Meet Bonnie Yi Hyde | Philanthropist & Real Estate professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bonnie Yi Hyde and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bonnie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve perpetually embodied an independent spirit, occasionally veering into the territory of being overly outspoken and forthright for those in positions of authority. My upbringing in mainland China often presented challenges in this regard. Fortunately, I was nurtured to possess the strength needed to pursue my genuine convictions, take actions I deemed right, and embark on the journeys destined for me. This journey has ultimately brought me to where I am today, as the proud owner of my own business, but above all, it has enabled me to courageously chase my dreams.

With that said, I’ve always had this dream, to be a philanthropist. Growing up, my mother has always helped kids in need with their tuition. I remember there was a girl that she “sponsored” by paying for all of her schooling. And one time we had the opportunity to go visit her in person. We took a bus for hours, then got off and got into a small van. We drove on winding dirt roads for what seemed like the longest time. Then when we finally got off, we had to walk, because there were no more roads. When we finally arrived, I was so bored and exhausted. I was shocked when I saw the little girl. She was my age. It was winter, and she was “playing” in the mud, with no shoes on. I turned to my mother to ask, “How come she doesn’t have to wear shoes?” My mom had to explain to me that it’s not that her parents allowed her to not wear shoes, but that she didn’t own any shoes. And even worse, she had no parents. She was an orphan. That day, it really sunk in for me, that not every child was fortunate enough for the very basics. I think it had forever planted a seed of philanthropy in my mind, I wanted to be that person to make a difference in children’s lives.

Even though I always had this dream in the back of my mind, I always told myself, one day, when I become rich, I’d donate generously to help underprivileged children access education and improve their lives. It was not until a couple years ago, I read a book that changed my perspective, that is, you don’t need to be rich to take action and donate your time. You can always do something about it by starting an initiative! I give credit to my mentor, the author of “Philanthropy Revolution” Lisa Greer. Thanks to her book, I took action and founded the nonprofit, the American Born Chinese Foundation. A public charity that dedicates its efforts in bringing educational resources to children in need, and supporting their bilingual journey and cultural inclusion. Through the nonprofit, we’re now bringing the first Los Angeles Kids Book Festival to our community, where we celebrate reading and bilingualism, as well as cultural diversity.