While she’s joined her parents, Joe and Jill Biden, in a handful of public appearances and supported her father at political events, Ashley Blazer Biden has mostly avoided the limelight over the years. But shortly after the president-elect’s victory speech on Nov. 7, fans, and of course, Twitter, noticed Ashley dancing her way across the stage as the Biden family celebrated the candidate’s win, sparking interest in the future first daughter.
The youngest of Joe’s four children, Ashley is Jill’s only child and half-sister to Hunter, Beau, and Naomi Biden. (Beau passed away in 2015 after having brain cancer and Naomi died in a tragic car accident in 1972 at just 13 months old.) Though it’s unclear what role Ashley will play in Joe’s presidency, if any, find out more about the 39-year-old philanthropist and activist ahead.
Related: Jill Biden Was the Second Lady of the US, but She's Also an Educator and Veteran Advocate
Getty / Gary Gershoff
She's a Social Worker
Ashley grew up in Delaware, where her father served as a senator for 36 years, and attended Wilmington Friends School. She went on to study cultural anthropology at Tulane University, and then got her master’s in social work at the University of Pennsylvania in 2010.
She eventually pursued a career as a social worker, serving as the education and employment liaison in the education office for the Delaware Department of Services For Children, Youth and Their Families for five years before taking on an executive role at the Delaware Center For Justice in 2013.
Getty / Ethan Miller
She's the Founder of a Fashion Company
While working at the Delaware Center For Justice, Ashley also managed to find the time to launch a socially and ethically conscious fashion brand, Livelihood, in 2017. The brand, which Ashley was inspired to create after Beau died, brings more than just style: its mission is to help fight racial and economic inequality and support criminal justice reform through its initiatives and donations.
Most recently, Ashley designed new uniforms for staff at the Hamilton Hotel in Washington DC through Livelihood last summer.
Getty / Gary Gershoff
She's a Social Justice Activist
As a social worker, Ashley was especially focused on developing programs for young people in the juvenile justice and foster care systems facing mental health issues. The 39-year-old is also a huge advocate for criminal justice reform. During her time at the Delaware Center For Justice, she created programs for incarcerated women and public education, worked with victims of crime and young offenders, and combatted gun violence.
Her work with Livelihood also supports criminal justice reform and tackles economic disparities within communities. “These issues have always been really important to me,” Ashley said in an interview with The Washington Post last year. “It’s what I do and what I’m passionate about. My career is about policy reform.”
Getty / AFP / Jim Watson
She Joined Her Father on the Campaign Trail
Though she doesn’t often make public appearances, Ashley showed her support for Joe throughout his 2020 presidential campaign. Back in August, she hosted a virtual Women For Biden event in Wisconsin, during which she promoted the then-candidate’s women’s agenda.
“I’m here today because I adore my father, but I also deeply believe he has the character and the vision to lead this country,” she said during the event. “When I say I’m ready for a Biden presidency, it’s not just because I think my dad is the best person.” She also introduced her father at the Democratic National Convention later that month, alongside her half-brother, Hunter.
