We recently connected with Eileen Dong and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Eileen, thanks for joining us today. So, folks often look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight – but that often obscures all the nitty, gritty details of everything that went into the growth phase of your business. We’d love to hear about your scaling story and how you scaled up?
Many see the glamorous side of my life: dressing in beautiful gowns, wearing the Ms. Texas sash and crown, and showing up to galas. Few see behind the scenes how hard I have worked.
Hope Pyx Global is a non-profit organization based in the Greater Houston Area which serves people from all backgrounds who are victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. It is a 100% volunteer organization, founded in 2018. As with most new non-profit organizations, most prospective donors are reluctant to give us grants. For example, we were told, “we typically do not support organizations in its infancy stages.” Therefore, I have been the one working to fund it.
Since the non-profit organization was founded, I have given up everything for my personal life. I used to love to go dancing, go shopping, go out with friends… I don’t remember the last time that I danced, or that I went shopping for leisure. I would walk in and out with my eyes on the phone the whole time, shopping like a man, lol. My friends couldn’t tell you how many times I have declined their invitations to hang out. I haven’t even dated in a long time.
But when it comes to work, I have counted 2,000 hours a year of volunteer time, with sleepless nights, sweating behind the scenes doing labor work, wearing dirty clothes… I have gotten sick and burned myself out many times. I have been told no, but kept trying again and again. Countless times I met obstacles which I have overcome. I have fallen, but every time I got up, patched my wounds, and kept going. I have been discouraged, asking myself why I am doing this, but I wiped my tears and kept going…
When COVID hit, a lot of new and small non-profit organizations did not survive.
Despite all obstacles, we have not only survived, but also served over 11,000 people in less than 4 years. We have reached over 115 television and radio stations in multiple languages internationally with an audience of more than 36.3 million.
We started in Houston, TX. Today, our impact has reached the entire United States. Additionally, we have ambassadors and are working with survivors from Africa, Asia, North America, South America and Europe. We are growing as we speak.
Eileen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Eileen Dong. I am a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Ms. Texas, a keynote speaker, consultant and expert on gender-based violence, culture-informed care, survivor-centered care, mental health, substance abuse, and leadership.
I am the spokesperson of Hope Pyx Global, and I am the Chairperson of the 2022 Conference on Abuse and International Book Awards.
Hope Pyx Global is a non-profit organization based in the Greater Houston Area which serves people from all backgrounds who are victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault.
Houston is ranked the number one city in crime counts for human trafficking, and Texas, as a state, counts as number two. This is happening in our backyard. Anyone can be a victim regardless of your gender, race, nationality, social, economic and educational backgrounds. We help people from all backgrounds.
Oct 20-21, 2022 in Houston, TX, we will be hosting the 2022 Conference on Abuse and International Book Awards (http://www.hopepyxglobal.org/international-book-awards.html).
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” With everything that is going on in this world, our advocates and survivors are the ones who are standing up and speaking out. They are the voices for the voiceless; however, as many of you know, standing up for what is right and just is not always easy. Speaking up and out about one’s abuse often leaves that person open for criticism and blame. We live in a society that is quick to blame the victim and protect the perpetrator; however, we are beginning to see a shift as victims and survivors realize they are not alone. Hope Pyx Global wants to shine a light on these true heroes.
The 2022 Conference on Abuse and International Book Awards is designed to raise awareness for prevention, provide education, resources and networking opportunities for survivors, advocates, providers, and organizations to end abuse together and to recognize those who have overcome adversities and have spoken out.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I was born in Shanghai to a well-educated family, with both sets of grandparents being engineers and doctors who could speak English and Japanese. With a college education and a great job, I had a life that every young girl would dream about. Years later, I woke up in America, battered, with nowhere to go and all alone, with my family 8,000 miles away.
I had to stay at shelters. In between, I had to crash on people’s couches. Women were afraid that my abuser would find me and endanger them and their children, and men who accepted me ended up raping me. To survive and avoid homelessness, I became a victim of sexual assault and trafficking. Not long after, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD. I often wake up with nightmares screaming and crying.
Fortunately, I was able to get back on my feet because of my community that supports me. Today I am an inspiration to people who are going through adversities, showing them that if I can do it with my family 8,000 miles away, so can they. I want to give back to my community so that no one has to go through what I have been through again.
One day at a coalition meeting, the Judge came to me and told me that my ethnicity was not underrepresented, but rather not represented at all. In the Asian culture, we operate by the honor and shame system. What happens in the family stays in the family, even if you are a victim. Many of my Asian friends have turned their back on me simply because I was a victim. It took me a lot of courage to break my own silence, let alone be the voice for the voiceless. But if it means I can save lives one at a time, it is all worthwhile.
Today, I am the host of The Ms Texas Show, and the founder of Survivors Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.). I am the spokesperson of Hope Pyx Global, and the Chairperson of the 2022 Conference on Abuse and International Book Awards.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Authenticity. When you are sincere with people, they can feel it.
Pageantry was never about me, but rather about the cause. As Ms Texas, I use my platform for awareness and prevention of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking, as well as to bridge the gap among ethnic communities, to address cultural stigmas, and to train providers with trauma-informed, culture-informed, and survivor-centered care through my first-hand knowledge and experience with law enforcement and survivors.
I have people contacting me and sharing their days when they are down. I have them reaching out telling me that they would like to meet me in person. I have received beautiful messages from warriors complimenting me on my bravery and passion. I have strangers from the other side of the globe telling me how much they appreciate my work to save the world. Most importantly, through this work, I am blessed to have met many warrior brothers and sisters from all around the world who share the common passion – we want to make sure that our children will be free.
Although there are non-profit organizations and shelters in place, the demand exceeds the supply. A 2019 study shows a 500-bed shortage in Harris County alone. This does not include victims who didn’t reach out because they can’t speak English, or those who were not in a safe place to call, or those who didn’t know which number to call. There are 315,000 trafficking victims in Texas alone, but there are only 400 beds for trafficking survivors in the United States altogether. Our long-term vision is to build a shelter that provides a safe haven for survivors and facilitates education to equip survivors from all backgrounds for equal employment opportunities and entrepreneurship.
This is a global problem. This is happening in our backyard. Anyone can be a victim regardless of their gender, race, nationality, social, economic and educational backgrounds. It takes a village to fight this. I can not do this alone. I hope to become a Goodwill Ambassador and make the world a better place. Together we can end it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.hopepyxglobal.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopepyxglobal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopepyxglobal/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-pyx-global/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/hopepyxglobal/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJhpyzWePfG2tKtIujJ7x3w
- Other links:
To book a speaking engagement or training, go to:www.eileendong.comTo donate or volunteer, go to: www.hopepyxglobal.orgFor more information about the 2022 Conference on Abuses and International Book Awards, go to:
Image Credits