Ashley M WRIT 340 Blog

  "Haven for Hope" is a non-profit organization with offices in Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas, just a few of the cities where the critical issue of overcrowding in animal shelters is most prominent. These shelters, with limited space and resources, can only take on so many animals at a time. So when there is overcrowding, which in Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas, there always is, it leads to the shelters having to resort to the euthanasia of innocent animals. Animals that have been at the shelter the longest will be first on the list for euthanasia in order to make room for new intakes. This is a tragic reality for over 920,000 cats and dogs each year in the U.S. alone, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Inspired by leaders in the animal-saving sphere like It’s Yogi House and many others that came before us, Haven of Hope’s mission is to save as many cats and dogs from euthanasia as possible so that these innocent creatures are given a...

I am always nervous to talk about my beliefs, my values, and my principles. So writing about how I can imagine our world to be a better place is not easy because it's uncomfortable; however, the multitude of ways that our world could be a better place rush easily through my mind like a waterfall. I am sure many people would agree with me on the ways in which our world could be a better place, however, many would disagree angrily, throw a fit, and even threaten to no longer be friends with me. It is why I believe tolerance needs to be more prevalent in today's society. Tolerance does not mean acceptance, but it means that we can respect that different people have different beliefs and opinions. Tolerance needs to be taught from a young age; that we should be respectful of all religions, not just some, and respect and understand that many people will have different opinions on controversial topics. In today's society, members of different religions and political parties are p...

I'll be graduating from the University of Southern California on May 10, 2024, just a few short weeks away, with a B.A. in Public Relations and a minor in the Entertainment Industry. When I first got to USC, I was 100% sure that I would be staying out in Southern California and that I would live in LA post-grad and work at Warner Bros or a top talent agency like the Creative Artists Agency or William Morris Endeavor. Over time though, my feelings towards both LA and the industry have changed. Although I am a little melancholy at the thought of no longer living in sunny Southern California to move back home to the East Coast, I am happy with my decision because I feel in my heart that it is the right one. I have gotten to experience my dreams that I have had since I was a child that not many people can say. I lived in Southern California, specifically LA, like I had always wanted to, attended my dream school in LA which just so happens to be the #1 school for entertainment and commu...