Today we’d like to introduce you to Antoria Gillon.
Antoria, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a young girl, I’ve always been caught in the crossfire of domestic violence. I was hit by a car at the age of 5 years old. The doctors asked my mom if she could donate my kidneys to a child that could use them because it was no hope of living left. As I laid in the hospital bed for two months only breathing 10% on my own while the machine was breathing 90%, having both of my legs broken in three different places (both hips, both knees, and both ankles), God’s grace covered me. The man who hit me with his car was my grandmother’s boyfriend who she was trying to leave. He was trying to run her over but hit me in the process. When he hit me, I was stuck under his car due to my legs being wrapped around the axle under the car and the pipe of the car is so hot, it clings to the back of my head.
Starting at the age of 7, I remember my father beating women in front of me until they were unconscious. I can recall a time when my father woke me up out of my sleep and question me about my stepmoms’ whereabouts, my stepmom would look at me as if she was at my mercy. My father would ask “Antoria, did she leave this house”, I would respond and say “no dad, she only went and stood on the front porch, but she didn’t leave”. My step mom dropped her head as my father looked at her and said “oh, you went out of the house”, and began to beat her in front of me. When he was done, he would look at me and say “Don’t you ever let a n***a do you like that, do you hear me?” After years of seeing abuse, I became numb to violence as if it was common as having a regular conversation. My father’s actions finally caught up with him and he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. As years passed, my father began to reach out to me pleading for forgiveness. My father taught me the mindset of the abuser. He taught me how they think, how they respond and how they react. Throughout the years, I began to teach battered women in domestic violence how to be freed from their abusers, and never return by exposing the mindset of the abuser. I started “From Ordinary to Extraordinary” is 2013. We have helped over 700 women. From Ordinary to Extraordinary is an organization designed to help broken and battered women regain self-esteem and self-worth through extreme makeovers. We provide extreme makeovers to mothers who have suffered from domestic violence. The purpose of these makeovers is to soften the outer appearance in order to deal with the hardness of what’s been embedded on the inside such as, hurt, shame, disbelief, betrayal, self-hate, loss of identity and the feeling of being invisible. From Ordinary to Extraordinary goal is to help these women resurface their existence within society. One of the ways that we help is through teaching a skilled trade that will help them become self-sufficient.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No! When you have a true passion, it will carry you to places you would’ve never imagined, and when you are called by God to serve a purpose it will carry you through places you wouldn’t want to revisit. Overall, obedience is the key to success.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with From Ordinary to Extraordinary – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I started “From Ordinary to Extraordinary” is 2013. We have helped over 700 women. From Ordinary to Extraordinary is an organization designed to help broken and battered women regain self-esteem and self-worth through extreme makeovers. We provide extreme makeovers to mothers who have suffered from domestic violence. The purpose of these makeovers is to soften the outer appearance in order to deal with the hardness of what’s been embedded on the inside such as, hurt, shame, disbelief, betrayal, self-hate, loss of identity and the feeling of being invisible. From Ordinary to Extraordinary goal is to help these women resurface their existence within society. One of the ways that we help is through teaching a skilled trade that will help them become self-sufficient.
While helping these women, I realized that most of them had children, of which the little girl in me connected to their children. I started a program in the organization called “Teen Control”. Domestic violence not only affects those who are involved but causes a major impact and delay Fundamentals of Living for those who witness such behavior, “such as children”. Children are a direct reflection of what they see, feel and want, in which at times these emotions can be hard to explain under one sense. The mission of “Teen Control” is to help our youth avoid being labeled as at risk or out of control, and properly express the experiences they encounter along with views of their environment.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Recently, we opened a community resource center which will allow us the opportunity to provide ongoing counseling, if needed.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3455 Highland Rd, STE # 102
Dallas, TX 75228 - Website: www.iamfote.org
- Phone: (214) 431-7051
- Email: empower@iamfote.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamfote/
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