Eva Jones has been a servant leader for most of her adult life. She began in her church organizing health fairs, women empowerment sessions, teen summits, and domestic abuse conferences. These organized events’ focus were to raise awareness and end dating and sexual assault violence in the Metro Jackson community. After raising her three sons, Eva returned to college as an adult learner and earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Mississippi College which allowed her to enhance her knowledge of understanding domestic violence. It also added to her ability to help women, men, and children who are victims and survivors of abuse and violence. Eva believes that anyone can be a victim of domestic violence, regardless of age, race or gender.

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In 2010, Eva founded Butterflies By Grace Defined By Faith, an organization raising awareness of domestic violence. BBGDF’s mission is to educate, empower, and advocate awareness in order to protect the victims and survivors of sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic violence. The creation to this missionary-driven organization was birth because of the city’s dire need to change its perception on a subject that had been reduced to hush tones and whispers among the community. Seeing that there was a lack of support and attention regarding domestic violence, Eva trusted God to giver her the grace and wisdom to start an organization that would address the taboo of domestic violence and bring much needed attention to its destruction of society, not only in the city of Jackson, but nationwide.

Eva and other like-minded individuals among her knew a battle cry needed to be reverberated throughout the state to raise awareness against violence. Butterflies by Grace Designed by Faith, a grassroot organization supported by volunteers, private donors, partnership with different agencies and local community leaders answered that cry. BBGDF continues to aid the community by providing emotional support, creating platforms, and giving a voice to the voiceless. Eva states that she and other community leaders are willing to go into places of worship, schools, businesses and anywhere where people will listen. She notes that while the task force is a domestic violence-focused organization, it desires to address others issues that overlap in conjunction with domestic violence.

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Eva has dedicated her life to empowering survivors, teens and women about self-esteem and self-respect as a weapon to fight against domestic abuse. She believes it is CRUCIAL that our teens know how to have a healthy relationship and understand they do not have to be in a relationship to be happy. Eva stresses the importance of an education to teens and how they should make it a priority in their lives. By speaking at women conferences, she continuously encourage and uplift women to love themselves and focus on building their self esteem.

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Eva has had the privilege to serve and volunteer on various boards and organizations including the Mississippi State Society American Medical Technologists, the Sickle Cell Foundation, SIDS, the Diabetes Foundation, the Mississippi Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Society, the Mississippi Legends Woman to Woman with Joanne, the Matt’s House, the Flower’s House, the StewPot Community Center and the Women of Color organization. She has also been honored by many civic organizations and most recently Black Girls Rock, the AMT Distinguished Achievement Award for her work on sexual assault. She received the National Visionary Award, the Dress For Success Honoree Hero of the Year Award and the Top Ten Nominee for Women of Progress.

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Eva has been married to William “Bill” Jones since 1981. They have three sons and nine grandchildren. She attends Redeemer Presbyterian Church under the leadership of Rev. Elbert McGowan, Jr. She retired from GI Associates in 2021. Eva ‘s life- long desire has been to empower, enlightened and encourage women and teens to be change agents in their communities. Eva is dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence and passionate about providing workshops to women and teens by creating a loud voice in the community which will allow children to live free from violence. Her mission is to motivate and move mountains for those women who long to be seen and heard. Eva’s faith what sustains and strengthens her each and everyday. She believes that, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”