Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Duffey.
Lisa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Back in 1986, I was in one of the many abusive relationships I’ve had in my life. I had just had my third child and was living like a prisoner in my own home. I had two other children who I removed from the household due to the ongoing violence. Early on I had packed a suitcase and kept it deep in the back on my closet because I knew that I was leaving either through the front door or taken out on a stretcher. The day came when I escaped! He came home, I was sitting on the bed with the baby, he took the baby out of my arms and put her in the crib, looked back at me and said: “prepare to die”. I asked, “what did I do”? He mumbled something. I could tell he was high on something. He tied my hands and took a wire hanger out of the closet. I was scared to death. He went into the kitchen and put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Someone knocked on the door, it was his cousin. He saw me and realized something was wrong. He coaxed him out of the apartment by telling him that he was going to go purchase some drugs. He dropped everything and left.
I freed myself, got my daughter and the suitcase and left. I had 40 dollars in my pocket. My sister and her boyfriend drove me to Port Authority in New York and I got brought a one-way ticket to Silver Spring, MD where my mother’s sister lives. I started working as a GS-3 clerk typist for the Internal Revenue Service in Wheaton, Maryland in 1987. I transferred to the New York later that year. My job titles include clerk typist, group secretary, taxpayer service representative, tax auditor, and supervisory tax auditor. I accepted a job promotion in 2007 here in Georgia as a GS-13 tax analyst and have worked as a federal employee for over 32 years.
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?
Definitely not! I didn’t have a father figure as a young pre-teenager. My father abandoned the family when I was around 12 years of age. He was physically and emotionally abusive to my mother. I’ve experience childhood molestation, rape, years of physical abuse (starting around age 13), single parent at 17, public assistance, living in the projects, jobless, homeless, I could go on and on.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am the founder of WEEWIN – Women Encouraging and Empowering Women In Need. I am an advocate for woman and their empowerment. It is in its beginning stages but I am working to expand this into helping women become self-sufficient through counseling (personal and financially, job placement, training). I am one of twelve coauthors in a book titled “I AM A BLACK WOMAN” which Is scheduled for a launch this year. This collaboration started as women coming together to share their TRUTHS and be free, but now it has turned into a MOVEMENT!! and I am so excited about the current and future prospects. I am also a MaryKay Consultant changing lives one face at a time. I am so proud of myself and want all females young and old to know their self worth and most important LOVE YOU.
What were you like growing up?
There were some good times growing up. I was very smart in grade school and always won the penmanship contests. I am a twin (fraternal and twin to a boy). I was always the one who wanted to be in charge. He was very laid back. I was always curious and always ask the question “But why?” At one point I wanted to be a model. I was skinny back then and wanted to go to Barbizon Modeling School in Manhattan but my mom said we couldn’t afford it. Then around 15 years of age I realized I could sing and was going to sign with this up and coming rap group but they just couldn’t get it off the ground.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marykay.com/beautigurl; www.marykay.com/beautigurl
- Phone: 6785459873
- Email: lblocker27@outlook.com; iaabwlduffey@gmail.com
- Facebook: Lisa Duffey: WEEWIN Women Encouraging and Empowering Women In Need; I AM A BLACK WOMAN-The Book
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