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Ashley Ali

@cardinalvalor

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Spiritual Counselor🌺🫂
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❤️🐦 FIVE YEARS OF CARDINAL VALOR. 🐦❤️

October 23, 2021

Five years ago, I was a 29-year-old woman sitting in her dining room, still learning how to live without her mother, when a little spark of inspiration changed everything.

I ran to my computer, created an email, registered a domain, and started building something that finally felt entirely my own.

I named it Cardinal Valor, inspired by courage and my late mother's favorite bird, the red cardinal. ❤️

I had no idea where this journey would take me.

Five years later, there have been stages, speeches, exhibitions, advocacy, education, spiritual growth, beautiful collaborations, difficult lessons, extraordinary people, and countless moments that reminded me why I started.

I've grown alongside everything I've created. I've learned that courage isn't just surviving difficult things. Sometimes it's choosing joy, setting boundaries, trusting your gifts, sharing your story, and allowing yourself to become someone new.

And somewhere along the way, the people who truly understood the vision became part of the story, too.

I am not self-made. I am family-made, community-made, land-made, and ancestor-made.

To my late Mother whose love continues to inspire me. To my Father, who has witnessed every chapter. To my loved ones, colleagues, collaborators, and everyone who believed in my dream: thank you. ❤️

What began as a spark became a home for my voice, my values, my creativity, and my purpose.

And the most beautiful part?

Five years later, it still feels like I'm just getting started.

Here's to the stories we've told, the doors we've opened, the lives we've touched, and all the beautiful things we have yet to become.

May our roots continue to grow wings. 🪽

Happy 5th Anniversary, @cardinalvalor

Here's to life, love, courage, and the freedom to keep becoming. 🥂❤️

With love,
Ashley Ali
Founder & CEO, Cardinal Valor

#CardinalValor #FiveYears #IndoCaribbean #Storytelling

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One thing I love about Caribbean culture? Well... its many things.

The food. The music. The dancing. The celebrations. The holidays. The way people can come together, feed one another, and make sure nobody leaves hungry.

But I've been thinking about something during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

What happens to that sense of community when someone discloses abuse?

Because sometimes the same community that comes together for weddings, birthdays, and religious celebrations can struggle to show up when someone says they're being harmed.

Suddenly, the conversation becomes:

“What will people say?”
“Think about the family.”
“Don't embarrass your parents.”
“Maybe you should just forgive them.”

And I have questions.

Why is keeping the family together sometimes treated as more important than the safety of the people within it?

Why are survivors sometimes expected to maintain the peace while the person causing harm isn't held accountable?

And what would happen if we put that same energy we bring to celebrating one another into supporting people who need help?

Community care can look like listening without judgment. Bringing someone food. Helping with childcare or transportation. Respecting their privacy. Helping them explore resources without pressuring them to make decisions before they're ready.

It also means understanding that we don't get to decide what safety looks like for someone else.

Two things can be true is a constant statement I tell everyone

We can love our Indo-Caribbean and Caribbean communities AND recognize that some of the ways we respond to abuse need to change.

We can preserve our traditions of generosity, togetherness, and caring for one another while challenging the silence, shame, and victim-blaming that can leave survivors feeling alone.

I want us to expand what community care means especially for survivors

Imagine a community where survivors don't have to choose between belonging and safety.

That's the kind of community I want us to keep building.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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“Why didn't you just leave?”

“What did you do to make them angry?”

“Think about what people will say.”

Sometimes the things we say when someone discloses abuse can unintentionally reinforce the shame, isolation or fear they're already navigating.

And in some Indo-Caribbean households, that can become even more complicated when family reputation, marriage, cultural expectations and community opinions enter the conversation.

But supporting someone experiencing domestic violence doesn't mean we have to have all the answers.

It means listening without interrogating them.

It means recognizing that leaving isn't always simple or immediately safe.

It means offering support without taking away their autonomy.

And it means understanding that protecting someone's safety matters more than protecting a family's image.

I want our communities to become places where people can talk about harm without being blamed for experiencing it.

We can love our families and our culture while changing the way we respond to abuse.

Save this post. You never know when someone might trust you with something difficult.

For confidential domestic violence support and safety planning, visit thehotline.org or call 800-799-7233. If your device or online activity may be monitored, consider using a safer device.

#DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #IndoCaribbean #CaribbeanMentalHealth

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“What happens in this house stays in this house.”

If you grew up in an Indo-Caribbean household, there's a chance you've heard some version of this.

Growing up, I was taught that family business was supposed to stay within the family. Don't tell people what's happening at home. Don't embarrass the family. Don't give people something to talk about.

And me? I went in the complete opposite direction. 😂 I told everybody EVERYTHING.

Which, looking back, wasn't necessarily healthy either.

But here's something I've been thinking about, especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month:

There's a difference between privacy and secrecy.

Privacy means having the autonomy to decide what you share, who you share it with, and when.

Secrecy becomes harmful when someone feels they cannot speak about what they're experiencing because they're afraid of embarrassing their family, being blamed, or being seen as disloyal.

And when domestic violence is involved, that silence can become another barrier to getting support.

I love how much our Caribbean communities value family and togetherness. But two things can be true.

We can value family privacy AND recognize that nobody should be expected to hide abuse to protect their family's reputation.

Maybe the lesson shouldn't be “don't tell anybody our business.”

Maybe it should be “learn who your safe people are, and know that you deserve support.”

Because protecting the family's image should never be more important than protecting the people within it.

What messages did you grow up hearing about keeping family business private?

If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship abuse, confidential support and safety-planning resources are available at thehotline.org or 800-799-7233. Consider using a safer device if your online activity may be monitored.

#DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #IndoCaribbean #CaribbeanMentalHealth #GuyaneseAmerican #IntergenerationalHealing CulturallyResponsiveTherapy

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“Maybe she should've kept her mouth shut.”

Let's talk about that statement for a second.

Because why is it that when a woman experiences domestic violence, the conversation sometimes becomes about what SHE did?

What did she say?
Did she provoke him?
Was she being disrespectful?
Why didn't she just stay quiet?

But where is that same energy when it comes to holding the person who used violence accountable?

Growing up Indo-Caribbean, I've heard messages that place a lot of responsibility on women to maintain peace in relationships.

Be respectful. Don't talk back. Keep the family together. Don't embarrass anybody.

But keeping the peace should never mean accepting abuse.

And someone's tone, attitude, disagreement or refusal to comply does not justify another person hitting, threatening or intimidating them.

Conflict is not an excuse for violence.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I want us to examine how we respond when someone discloses abuse.

Are we listening to understand what happened?

Or are we searching for something the survivor could've done differently?

We can love our culture while challenging the messages that excuse harm.

And we can hold people accountable without placing responsibility for their violence on the person experiencing it.

Survivors deserve safety, support and the freedom to make their own decisions.

For confidential support and safety-planning resources, visit thehotline.org or call 800-799-7233.

#DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #IndoCaribbean #CaribbeanMentalHealth #GuyaneseAmerican #EndVictimBlaming CulturallyResponsiveTherapy

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Growing up Indo-Caribbean, there was SO MUCH emphasis on getting married and having children.

But what about everything else?

What about teaching us consent? Emotional regulation? How to navigate conflict without yelling, intimidation or violence?

What about teaching girls that marriage is a choice rather than an obligation? Or teaching boys that masculinity doesn't entitle them to control their partners?

And what about teaching everyone that being committed to someone doesn't mean accepting abuse?

I love the importance our communities place on family, relationships and celebrating one another. But two things can be true: we can value marriage AND question the expectations that sometimes accompany it.

Especially when those expectations make it harder for someone to recognize abuse, speak about their experiences or seek support.

This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I want us to think about the relationship lessons we're passing down.

Let's spend as much time teaching healthy relationships as we do celebrating marriage.

What relationship lesson do you wish you'd learned growing up?

If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship abuse, support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or thehotline.org. If your device use is monitored, consider accessing resources from a safer device.

#lotusoasisllc #mentalhealth #indocaribbean

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Character development ✨ but make it fire 🔥 the vibes will always be immaculate and hilarious 🪷

#cardinalvalor #onedayatatime #friendswhoarefamily❤️ #healingjourney

🫂✨🎉🫂🫂🫂🧡💙

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Respectfully this is what thriving looks like 🌺🙏✨🧿
I appreciate having a rested face with a revolutionary spirit 🇬🇾🪷⚖️👑📚✍️

#thriveexhibit #CardinalValor #HealingJourney #SoftLifeEarned #socialjusticeadvocate

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Dear Mom,

Tomorrow is Indian (survival) Arrival Day for Guyana and it’s also the day we laid you to rest.

Funny how timing works because everything we carried across oceans, across generations led me here. Many were pulled out of school. You had to fight to read, to learn, work,and to live. And now I’m here generations later educated, expressive, choosing my life, being soft, being loud, being free. The things they tried to take from you…I carry forward.
My Mother taught me that how we carry ourselves in the world matters. Her images are not just memories. They are proof that even across oceans, generations, and grief, our dignity travels with us. Through my Mother's photographs, I came to understand that fashion was never just about beauty. For my Mother, it was dignity, protection, and pride.

Sharing our story is beautiful.
Living freely is profound
We didn’t just arrive.
We became. ✨

Thrive Exhibit was more than an exhibit. It was community.
Talent. Joy. Effort. Wisdom. Love. Beauty.
Being on stage felt special but seeing everyone else shine meant just as much. Indo-Caribbean creatives deserve to be seen like this.

✨Representation matters. ✨
I said it already, but I’ll say it again. We are THRIVING.

#thriveexhibit #cardinalvalor #indocaribbean #representationmatters

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Thrive NYC May 2nd
Where stories are honored, voices are amplified, and community actually feels like community. It's an honor to share and hold space with everyone ✨💙💖✨

We rise together.

Featuring artists, performances, visual art & film screenings + Q&A
📍 Artifact Projects — 155 Suffolk St, New York, NY
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🎟️ Tickets: https://writegyal.ticketspice.com/thrive-nyc-2026

#CardinalValor #ThriveExhibit #indocaribbean #griefhealing #creativityatitsbest

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There are moments in life where everything you’ve carried—quietly, over time—finds its way into the light.
This is one of those moments for me. I’ve learned that not everything we carry is meant to stay unseen. Some things are meant to be honored, witnessed, and shared with care.

My work is rooted in love.
In memory.
In what we carry.
In what continues.

I’ll be exhibiting at Thrive NYC.
If you feel called, come be in the room.

Featuring artists, performances, visual art & film screenings + Q&A
📍 Artifact Projects — 155 Suffolk St, New York, NY
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🎟️ Tickets: https://writegyal.ticketspice.com/thrive-nyc-2026

#CardinalValor #ThriveExhibit #indocaribbean #griefhealing #creativity

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Spaces like this matter.
Thrive creates room for stories that don’t always get seen, heard, or understood in traditional spaces.
I’m honored to be exhibiting alongside artists who are using their voice, their work, and their presence to shift the narrative.
If you’re in NYC, come experience it in person.

THRIVE ART EXHIBIT NYC
Many Roots, One Breath
🗓 Saturday, May 2, 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 155 Suffolk St, New York, NY (Lower East Side)
An immersive Indo-Caribbean experience featuring art, film, performance, and storytelling—all in one space.

Limited capacity.
Tickets are already moving.
Come experience it in person ❤️
Follow @thriveartexhibit for more information and ticket purchases.

#ThriveExhibit #CardinalValor #indocaribbean #ArtAsHealing #GenerationalHealing

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