On the morning of May 26th, 2009, a roadside bomb in Afghanistan killed twenty-one year old US Air Force Senior Airman Ashton Lynn Marie Goodman. She had been serving on a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Panjshir Province; first, as a vehicles operator and later, on Women’s Affairs. In meeting the women of Panjshir Province, she had been quick to praise their intelligence and courage, and to advocate passionately for their education and increased roles in leadership. Days before her death, she had asked to stay on in Panjshir, as she felt she was making a difference, “with words, not weapons.” She even imagined bringing her children to Panjshir Province one day, to show them how their mother had helped in the peaceful building of schools, medical clinics, and women’s leadership programs.
Ashton never got to realize a future with marriage and children. I believe Ashton would be humbled and delighted to support the goals of the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. These were ideals she also believed in: the power of shared stories and the inherent right of Afghan women to literacy, education, and positions of leadership in society.
I hope you will consider a donation, in any amount, to The Sr. Airman Ashton Goodman Fund. Donations can be made via PayPal through this page, following up with an email to acting director Rachel de Baere at rachel@awwproject.org saying you’d like your donation to go to the Ashton Goodman Fund.
Donations will go toward supporting the writing and theater programs for Afghan women. The Senior Airman Ashton Goodman Fund’s Board of Directors — Masha Hamilton and myself (Melissa Pritchard) — will determine the use of available grant monies for the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. The specific use of these grant funds will be reported annually.
I met Ashton Goodman when I traveled to Panjshir Province as an embedded reporter in January, 2009. To learn more about Ashton, please read my article on her in the May 2010 issue of “O”, Oprah Winfrey’s magazine.
Please help us transform the tragedy of Ashton’s death into an enduring tribute to her brave spirit and an act of hope and support for the women of Afghanistan.
Thank you.
photo credit: U.S. Air Force Capt. Stacie N. Shafran
What a wonderful project and tribute. Thank you, Melissa, for making this possible and I am happy to give a donation. Best wishes for this worthy cause– Elizabeth
Wonderful, Melissa! I am thrilled your persistence and vision for honoring Ashton has resulted in this worthwhile cause. I, too, am happy to offer a donation and wish you much success with this important initiative.
Jillian
It’s official! Melissa! Ashton is still giving! Again, she would be very proud and honored. I will be making a donation to this forever giving cause. Your heart and works will not be forgotten. It sounds like your colleagues are to be acknowledged, also. Best wishes to each of you!
I am glad to see Ashton’s dreams coming to fruition. Thank you Melissa for making this grant possible! I know Ashton would be ecstatic, honored, and grateful! Now, I can send out my letters to potential donors! I can’t wait to hear of the grant’s success!
Sincerely,
Pam
xoxoxo
Thank you, everybody!!! Much love, Melissa
Ashton would be happy knowing that she can still help other people and make a better future for someone’s life. I was with her on the team in Panjshir. Thank you for keeping her memory alive and helping all that you can, she would have liked to see this happen.
David, thank you so much for your message…and for your words of encouragement.
Hey Pam, you did an absolutely amazing job, in such a short time, of raising funds for Ashton’s Grant – thank you so much, think of all the Afghan women this will give hope and help to – and think how happy this must make Ashton! xx melissa
Kudos to the brave Afghan women writers. And what a wonderful tribute to Ashton, a soldier and humanitarian. As a peace-seeker married to an American soldier, I write about bridging cultural, philosophical and political differences. I’ve found that through deep curiosity and mutual understanding and respect, differences can become – not the seeds of conflict – but the basis of intimacy and transformation. AAWP has my great admiration and best wishes (plus I am sending a check.) Thank you for this project!
Dear Sophia,
Thank you for your beautiful note of support and compassion…someone who understands the crucial importance of bridges being build, crossing differences into understanding…and thank you, too, for sending a check to The Ashton Goodman Fund – I know Ashton would be so happy, her spirit lives on through the AWWP…thank you! Melissa Pritchard