How domestic abuse survivor Jamie R. Wright turned her nightmare into a business and an avenue for saving lives

The success story of Jamie R. Wright begins from a rough plane of child abuse, becoming a mother at age 14, and later meeting and marrying the man of her dreams. Usually, this is where the story ends in a fairytale; however, Jamie’s was just the beginning.

Speaking in an interview with BET, she shared how she met her partner on a night out with friends, describing him as a tall, dark, and handsome preacher, firefighter, and retired veteran who caught her eye and asked her to dance. “He swept me off my feet. You could not tell me anything about this man,” she said.

She soon moved in with him in Houston because he wanted her to, leaving behind her own 3-2 traditional home in Dallas, a decision that cost her $8,000. However, they tied the knot two years after their first encounter.

Four years later in 2022, she recounted the story of how he hit her with her laptop shortly after they got married, and noted that it was not the first time he had abused her.  

She was later compelled to run to a shelter in Houston for domestic abuse victims, ‘The Huston Area Women’s Center,’ for three months at the height of the pandemic to save herself from further abuse.

She explained to Canvas Rebel that her options were to either risk her children burying her as a result of domestic violence, or risk COVID in a homeless shelter.

Jamie expressed she was scared, full of shame, and embarrassment, among other emotions, during the whole ordeal. However, she stuck with her decision and stayed at the shelter to win back her worth, sense of self, and financial independence.

After some therapy and education, she has been able to understand that what happened to her was a coercive debt – where a person allows their mate to influence them to take on debt, and she has become stronger for it.

Years later, she is now a trauma and self-love advocate, author, motivational speaker, and ambassador for women who have been subjected to domestic abuse. Jamie encourages and empowers others to overcome their shame-filled past, using her experiences as an example.

The entrepreneur established Jamie R. Wright LLC to provide survivor-led awareness, education, and empowerment to Black Communities affected by domestic violence, although her organization is open to all.

She revealed to Bold Journey that integrity, authenticity, and resilience are some of the qualities that drove her to where she is today, and encouraged others who are early in their journey to surround themselves with people who will encourage them, hold them accountable, and refuse to give up on them.

Jamie told Canvas Rebel that she will not erase the experiences of her ordeal from her life even if she could go back in time, and added that she would not have known her level of strength and resilience, because that was all she had.

She explained, “I regained my strength, found meaning in my life, and got the honor to help others along the way.”

Jamie R. Wright has appeared on numerous broadcasts including BBC News, CBS, NBC, and 60 Minutes, and has also been featured in various articles worldwide.

 She proudly serves on the Board of Directors of two non-profit organizations which target those affected by domestic violence; the Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) and Unsilenced Voices (USV).

She is also a Member of the Coalition for the Homeless, The Way Home Continuum of Care Steering Committee.