The Work You Love - Ashleigh Sean Rolle

In this season of love, we want to look at how love can be expressed through our own professions. In the short interview segment, The Work You Love, we are getting to know Freeport-based writer, social commentator and creator of the popular brand Bahamian Citizenship Test, Ashleigh Sean Rolle.

Sign Island (S): Before we start, we have a very important question.... are you a cat person or dog person? ??

Ashleigh (A): Oh my goodness, I'm definitely a dog person. I have a Lhasa Apso with pink ears! Her name is CoCo.

S: Oh! She sounds cute. So, you started your creative entrepreneurship journey as a teenager. How has your work, or ventures, evolved through the years?

A: I've definitely become a lot more focused in terms of what I want to create. There's less throwing things at the wall and seeing what will stick. I've created a tunnel vision for myself that allows me to think big and continue to sprinkle my personality throughout my projects while also bringing said projects back to the main focus. Storytelling.

S: Being a creative entrepreneur comes with so many battles. What are the areas you prioritize as a Content Creator?

A: I value my peace. It sounds like such a wishy washy statement but it's true. Being a creative is unique in the sense that we get to use the deepest depths of our imagination to create awesome pieces of work. It's hard to create when you're mentally exhausted though. I make it a point to make time for myself in isolation. To recharge and tackle my projects with a new sense of mental energy after those much needed breaks.

S: I'm sure everyone on Twitter knows about the Bahamian Citizenship Test (BCT)! Where were you when the idea came? Do you see the platform growing in the future?

A: I was writing a speech at the time and I got the Mahatma Rice jingle stuck in my head. It was an absolute ear worm for me. I got curious though, How many other people could remember this decades old song? The test began with the question "Do you remember?" and so many people rallied to that nostalgia, It then quickly evolved into "Did you know?"

S: Before BCT, many of us got to know you through your gripping articles on 10th Year Seniors. What inspired you to start writing?

A: Arianna Huffington gave me the opportunity to contribute to the Huffington Post (now HuffPost) in 2013. Being given that kind of opportunity to talk about social issues freely made me even more interested and keen on storytelling. Through doing this, I recognized how much I wanted to speak not just in my own vernacular but also speak to specific issues within my own country. 10th Year Seniors was doing something really cool and amazing with the media landscape in the country and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. So I reached out to them and they welcomed me with open arms.

S: You're also a proud Grand Bahamian! How has the spirit of the island influenced your writing and other creative projects?

A: It's so easy to get caught up with one narrative when it comes to Grand Bahama but the older I get the more nuanced I realize life is. Being from Grand Bahama makes me want to shed light on the things we don't think about and offer brand new perspectives to age old stories.

S: Speaking of projects, you're currently fundraising to complete your novel, The Ancestor Training Academy. What message would you hope readers take away when the book is finished?

A: There are so many messages I think people can walk away with once they've finished The Ancestor Training Academy. The book itself grapples with love of family, hatred of family, death and loss of time. The book is dedicated to the matriarchs of my family and the ancestors that preceded them. If you were to walk away from the book with one message, I think it would be that there is honour in remembrance.

S: What are the things you discovered about yourself through your work?

A: I'm stubborn. I see something in my head and it needs to materialize by any means possible. No matter how seemingly impossible.

S: Can you describe in a word or phrase the common love that drives the work you do?

A: Sonder. "the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own."

S: Finally, where can we follow your journey?

A: You can check out my Link Tree to see more of my work and my socials! Also don't forget to sign up to learn more about The Bahamian Citizenship Test! This year is gonna be fun!