’ Brown and I wear a couple of hats that reflect both my passion for community and my love for basketball. On the community side, I founded ATX ChocLit LGBT, a social space created for Queer Black Austinites who have often felt excluded from other queer spaces in the city. It’s about building connection, joy, and visibility for us in a way that feels authentic and welcoming.
On the other side, my personal brand is Solid Hoops Basketball, where I focus on developing young hoopers in Austin—especially middle school girls. My approach is all about teaching the fundamentals and building confidence, because I believe a solid foundation on the court translates into resilience and self-belief off the court. What makes my work unique is that it blends community, mentorship, and skill-building—I’m not just shaping players, I’m helping to shape leaders
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My paternal grandmother saw me clearly before I could even see myself. In one of the last moments we had together, she told me, ‘Do you, and don’t let anyone else tell you how to be. I love you no matter what.’ At the time, I was still in a kind of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ phase with my family, living timidly about my sexuality. But hearing those words from the matriarch of our family gave me the green light to embrace who I truly am. Her approval gave me the strength and confidence to live authentically
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
After a breakup, I went through a period of isolation where I sat with my pain and focused on healing. When I finally stepped back outside to feel life again, I realized I couldn’t find safe spaces for queer people of color to connect. That realization is what pushed me to start ATX ChocLit. Turning that pain into action was powerful, because I ended up creating something that was missing—something that gave people, both Austinites and transplants, a space to belong and feel seen
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is the real me. It may not be the entirety of who I am, but it’s still me. My public self is the version that interacts with the world, shaped by context, setting, and relationships. My private self holds the parts of me that are more vulnerable, intimate, or reserved for people I deeply trust—or sometimes just for myself. Both versions exist in different spaces, but neither one is fake. They are simply different expressions of the same person, like two sides of the same coin. The public version may emphasize certain traits while the private version holds others, but together they create the full picture of who I truly am.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
Not being a basketball coach!!!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Theabxp/Anbelite/Atxchoclitlgbt/Solidhoopsatx
Image Credits
Nesha
