04/27/2026
ASHLEY LONGSHORE | “I cried a lot, when I was little, and I would lock myself in my bathroom and look in the mirror and cry. And I think what I really gained from feeling like I didn’t fit in, feeling like a freak, feeling like I hate this… I really learned to have a strong, inner monologue that is, ‘You can do this, everything’s going to be alright. You got this girl.’ So, instead of beating myself up, I do the exact opposite of that…. Instead, I find something that I love about myself, and I focus on that, and then I go out and, you know, conquer, if I can.”
Ashley Longshore started out in life being told who to be, how to act, and what to think… and she was NOT having it. In fact, she went in the exact opposite direction… and prevailed. Her decision to belong early on gave her the power to override city & cultural influences—to work hard and earn her way to the top—not just by disregarding the rules of the game, but by creating a brand new one. And, as a result, becoming a type of Wonder Woman on her own. This new game is built on a different declaration—one she paints, bedazzles, and shares with all of us, to remind us that whatever city we’re in—no matter where we come from—wherever we go, there we are. Because, when you choose to belong to yourself, you drop the need to fit in—and this makes you more powerful than any city, any family line, and any societal program designed to hold you back.
An inspiring, powerful human being, Ashley shares her story with us in “THE WONDER WOMAN IN THE MIRROR: Ashley Longshore’s Decision to Belong” in the Spring 2026 “The Cities Edition” Cover Story of MANiCURE. Magazine. It’s one you do NOT want to miss!
You can now read the full article on substack (link in bio) or get a copy delivered to your door by subscribing at www.manicuremagazine.com.
