2021 Fellow Focus: Gabriella Wong + AccesSOS
Community Builder, musician, database “nerd”…2021 Fellow Gabriella Wong of AccesSOS shares more about her #RuthlessForGood journey.
What propelled you into the entrepreneurial space? And what do you enjoy most about being a founder?
I came into entrepreneurship after witnessing gaps in accessibility and how lack of access could mean life or death. Both of my parents are deaf and have no way to call for help in an emergency. My brother and I have had to personally serve as the translation layer between my father and 911. When my father got into a car accident, he had to text me and my brother to call 911 for help because he had no other way to reach emergency services. It’s not fair to place this burden on individual families and loved ones.
Not everyone has a family member who can play the role my brother and I have. Growing up in the Deaf world has allowed me to build a solution AccesSOS that directly helps folks like my parents. I love being a founder because I have a rare chance to turn something that started as an idea into something tangible that makes a change in the world. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Tell me about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
An experience that exemplifies Camelback’s core value of “Belief in Mission + Vision” is remembering my father’s experience of when his gallbladder ruptured. Nobody else was home, and we did not see his texts for help in time. During one of his most vulnerable, desperate moments in life, he could not speak with 911 to get help. He almost died because of this inequity.
In living through the feeling of utter helplessness, seeing someone I love not have access to emergency help because of their disability, I never want anyone to experience the nightmare my family has. I am focused on my mission and vision to never stop working to fix this problem until emergency services are accessible to everyone.
As a BIPOC founder, Camelback understands that the struggle is constant, what motivates you to get up every day and keep on fighting?
When I face hurdles, I stay motivated by remembering the heartbreaking stories that family and friends have told me about when they weren’t able to get the help they needed. When self doubt creeps in, I remind myself that I need to continue fighting because I’ve lived the experience with the problem I’m trying to solve. My parents are both deaf and immigrants.
Both of these communities - deaf people , immigrants -- have been excluded from emergency assistance and need someone to recognize the power of technology to bridge this gap. I also fear the barriers less because my background has made me intimately familiar with them, so I know how to navigate them.
What's your favorite book or podcast that you draw entrepreneurial inspiration from?
How I Built This with Guy Raz + Khan Academy: Sal Khan
Why did you choose to embark on the Camelback Fellowship? And what do you hope to gain from this experience?
I believe in Camelback’s mission to support BIPOC women in entrepreneurship. There were countless times where I would be in meetings with other founders pitching their ideas to funders, and I would be the only BIPOC woman in the room. This is unacceptable and something must change because BIPOC women have brilliant ideas and we need to welcome them into this entrepreneurial space.
I see Camelback ventures working towards making entrepreneurship equitable for everyone. I have a soft spot for women entrepreneurs and I am delighted that my cohort in conscious tech is all women! I’m hoping to both teach others and to gain knowledge in scaling and sustaining my venture.
I'm still in shock that I'm part of this Camelback family. I'm forever grateful and truly believe in giving back what I can to make entrepreneurship diverse and approachable for all.
You can learn more about ➡ Gabriella Wong of AccesSOS.
Get to know more of the 2021 Camelback Fellows👇🏽