“I see confidence increase in the folks of our programs, and identity shifts. We had one woman identify as a refugee and domestic abuse surivivor. Now, she identifies as a business woman.”

Christina Wong is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Employ to Empower, a registered charitable organization that empowers people who face barriers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES). We use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to cultivate community, a sense of belonging, and confidence for people facing work and social barriers. We provide free access to skills training resources like business planning, mentorship, and education opportunities to empower people who face barriers to become the resource themselves and help others, creating a ripple effect of impact.

 Christina created the Cardboard Project, which seeks to engage local entrepreneurs in the Downtown Eastside with the other members of the public to raise awareness and showcase artists’ voices. Recently, she was nominated for the 2020 YWCA Women of Distinction in the Non-Profit category, a recipient of the 2021 Globe and Mail’s top 50 Business Changemakers in Canada, and selected as a recipient for the VISA Canada She’s Next Grant recipient

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