Keep Fighting On

A Note from the CEO

This year, I have the incredible honor of being named a 2024–2025 Obama Foundation Leader, part of a global community working to drive meaningful change. As part of our journey, we were asked to craft a “two-minute story” - a short, personal reflection that captures why we do what we do.

It’s a simple exercise. But to me, it meant being clear and intentional about why I show up, who I fight for, and the story that shaped my purpose.

So this month, I want to share that story with you—not just as a Dispatch, but as a reminder of why this work matters.

And yes, it also answers the question I get asked all the time: “Why do you love Tom Brady so much?”

Here’s why:

When I tell people I’m a chess player, I usually get one of three responses:

“Wow! That’s so cool! You must be super smart.”

“Oh, the board game? I like checkers.”

Or, “I never learned. It’s too strategic for me.”

But in the winter of 2016, I didn’t feel smart or strategic. I felt lost.

That year brought more pain than I knew how to carry. I was navigating personal trauma, isolation at school, and the terrifying experience of watching a loved one suffer a medical emergency—alone. At times, it felt like the world had closed in.

And then, in a moment of quiet desperation, I came across a video of Tom Brady.

He said: “Think about a time you kept fighting on.”

For some, it was just a clip. But for me, it was a lifeline.

I immediately thought back to my very first chess tournament at age six.

My dad held my hand as we entered a room filled with boys - it smelled like cologne and ego.

I looked around and asked, “Dad, nobody looks like me. Am I supposed to be here?”

What I didn’t know then was that only 1% of the top 100 chess players in the world are women.

What I didn’t know was that I’d spend the next decade navigating a game that wasn’t built for me.

At that first tournament, a boy across the board laughed.

“I’ll beat her fast,” he told his friends.

But a few moves later, I said: “Checkmate.”

He flipped the board and stormed off.

And I learned something that day: you keep playing. You keep showing up. 

You fight on.

Tom Brady reminded me of that. Not just as a quarterback, but as someone whose quiet words found me in a moment when I needed them most. That clip reminded me that even when the world feels impossible, we have to keep fighting - for ourselves and for others.

Since then, I’ve committed my life to fighting for women and girls in chess—to make sure no young girl ever has to wonder if she belongs at the table.

Because she does. We all do.

That’s why I founded Queens Gambit in 2014 and Queenside Ventures in 2023.

That’s why we’re on a mission to teach 1 million women how to play chess.

So far, we’ve reached 150,000 - but we’re just getting started.

Chess teaches us that the board can change. That today’s position doesn’t define tomorrow’s outcome.

That strategy, persistence, and bold moves lead to transformation.

So yes, I love Tom Brady.

Not just because of the Super Bowls (sure, those were fun).

But because in one quiet moment, he reminded me:

You keep fighting on.

And chess says so.

Will you join us?

Together, we can teach 1 million women to play - and lead.

xx,

Ashley Lynn Priore

Quote of the Week

"Keep fighting on!" – Tom Brady (you guessed it)

Coming Up in the Pod

Kamala Avila-Salmon on Telling the Truth, Trusting Your Voice & Changing Hollywood

In this episode, we sit down with Kamala Avila-Salmon—storyteller, producer, and DEI powerhouse—whose career spans music, tech, and Hollywood. From breaking barriers as Lionsgate’s first head of inclusive content to founding her own production company, Kamala opens up about the power of authentic storytelling, the hidden roadblocks in the entertainment industry, and what it means to lead with truth, clarity, and conviction.

Puzzle Solution:

Bf6 (love forcing a mate!), Be3+

fxe3, Qxe3+

Qxe3