from the May, 2015 issue of Kiai!

Thousand Waves’ Mother/Daughter Self-Defense Intensive
a Big Success

By Senpai Amy Jones
3rd Degree Black Belt and TW Violence Prevention & Self-Defense Program Manager

In April, Thousand Waves had our first (or at least, first in recent memory) Mother/Daughter Self-Defense Intensive course as part of our annual series of 12-hour courses.  We’ve had courses limited to women and teen girls in the past; what made this one different is that we encouraged people to sign up with family members.  There were a few adult women and teen girls who didn’t come with anyone close to them, but the majority of the fully-enrolled class were there with someone who was important in their life. 


Instructor Erin Epperson demonstrates the "fight" finger of self-defense on co-teacher, Becky Kidd.

Families come in all different configurations, and structures represented included nieces and aunts and family friends as well as literal mothers and daughters. We were gratified to see that students got into the familial spirit of the course.  One of my goals for next year is to come up with a phrase that communicates our intent of “adult woman and teen woman in the same family” that isn’t as limiting as “mother/daughter.”  Suggestions welcome!

Our spring course also saw the kickoff of our Community Beneficiary program.  We welcomed Between Friends as our very first Beneficiary!  The Community Beneficiary program’s intent is to build alliances between Thousand Waves and like-minded organizations in the greater Chicago community.  Between Friends is a nonprofit agency dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence and building a community free of abuse.  Two staff members, including the Executive Director Yesenia Maldonado, brought teen women in their lives, and the four of them were enthusiastic participants.  I’m personally very excited to have this program underway. 


Students in the self-defense course partner up to practice releases
from wrist grabs.

We also welcomed a Thousand Waves alumna from over twenty years ago to the course.  Mary Jane trained here in the early 1990s, and now that her daughter is a teenager, she felt like it was important that she get some self-defense training; so she was very excited to learn about the April offering!  Mary Jane recruited three other folks associated with her daughter’s school, and they five of them had a great time.  We even made the school’s blog!

Finally, training members should keep an eye out for Lynn.  Lynn is a graduate of the course, too, and she plans on taking her trial karate class very soon and getting signed up for her two-month beginner special!
Registration is open for our next intensive, to be held June 12-14th.  Find out more and register today.


It looks like a dance party, but it's not! Graduates of the 12-hour Mother/Daughter Self-Defense Intensive release
a flurry of fighting combinations to celebrate their success in the course.