Ashley Brown first walked through the doors at Lundstrum in 1999 when she was just five years old and a student at nearby Ascension School in North Minneapolis. “My mother said that all I ever did was dance, sing, and act around the house, and that I needed an extracurricular activity to keep me busy,” says Ashley. “One day after school she noticed Lundstrum and signed me up for dance. The rest is history!”

 Ashley says she had tremendous opportunities over the years she was a student at Lundstrum — from performing at Minnesota Vikings and Timberwolves games to dancing for the artists Eugene Flemming and Tommy Tune.

 The Casserly sisters noticed Ashley’s advanced talents from the moment she took her first steps in dance class. They encouraged her to join classes with older students and to become an assistant teacher for adult tap classes. “Each staff member at Lundstrum always made me feel special, heard, and supported,” Ashley says. “For years I was the shortest and youngest student in the teen classes, but my fellow students ensured I received any additional help I needed.”

 She remained a student at Lundstrum until her family moved to Texas when she was in high school. But when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, the family returned to Minneapolis and Ashley found herself knocking on Lundstrum’s door again. After she graduated high school in 2012, the Casserly sisters encouraged her to become a Sing and Dance teacher.

 Fast forward to 2024. Ashley now works as a program analyst at the U.S. Department of State. She originally enrolled at St. Catherine University intending to become a nurse, but after studying abroad, she realized that she was more passionate about socioeconomic injustices and the criminal justice system. She transferred to the University of Minnesota and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance in 2017. She then participated in an internship for the Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, providing a protective detail for VIPs, such as the Dalai Lama. She also worked for The Link in its juvenile justice division. After earning her master’s degree, she joined the Department of State in 2019.

Although she is no longer a student or teacher at Lundstrum, Ashley says she wanted to stay connected to the organization that helped her become the person she is today. “Without Lundstrum, I would not have the confidence that I have today to speak publicly, to interact with internal and external stakeholders in my job, and to continue to believe in my dreams,” she says.

 When Ashley tells people about Lundstrum, she describes it as not only a performing arts studio but more importantly an organization that warmly welcomes students from all walks of life.

“Lundstrum focuses on giving back to the community and helping students succeed in all areas of their life,” she says. “It’s a family-centered organization that encourages students to be themselves and to act, dance, and sing as if nobody is watching. I am glad to be a member of the board where I can demonstrate that students can come full circle with this organization and be an example for current students that their dreams can come true.”