Lawyer and advocate Rebekah Lee is the Executive Director of Becky’s Fund. Becky’s Fund (www.beckysfund.org) is a national non-profit organization “committed to addressing and preventing the occurrence of domestic violence through advocacy, research and support for survivors.”

Many know her as Becky Lee, third place winner of the “Survivor” reality TV show. Or from watching her when she was personally invited to the White House for President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden’s address on violence against women, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Vice President Biden also invited her to his official residence in the nation’s capital to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the Violence against Women’s Act.

More recently, the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce is proud to have her as its guest speaker of its Annual Asian Lunar New Year Reception. The event, coordinated by the chamber’s Asian Business Committee, takes place on February 10. Venue of the 5:30-7:30 p.m. event is Korshi Steak Restaurant in Centreville, Virginia.

Becky, who graciously obliged to reply to an email interview before leaving for an engagement in Hawaii, will discuss “the importance of community involvement, and what it means to take part in the development and success of our communities.”

“I will also talk about my career path as an advocate, attorney and executive director of Becky’s Fund,” she said, “and how important it is to address domestic violence and how to get involved.”

One reason she did the reality TV show was to bring more awareness to the issue. “People always ask me why I do this type of work. Of course, they’re looking for that sensational sob story. Yet I have no personal experience to relate. I don’t need to. I have personally seen how common domestic violence is.”

“While statistics show that battering is the single major cause of injury for women in this country, and that four women are murdered by their boyfriend or husband each day, we still deny that domestic violence is an issue that concerns us,” she said.

She also cited the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence study that 41% to 60% of Asian and Pacific Islander women reported experiencing domestic violence during their lifetime.

Becky’s Fund

“This year,” Becky said, “We are working to create the first-ever domestic violence phone application, so we can help people all over the country access resources and help others to help themselves when in a domestic violence situation.”

She travels all over the country speaking to students at colleges about the warning signs of domestic violence. She also works with young tweens “about healthy relationships through our Girl Scouts program.”

Becky has also been teaching self-defense and boxing to women through the non-profit “to teach them how to regain their self-confidence and feel good about themselves with their bodies.”

Becky’s Fund also helps women become financially secure by assisting them with their financial planning, budgets, etc. “As an attorney, I work one-on-one with the clients to help them in the legal system, helping them with getting a divorce, protection order, and other family law issues,” she said.

Aside from working for Becky’s Fund full-time, she also works with other attorneys to train advocates across the country on the latest developments about domestic violence so they can better assist their clients. She also endeavors to update judges.

“People can help Becky’s Fund by getting educated about domestic and dating violence, since everyone probably knows someone who has been affected, as one in three women are affected by this problem in the U.S,” she noted. “They can donate time to an organization working on these issues, or donate money at www.beckysfund.org.”

All-out Support

Lawyer David Moretti of Mokhiber & Moretti, LLC in Reston, Virginia, is one of Becky’s close friends. He is also a board member of Becky’s Fund. In an email interview, he was delighted to share stories that illustrate Becky’s “passion and powerful commitment to the cause of ending domestic violence and in support of its survivors.”

He recalled: “Perhaps the most personally compelling for me was my first introduction to Becky. In February 2009, a client reached out to me for help exiting a violent marriage and home life. She was literally marooned in Loudoun County, and she needed transportation and shelter in order to keep her job and escape the escalating abuse at home. After calling eight area shelters, none of which had the capacity or willingness to assist, I first spoke with Becky Lee.”

“Within hours, Becky had reached out to the victim and provided her with much needed mental comfort and support, arranged for temporary housing, and escorted my client to her Loudoun County residence, where they were met by sheriff deputies to collect my client’s personal effects,” he said.

“Becky’s support, however, didn’t end there,” he pointed out. “Her interns assisted this recent survivor with finding and selecting a new apartment, and adjusting to a new life alone–with no family and few friends in the area.

“Over the past two years, Becky was there for her every step of the way–through the trials (literal and figurative) and tribulations–and through the emotional roller coaster rides along the way. She is an advocate and friend of uncommon quality, character and nature. She guides survivors through the transition process with sound advice, positive reinforcement, and shear force of will. She is dynamic, and effervescent in her joy for others’ successes. She is also able to resist the temptation to demean the intimate partner of a victim.

David said. “Today, my client is a well-adjusted, strong, single woman with a successful career path and a bright future. I truly believe that Becky saved a life that day in February, and I, and my client, will be forever grateful. Becky Lee is one of my heroes.”

Media Stereotypes

Becky lamented that Asian Americans are still portrayed in stereotypes in the media. “There’s no lack of Asian American talents out there, but the current system in Hollywood does not cast them in lead roles, or write scripts with them in mind, so we need to support networks behind the camera that are willing to create roles for them.”

She remarked: “When people ask me if I feel as if I was fairly edited (in the ‘Survivors’ reality TV show), I have to admit, No. Those who have met me personally are always taken aback. On the show, I was portrayed as this silent, brooding Asian girl who rode coattails and was rather passive. In reality, I tend to be a bit more outspoken and aggressive. I love competition, and get along great with others. But we all know how powerful the media can be, and how the power of selective editing can alter perceptions entirely.”

“While I was disappointed personally at being misrepresented, I am more concerned that this is indicative of a larger epidemic,” she stressed. “Asian characters are pigeonholed into clichéd, trite characters. We are nerds, undersexed, kung fu masters, or dragon ladies. We must continue to push and demand that the media realize that they hold great responsibility and power, and they are obligated to use that power fairly.”

Becky was born in Flushing, New York, the eldest of two daughters of Rebecca and John Lee, who she described as “always very supportive” of them. “They were extremely excited to see me compete in the ‘Survivors,’ and were very proud when I played with integrity and placed third.”

Becky earned her Bachelor’s Arts degree from the University of Michigan, graduating in 2000, and her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2004.

She said her ideal life partner would be “someone who is humble, ambitious, enjoys his career, is funny, values family, and takes care of his body.” She added, “He should be confident enough to stand up to me–I’m very stubborn–and understand that following my passion is very important to me.”

Her hobbies include “playing tennis, traveling, playing football, being outside, working out, shopping, laughing and hanging out with friends.”