Ash LeE

 

Hicks.

 

I’m a wife, mother of 4, and I’ve been a Registered Nurse for the past 12 years. I’ve made a career of serving others and strongly advocating for their needs. When the pandemic hit, I took a hard look at how current public policy affects me, my family, neighbors, co-workers, and others I care about. The negative impacts were overwhelming but compelled me to act.

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I currently work as a clinical nurse educator to address the root cause of the nursing shortage. I also attend graduate school at Post University working towards a Masters of Science in Nursing. Because of my advocacy for the safety of nurses, school teachers, and children with disabilities during the pandemic, I was proudly awarded a full-tuition Social Justice & Advocacy Scholarship for Healthcare Professionals. Nurses can play a prominent role in advancing social justice, improved health, and education for all, and I intend to do just that. 

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Beyond nursing and powerful advocacy efforts, I also founded a small business - an Arkansas Social Benefit Corporation called Good2Grow Farm. The produce we grow on our Woman-Owned farm is donated to address food insecurity in my community. And, to help meet the demand of those who wish to be vaccinated, I also volunteer with Nurses Crushing COVID. 

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In 2021, I wanted to help others more than I could as just an individual, so I applied for a position on a city board- the Community Development and Assistance Programs, or CDAP,  Advisory Board for the City of Fayetteville. The purpose of CDAP is to promote community involvement in the prioritization of grant funds, improve community awareness of the public assistance programs provided by the City of Fayetteville, and advise the Community Resources Division and the City Council on the proposed use of Community Development Block Grant and other grant funds. Our very first meeting, I was nominated and voted Chair of this board. The work I'm most proud of while serving on this board has been the coordination of vaccines available on-site at homeless shelters when the Community Resources Department had social workers present to help unhoused individuals sign up for the City's vaccine incentive programs.  Vaccines at one table, incentive sign up on the next.

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Late 2021, I was selected by the Arkansas Nurses Association to serve on their Political Action Committee as a Nurse Advocacy Leader. The Arkansas Nurses’ Political Action Committee, or ANPAC, is a politically nonpartisan organization that promotes the improvement of health care for the people of Arkansas. It raises nurses’ awareness of political issues, candidates and the political process, empowering them to take action. There are only four nurses statewide that compose this committee. I serve the NWA District.  

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Florence Nightingale believed service to mankind was service to God. In 2022, I’ve been called by God to serve bigger. So, I’m running for Washington County Justice of the Peace for District 15. 

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My reason is really simple- I believe elected officials should work for the community they represent, no matter their political affiliation.  As a citizen of our community, it's frustrating to see public officials follow scripted talking points from a national party and vote strictly along party lines; especially at the local level where it can be most impactful.

 

Elected officials should serve the community they represent by creating policies that benefit those that live in that community. Unfortunately, the majority of current JPs are not doing this for the people of Washington County. I will be different.

 

I will be your fiercest advocate.