Jasmine Hill
Manassas, Virginia
Mom to King, 9
Nominated by Armelia Hill
My daughter should be Mom of the Year because she is an awesome mom
caring for a nine-year-old autistic son. She works very hard at making my
grandson’s life as normal as possible. She has him traveling and racing at our
local Autobahn speedway because she knew he could excel, and he does. She
doesn’t let anyone treat her son like he’s different or less than because he’s not.

They bake, sing and dance together, and she has made a wonderful life for
him as a single parent. She works a full-time job as well as a part-time job to
make sure all his needs are taken care of. She knows that being a mom isn’t
just about what she can provide for him, it’s about being loving, caring, supportive and flexible, and she has the patience of
a saint. It’s amazing for me to see just how much compassion she has for her little boy. She has raised him to be a leader,
and that is what he is at school and at home. His teacher always sends homes notes about how he leads his class in different
activities. It’s amazing how far he has come, and it’s all because of his supportive mom. God blessed my daughter with an
awesome son, and I’ve been blessed beyond measure seeing the mom God made her to be.

Occupation: Apartment leasing consultant
Favorite “mom-ism:”
“You want Legos? You have Lego money?”
My parents used to say, “Want Taco Bell?
Get a job!”
Three fun facts about
you and your family:
I volunteer at Serve Homeless shelter
once a week helping watch kids while their
parents work on being their best. Also, my
younger brother’s name is “H,” and we
have a dog named Kevyn.

What advice would you give to
new or expectant moms?
Love, accept and raise your child the same
no matter how they come out. And appre-
ciate being able to have a child because
there are people that are unable to.

What goals do you have
for your family?
Our goal, which we just recently met,
is living in our own apartment without
King’s grandma (Bibi), “Pop Pops” or
uncle H. It’s been a difficult transition, but
like everything, we’ll get through it!
14 WashingtonFAMILY MAY 2019
Describe a favorite
mom moment.

This year, my son was nominated and won
for a “Kindness Award” for fourth grade
overall. I can’t even describe how proud I
was, especially knowing he is a bit bossy at
times (the name King sure doesn’t help),
but he is a big softy when he sees anybody
in pain.

Favorite local spots?
Uptown Alley at The Manassas Mall (won-
derful restaurant, easy time killer and
bowling!) and Crossroads Tabletop Tav-
ern in Old Town Manassas. I mean come
on ... they have every board game ever
made. It is an easy family-fun night and
weekdays are more chill. Also, Centre-
ville Multiplex. You just can’t beat those
$2 Tuesdays!
What’s your superpower?
Humor and optimism. So many things can
be stressful or not funny at all when you
have a child on the spectrum. You must
always find the “good” in everything and
learn to laugh a lot off.

What’s the best thing you are
watching right now?
We are always watching whatever movie
King wants to since he doesn’t do TV.

Presently, his go-to is “All Dogs Go to
Heaven.” It’s absolutely a classic.

What would you say your
secret is to balancing life/
family/work/motherhood? Focusing on my breathing, and taking
everything a task at a time and every day
a day at a time. There is no sense in over-
whelming yourself trying to do too much.

It will all get done!
“ Love, accept
and raise your
child the same no
matter how they
come out. ”
[ JASMINE HILL ]



AJ Jones
Leesburg, Virginia
Mom to Prince, 16
Nominated by Prince Parker
I nominate my mom, Ashley “AJ” Jones, for Mom of the Year for her nonstop
dedication to me and her community. For the past 12 years, my mom has been
my sole provider and has constantly exhibited her love for me and our great
nation. My mom proudly served in The United States Army for 10 years, but
this dedication to her country never got in the way of her love for me, her
only son, as we moved from state to state with several permanent changes of
station (PCS). Nine years after retiring, she is still today very much involved
with her community and those that live within it. My mom currently par-
ticipates in volunteer efforts for 89 Ways to Give, Lambda Beta Alpha Military Sorority Incorporated and Socialites of
Loudoun, a group of Loudoun County residents who strive for greatness in their community. In addition to volunteering,
helping others and her full-time job as a contractor, my mom has also been able to expand her brand and branch out,
following her dreams. Today, she trains with NOVA Roller Derby in hopes of being accepted into the league (one of her
longtime dreams) and is the founder of AJ’s Tasting Room, where she reviews Northern Virginia wineries, breweries and
distilleries. All of these reasons contribute to why my mom, Ashley “AJ” Jones, does not only deserve Mom of the Year (and
I may be a little biased), but “Mom of the Past Decade.”
Occupation: Intelligence analyst, owner of AJ’s Tasting
Room, freelance writer
Three fun facts about
you and your family:
My son and I love to travel! We try to go
somewhere special every spring break. We
have our own “accent” when conversing at
home, and there is an inside joke or dance
that applies to most situations.

What advice would you give
to new or expectant moms?
Stop. Take five to 10 deep breaths
(depending on the severity of situation).

What goals do you
have for your family?
Our goal for the near future is to further
our role in giving back to the community.

My son, Prince, is currently a junior at
Tuscarora High School and is preparing
to go to college. He aspires to major in
journalism/communications. How has motherhood changed
your outlook on life?
Motherhood changed my outlook on life
dramatically. The ability to put your chil-
dren’s needs before your own without a
thought is beautiful.

Describe a favorite
mom moment.

My favorite mom moment is my son nom-
inating me for this honor.

What’s your superpower?
Hearing. I can tune in or tune out. When
tuning in, I have the ultra-high frequency
hearing. When tuning out, all I hear is,
“Have you heard anything that I’ve said?”
What would you say your
secret is to balancing life/
family/work/motherhood? A calendar and the ability to say “no.” A
calendar helps keep me organized, and it
also shows me when I need to say “no” and
take time to recoup.

Favorite local spot?
AJ’s Tasting Room takes me to the best
wineries, breweries and distilleries in the
area! I can’t say that I have one favorite
local spot, but as long as I’m out doing
what I love, I’m in my comfort zone.

What are three things
you use everyday that you
can’t live without?
Kombucha, the Amazon app and music.

What’s the best thing you
are reading/watching/
listening to right now?
“This is Us,” “The Enemy Within,” and I’m
addicted to the “Hamilton” soundtrack.

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