Alumna Celebrates Book Launch After Career Change

After developing a passion for helping the younger generation, Ashley Wilson ’14M.S.Ed. pivoted from a career in the music industry to work as an educator. She is also making her mark through her new children’s book, A Hat & A Hijab.

Ms. Wilson’s career in music began in high school at Bad Boy Entertainment, where she worked as a human resources intern. While moving up the career ladder, she promoted local artists and clients to various blogs and magazines. She assisted with distributing press materials and planning and organizing events for artists and clients such as Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, and Alicia Keys. She was also responsible for their public relations day-to-day assembling and updating press kits, as well as creating publicity packets.

Ms. Wilson graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic Communications with a concentration in Public Relations, and later earned her Master of Science in Education degree from St. John’s University. She earned her second master’s from George Mason University in Educational Leadership.

Ms. Wilson is now an assistant principal; she has also served as a teacher and had several other student-facing roles for the New York City Board of Education. She enjoys working with students within the community where she was raised as she attempts to bridge the achievement gap and reduce the school-to-prison pipeline for minority students.

What or who inspired this specific book, and what was the core idea?
A Hat & A Hijab was originally inspired by a children’s book writing class I took as an undergraduate at Temple University. The first version of the story featured two little boys and centered on two religions that were different from my own. Years later, during the pandemic, I found myself with more time to reflect and revisit the story. I decided to rewrite it, reimagining the characters as two little girls and shifting the religious representation to better reflect my own lived experiences. At its core, the idea has always been the same: to tell a gentle, child-centered story about misunderstandings, curiosity, and love, showing how kindness and open dialogue can bring children together.

What do you hope readers take away from it?
I hope readers, both children and adults, walk away with a deeper understanding that cultural differences are not barriers to friendship. Friendship doesn’t require fear, sadness, or silence; it requires kindness, open minds, and the courage to ask questions. I also hope young readers, especially Black girls, see themselves reflected on the pages and feel affirmed, seen, and valued.

What surprised you most during the writing process?
What surprised me most was how powerful small changes could be. Shifting the characters’ identities and perspectives gave the story a deeper sense of purpose and alignment with my values. It reminded me that stories evolve as we do and that revisiting old ideas can lead to something even more meaningful.

What’s the story behind the title?
The title A Hat & A Hijab highlights two visible symbols of culture and faith that often spark curiosity or misunderstanding among children. Rather than positioning these differences as obstacles, the title invites readers to see them as starting points for conversation, learning, and connection. In the book, the main character Sydney is gifted a hat, and she asks her best friend Marwa if she would like to wear it. Marwa wears a Hijab due to her religion and declines to wear the hat. This was really the final straw that led to the conflict of misunderstanding between the two characters. 

What’s one thing you learned while writing it?
I learned that representation truly matters especially in children’s literature. Seeing stories about Black girls on book covers is still far too rare, and I realized how intentional we must be as writers in shaping the narratives young people consume.

Were there any significant cuts or changes?
Yes, the most significant change was completely reimagining the characters and the religions represented. While the original storyline focused on two boys, the revised version centers Black girls and cultural experiences that are closer to my own, while maintaining the heart of the original message.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors in your genre?
Write with intention and courage. Don’t be afraid to revisit, revise, or even reinvent your work as you grow. Children’s literature is powerful; it shapes how young people see themselves and others, so tell stories that are honest, inclusive, and rooted in love. And most importantly, write the story you wish you had seen as a child.