Ashleigh Aldridge Believes “Alabama’s History IS Black History”

Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa, 92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, 105.1 The Block, and the Tuscaloosa Thread are proud to present the 2023 Black History Makers of Alabama.

Yellowhammer State is filled with great African American leaders from the past, present, and future. We thank our West Alabama community partners, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Delta Phi Lambda Chapter, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Xi Omega Chapter for their continued support.

Black History Maker of Alabama - Ashleigh Aldridge

Ashleigh Aldridge, a newcomer to West Alabama, is the newest Director of Media and Communication at Shelton State Community College. She joined the Buccaneers in August 2022. In her role, Aldridge is responsible for all facets of communication efforts at SSCC, including media relations, digital and social media, and internal communications, and serves as the institution’s Public Information Officer.

Before joining Shelton State, she was the Communication Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. There she managed all the unit’s communication efforts, served as a Diversity Education facilitator, and co-created the university’s Inclusive Language Guide, designed to encourage the use of welcoming written and oral language for students, faculty, and staff.

Aldridge is a 2005 graduate of Alabama State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She also has a master’s in management and public relations from the University of Maryland University College (now the University of Maryland Global Campus).

She began her career at Fox6 WBRC News in Birmingham as an assignment editor managing the news desk. She eventually worked her way up to the production booth as a producer on the top-rated morning show, Good Day Alabama. Aldridge has also had roles in social media at Regions Bank and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

“The turning point of the nation’s most pivotal civil and humanitarian rights struggles happened in Alabama. From bombings in Birmingham and bus boycotts in Montgomery to Bloody Sunday in Selma and Bloody Tuesday in Tuscaloosa, the state has been at the forefront of righting generations of wrongs. Alabama’s history IS Black History. The fight continues, and I am excited to see the younger generation working ever harder toward equity and inclusion.”

Aldridge is passionate about the community and serves several roles on boards and organizations. She is a birth and postpartum doula and a member of the Board of Directors for Birthwell Partners. The community doula collective provides free and reduced-cost doula care to families.

She is also a member of the Junior League of Birmingham and serves on the Junior Board of Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama. She is a financial member of the Alabama State University Jefferson-Shelby County Metro Area Alumni Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity.

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