Still Standing; A Survivor's Story

Hope Concordia was a homeless child. She endured horrific acts of violence at the hands of those entrusted to care for her. Hope was molested, raped, and mentally and physically abused by the tender age of five. Hope ran away, only to find refuge on a street corner. At fifteen, she was scouted by an agent and quickly became a professional high-fashion model. Her newfound career took her off the streets but transplanted her into another dimension of international child sexual exploitation. Hope married the same type of man she ran away from as a child, except he was from a very prominent family. She found herself living in a coveted environment known only to the elite of society, enduring the same types of abuse she had experienced on the streets. A divorced mother of two children and without a college education, Hope ended up in a battered women's shelter in an attempt to rebuild her life and stop the cycle of abuse. She graduated from USC with her master's degree while on welfare. Hope radiates inspiration Her story is one that you will never forget Soup kitchen to socialite and back again, Hope's resilience is remarkable "Her positive energy lit up the room." -- D. Evans, OC Register "Effervescent and stunning." -- A. Gutierrez, OC Register "This book has been added to the California state mandated Domestic Violence Advocate Training curriculum. Still Standing will speak to survivors, family, friends, and experts." -- M. Presley, Laura's House

"We are so proud of Hope Concordia and her selfless desire to help others. Her compassion and courage exemplify our School's mission to serve, to lead, to help and to heal." -- Pinchas Cohen M.D. dean of USC Davis School