Today we’d like to introduce you to Averie Bishop.
Hi Averie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’m a first-generation law school graduate, small business owner, viral influencer, and international nonprofit CEO. I’m also the youngest committee member of the anti-hate and discrimination advisory council to Mayor Eric Johnson in the City of Dallas. I am the 85th anniversary Miss Texas and the very first Asian American woman to represent the Lone star state.
As Miss Texas, I’ve dedicated my year of service to her social platform, “Y’all Means All,” and the Texas Cares for Children program. I grew up in poverty, experienced food insecurity, and faced discrimination in her small hometown. My social platform aims to make every child feel at home and teaches them how to grow into their greatest potential, even through challenging adversities. Today, I’ve taught programs to hundreds of schools, mentored thousands of children, and traveled more than 40,000 miles for speaking engagements and appearances across the world, including California, New York, Oxford, London, and beyond. I have various age-appropriate school programs, a published children’s book, and keynote speeches that address diversity and inclusion, social media, and mental health.
I’ve had the honor of representing Texas at Miss America this December. I placed 2nd runner-up, becoming the highest-placing Miss Texas in 15 years. She received the Women in Business scholarship and Women in Media Scholarship. I’ve won a total of $85,000 in scholarships.
While I graduated with a juris doctorate degree from SMU law school, I incorporated my own small business for social media consulting. I acquired a million followers across social media and get to help companies like Google and Microsoft create engaging media campaigns. Additionally, I consult with small business in Texas to help them with online marketing campaigns, SEO, and brand vision.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey had many challenges and adversities. I was born in a small, predominantly white town called Prosper. At the time, there were only about 5,000 people in the town. I didn’t see anyone who looked like me in positions I desired for myself. I used to shrink myself, especially as a woman of color. I would speak quietly, question my decisions, and even hesitate to speak up during law school or during meetings. I was fortunate to find incredible mentors within my small town in my teachers, and my Filipino dance troupe who invested in my growth.
I always remind myself and others that you deserve to take up space! Once you learn and grant yourself permission to take up space, you are able to act and speak more confidently.
My challenges I experienced during my journey are ones that have shaped me into the woman that I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work alongside my mom and direct our own nonprofit, The Tulong Foundation. We provide scholarships to children in Southeast Asia. Our mission is to ensure that every child has equitable access to education, food, and wellness resources.
The Tulong Foundation envisions a world where girls and boys of impoverished countries have the confidence to pursue all of their academic aspirations regardless of their socioeconomic background. While monetary aid from international humanitarian organizations are allocated to larger cities, our impact focuses on the much smaller villages and provinces that do not usually receive help because of their isolated location. Our volunteers personally venture into the southernmost regions of the Philippines and connect with remote areas who see little to no help from organizations. With your support, students from remote areas will be given the opportunity to pursue their academic interests without the challenges and hardships one faces while living in a rural, poverty-stricken community. Today, the Tulong Foundation provides financial support for scholarships, libraries, water wells, micro-entrepreneurial loans, and technology. Additionally, I’m the statewide ambassador for Texas Cares for Children, an organization that provides low to no cost mentorship and educational programming to title 1 schools across Texas. In Texas, my nonprofit provides first-generation college students with mentorship, resources, and scholarships.
What’s next?
Honestly, I’m very unsure! I’m in my late 20s, and sometimes I feel panicked about having to know the answers to everything. I’m just very blessed and grateful to have come from such difficult circumstances and now run a successful business. I simply want to be happy and to help others. I can see myself potentially opening a local coffee shop that is also a shared creative space, running for local office, or becoming a professor at a university.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.averiebishop.com/the-tulong-foundation-copy
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averiebishop/?hl=en
Image Credits
Deon Casey
