Ashley Hopkins

Togetherness and tradition, for me, it was usually centered around our family, all kind of coming from Buena Vista, Virginia, and the Blue Ridge. Everybody kind of moved around for different economic reasons, so we were spread out. And the only time that we really saw each other was during that togetherness, when we would all travel back home to Mama and Paul's house for the holidays.

We are big and complicated and messy and overwhelming and different. We're very, very diverse and have very different beliefs and lifestyles, all within our same family.

I think unity is another core value of family, and really a core value in general, is this idea of working together to solve issues and to stay together, because we're better together. That said, I think family can also be somebody that you identify as family, not necessarily blood relation.