The #YOUAreTheSuperPower Campaign is Here!
The #YOUAreTheSuperPower campaign is here! We've got two new groups of trainees, one meeting in Costa Rica and one meeting in New York, who are ready to begin the process of becoming ESD instructors.
And they need your support.
About The Campaign
Your contribution to the ESD Global Scholarship Fund makes it possible to bring violence prevention to communities worldwide.
Many communities lack qualified Empowerment Self-Defense instructors, the front line violence prevention strategy for women and girls.
With your help, ESD Global is training new ESD instructors to serve these communities. When you donate to the ESD Global Scholarship Fund, you are helping to train women in a proven violence prevention strategy that can also provide them with income, creating economic empowerment along with increased safety in each community.
Over the next month, we'll be introducing you to our trainees. Here are some of the trainees who will be coming to Costa Rica for their Level 1 Instructor Training next week.
Meet The Trainees
Pamela, Brazil:
Pamela has been teaching self-defense for a while now, but she's very excited to find her "tribe:"
“I have been a huge defendor of women's rights since I was 18 years old, and have experience in politics and the creation of public projects geared to reducing violence against women.
Since 2017, I’ve dedicated my life to teaching self-defense techniques and bringing empowerment skills designed to help women leave abusive relationships and feel better about themselves.”
Jacinta, Australia:
When we asked Jacinta how ESD helps women learn to step into their power, she told us that: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Firstly, during ESD workshops, I’ve been encouraged to question how my perceptions have shaped my relationships. This was complemented by a process of developing confidence in the strengths I already possessed. This dual approach allows participants to unlearn harmful norms of femininity, such as passivity, and replace them with a sense of confidence in their ability to protect themselves.
Secondly, the verbal and physical techniques covered in ESD workshops are simple, practical and memorable. Through role plays, it becomes apparent that these tools are widely applicable. Lastly, the ESD workshops provide a non-judgemental space for women to discuss their experiences of violence. Through these nuanced dialogues, I gained a deeper understanding of the spectrum of violence and now feel confident in my ability to recognise red flags.”
Dayra:
We’ve been a fan of Dayra Fyah for a while now, and we could not be more excited about meeting her at our Level 1 instructor Training in Costa Rica. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is what she told us when we asked her why she wanted to learn Empowerment Self-Defense: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “I live in Ecatepec, Mexico, an area with one of the highest rates of femicide. That’s why there is a real need for me to come learn and then share my knowledge with the women in my community. We are vulnerable to all types of attacks at any given time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I want to share my experiences and knowledge and learn from others. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I am a rapper, and I give workshops on different topics, from harassment to feminism. We need Empowerment Self-Defense courses as they will help us survive in this macho country, where nine women are killed every day.”
Dayra is eager to let the world know about her training, and is even mentioning it in the media:
Sergio:
We have one more person to introduce you to. Sergio Guillen, who lives in Costa Rica and is martial artist with experience as a suited instructor, will be serving as a translator during a special ESD workshop for the community in San Jose while his wife, Jenny, attends the Level 1 Training.
He told us that, "I hope that the physical aspect of Empowerment Self-Defense can keep functioning as a bridge, or as a series of bridges, for other people, as it has done for me. I see it as serving to bridge for reflection and updating my socialization and my conscious awareness and aspirations for social change as an adult.
I think it can also work as a means for connecting people, possibly people with very different views that could be seen as antagonists to one another, and bring them into an experience of each other’s humanity and shared aspirations."
Put Your Power Into Action
ESD Global envisions a world where people live safe, violence-free lives and have the tools to know how to deal with violence as it develops.
The summer is just getting started, and we could not be more excited about turing that vision into a reality.
Stay tuned for updates and photos from our trainings, including information about our New York trainees.
Meanwhile, it's time for all of us to put our power into action. Invest in a safer future.
