Ashley N Robbins

Ashley Robbins is a graduate student and graduate assistant at North Carolina Central University. She is employed by Wake Tech Community College as an assistive technology manager, connecting disabled students, employees, and visitors with the appropriate software, auxiliary aids, and technology to provide equal access. Ashley is also heavily involved in the Durham community, with her work primarily centered around disability and accessibility.

In August 2022, Ashley completed the City of Durham’s inaugural community partner development course, where she presented a project on improving community engagement and accessibility for disabled members of her community, as well as providing training and consulting services to community organizations around accessibility as a central tenet of equity and inclusion.

Ashley’s goal is to make the Hayti Heritage Center (a historic Black gathering space in her community) a fully accessible, inclusive space. Her work in Hayti honors the legacy of Lyda Moore-Merrick, a Durham resident for whom the gallery in Hayti is named. Moore-Merrick established the Negro Braille Magazine, which was the first and only publication for Black blind folks. Ashley also holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Art in Communication and Media Studies from North Carolina State University.