Ashley Barton

Introduction and Who Is Ashley Barton

Taryell Simmons: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another episode of Rise Urban Nation. It's your host, Taryell Simmons, and I have a special guest. I've been hearing so much about the book service Ashley created, ReadHer, pronounced like "reader." For the people who haven't met her yet, who is Ashley Barton?

Ashley Barton: I always say my day job is as an educator. Before my current role, I was the director of a Black student center for eight and a half years. I went to UCLA for undergrad and my master's, then to USC for my doctorate, which focused on Black student success. I wanted to do work from an anti-deficit perspective. We always look at the negative, but we never ask successful Black college students what made them succeed so we can replicate those things for other Black students. Now I'm an associate dean for diversity and inclusion. My whole passion is supporting Black excellence and helping people have joyful, positive college experiences.

Ashley Barton: Then, like a lot of people, I started a pandemic business. We were at the house with time to think. I had gotten a box called Book of the Month and was underwhelmed with the options. I'm tenacious, and seeing something where I didn't feel we were seen made me think I should do something like this. We need representation in all spaces.

Two Worlds of Black Publishing

Taryell Simmons: It's hard to believe there hasn't been something like this already. With all these amazing Black writers out there, there should have been a book service for us.

Ashley Barton: There are a couple. There are two worlds: independently published books, and books from the big publishing houses. The big companies have more gatekeepers. In independent publishing, a lot of Black authors, particularly Black women, have much more freedom to write what they want without having to convince people who aren't Black about the power of their pen.

Taryell Simmons: Is there a different culture between those writers, and between the readers who engage with them?

Ashley Barton: I would say yes. I'm probably a member of the bougie club myself, but there's a bougie view that if James Baldwin, Maya Angelou or Toni Morrison didn't write it, it isn't real literature. That's an erroneous way of looking at Black storytelling. All stories need to be told, the struggles and the joy. It's a privilege to read the people who documented our struggles, and it's just as important to see us in moments of joy and love. Independent authors have the freedom to write stories that feel true to them.

Building ReadHer: A Business, Not a Hobby

Taryell Simmons: Tell me about the journey of starting this during the pandemic. Did it start as something for fun, or did you immediately see a business?

Ashley Barton: It's definitely a business. We're not a million-dollar business, but it takes that level of commitment. There is another box called Black Lit that features a lot of books you'd find in a bookstore. My box is always Black romance, which means two or more Black characters are the protagonists. A lot of the authors I feature are only available through their own websites or Amazon.

Ashley Barton: Book of the Month just didn't feel Black enough for me. I love Black romance, and a lot of the time we read it as e-books. I can't find my favorite authors on a bookstore shelf because they don't have a big marketing budget.

Ashley Barton: I told my mom the idea, but I get excited by cool stuff and then change my mind, so I sat on it. As time went on, I still wanted to do it for the Black women who read these stories. So we tried it, and the second person who signed up did it for a whole year, around two hundred dollars on something she had never seen. I knew people wanted this. We're very much a FUBU community: for us, by us.

A Lifelong Reader and the Power of Representation

Taryell Simmons: Where did that passion for Black love stories begin?

Ashley Barton: I've always been an avid reader. My mom took me to the library because it was cheaper than buying books I'd finish in a day. As a teenager I read Eric Jerome Dickey, Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree, Zane and Brenda Jackson. Every movie or show has a romance component, and those books were all romance. Then there was a lull where I wasn't bumping into anyone new. When I found independently published Black love authors, I thought, where have I been?

Ashley Barton: The stories weren't only Black, they were relatable: college romances, sports, historical, regular adults meeting in a coffee shop. How many Black TV shows are on right now that aren't Tyler Perry?

Taryell Simmons: We had an era with A Different World, The Cosby Show and Family Matters.

Ashley Barton: That era has faded. What's left for young Black people to see our stories is mostly books. A movie is two hours; a book is six to ten hours of experiencing a story.

Where to Start with Black Romance

Taryell Simmons: What would you recommend for someone who wants a good love story that teaches a great lesson about love and relationships?

Ashley Barton: All the books have a lesson, whether it's love yourself, honor yourself or respect your partner. Back in the day I'd have said Eric Jerome Dickey, one of the pioneers, who passed away recently. For solid contemporary Black romance, start with Christina C. Jones. Her storytelling is beautiful and not all fluff. You'll end up reading her whole catalog.

Growth, Self-Care and Learning on Your Own Terms

Taryell Simmons: What are you most excited about in the next year?

Ashley Barton: I want to keep growing and get more subscribers, because what I'm doing contributes to a more accurate vision of who Black people are. Black romance is for Black people, and anybody else can enjoy it. Whatever stress you have, a story can take you away for a while. For me, reading Black romance is self-care, one hundred percent, and I hope ReadHer brings that feeling to more women.

Taryell Simmons: I consider myself a forever learner. What's your favorite way to learn?

Ashley Barton: Honestly, after a doctorate you don't want to go to school again. But I enjoy learning in non-traditional ways: a book, YouTube, Google or asking people. There's a book on everything, including how to market your business. Most of what I know about business is self-taught. I was never a business major, and entrepreneurship is really hard.

Honoring Yourself and Making Time for the Work

Taryell Simmons: What grounds you when you have to make a tough decision?

Ashley Barton: I used to be highly considerate of others, until I realized people were always putting themselves first. I had to undo some of that deep empathetic energy, not to step on anyone, but to honor myself. As long as I'm honoring myself, being true to myself and not stepping on anybody, every decision should be okay.

Taryell Simmons: Think of one thing you want to accomplish. What obstacles do you need to overcome?

Ashley Barton: When you run a business and work full time, you have to find energy when you're running on empty and work at it every day, even in small increments. If I don't do it, no one else will. So I got a virtual assistant who helps me stay organized, and every day there's a task that gets me closer to my goal.

Taryell Simmons: Who has contributed to the person you are today?

Ashley Barton: My mom, for sure. She's not a blind encourager. She'll tell me when something isn't the move, so I know her support is real. She even helps pack my boxes.

Taryell Simmons: How do you manage your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy?

Ashley Barton: I'm still seeking balance. At work, I dedicate my eight hours to my job. As soon as I'm off, I'm doing my five to nine: reaching out to authors, posting on social media, emailing my newsletter list. Sometimes you need a break, and that's okay. Give yourself grace.

First Jobs and Being Forward Thinking

Taryell Simmons: Everybody has a humble beginning. What was your first job?

Ashley Barton: I was a social worker assistant, recruiting foster parents for kids in foster care, for twelve dollars an hour. It taught me I did not want to be a social worker, even though I thought I did.

Ashley Barton: What made me different is that I always had a plan, and the plan was never to stay there. Wherever I worked was fueling my path to a master's and a doctorate, so even a job I didn't like was temporary. You have to find your own hustle. Mine was that I could learn and apply it. Being forward thinking has always propelled me forward.

Advice: Build a Community Before You Sell

Taryell Simmons: What advice would you give someone who wants to start a business like yours?

Ashley Barton: Build a community before you sell anything. We are not Target or Walmart. As business owners, we are the face of our business, so people have to trust you and have faith in your dream to buy. If I know it's Jeff who wants to spread positivity in STEM for kids, I'm investing in Jeff's dream, not just buying a t-shirt. Build a community that roots for you, people who aren't your relatives but will be your customers.

Taryell Simmons: What does the future hold for your industry?

Ashley Barton: People are catching on to Black romance and book boxes, and my fear is that someone with more money will swoop in. So I have to be the premier version, so anything after feels like a replication.

Taryell Simmons: Often imitated, never duplicated. What projects are you working on, and where can people find you?

Ashley Barton: I launched a soft merch line for spring and hope to launch a fall line in September with sweatshirts, stickers, drinkware and bookish items. I'm primarily on Instagram: ReadHer Book Box is the business side, and Ash Reads Books is where I tell people what to read. To subscribe, go to ReadHer Book Box.

Taryell Simmons: If you're driving, don't worry, all her information will be in the show notes. Ashley, thank you for sharing your journey and this amazing product. Any last words of wisdom?

Ashley Barton: Read Black romance. That's it.

Taryell Simmons: Simple as that. Read Black romance. We love you guys, and we'll catch you on the next episode of Rise Urban Nation.