Letter from Our Executive Director

12.15.2025 by Sensei Ryan Libel

Dear Thousand Waves Community,

As 2025, Thousand Waves’ 40th Anniversary year, draws to a close I’m feeling grateful for our community, our art, and our shared commitment to our not-for-profit mission – fostering fitness, healing, empowerment, and peacemaking. From the perspective of karate program membership and self-defense service delivery, Thousand Waves has indeed had a good year.

But I think it’s important to acknowledge that 2025 has been a challenging year for many – our immigrant and trans communities especially have been under fire from a government that relentlessly seeks to divide us. Dehumanizing rhetoric and cruel enforcement strategies have often carried the day over basic human decency. Further, our government’s scapegoating of marginalized populations is a naked ploy to distract us from our country’s failed economic policies. Many among us face severe financial headwinds due to housing and other costs that have spiraled, while any economic positives have accrued to those who already have it pretty good. With healthcare costs set to soar even higher in the new year and governmental progress on climate change dead in the water, the picture can feel awfully bleak.

At Thousand Waves, we can at least meet the moment for families in need with scholarships – about 15% of our members rely on them for their ongoing karate training. We’ve also been proud to partner with other not-for-profit organizations as part of our 40th anniversary year service project to provide them with pro-bono Empowerment Self-Defense training. Some of these organizations are doing concrete work to counter the challenges I enumerated earlier.

And most of all, our community provides a place where we can continue to work together to make humanity a little better. Whether it’s teaching kids our Karate-ka Code of Ethics or enabling partnerships that help us all better understand the beautiful diversity of humanity, our training supports character development and personal growth.

Thank you for your support over the past year – as a not-for-profit organization we rely on donations to support our scholarship, self-defense, and Adapted Seido Karate Program for kids with disabilities. Please consider supporting us during this season of giving.

With deep appreciation,

Sensei Ryan
Executive Director

12.15.2025 by Thousand Waves

Briefly, how did you come to train at Thousand Waves?

My introduction to Thousand Waves was when I attended my husband’s (Senpai Mario Cruz) Yellow Belt test; I was immediately taken with how supportive and encouraging his teachers were during that test. He asked me to take the 12-hour Self-Defense class with him. After doing the practical self-defense drills, I was excited to try karate myself and took a White Belt trial 2 days later.

What is one thing you’d like to change about the world?

I wish everyone would simply remember to treat each and every other person the way that they themselves wish to be treated.

What is one thing you do well?

I’m pretty good at cleaning and neatening and also pretty good at remembering names.

Who from history do you admire, and why?

All the unsung heroes who changed the lives of those around them for the better but didn’t leave an indelible mark on history. Tiny little actions in our everyday lives can make such a difference in so many adjacent lives. Kindness can and should be contagious.

Other than Chicago, where have you most enjoyed spending time?

I really enjoyed living in Boston for 7 years right after college. I walked everywhere (or took public transportation). It was a delightfully small city.

What quotation have you found inspiring or interesting?

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” Henry Ford

What is a book that has been significant to you?

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff.

What are your musical favorites?

I like to sing to pop music in the car or at home, particularly female voices… and Radiohead, because even my bad singing voice sounds at least as good as Thom York’s.

What talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could play marimba, but I lack great rhythm, talent with percussion, and the ability to have two hands doing very different and particular things. However I love the deep, woody sounds of that instrument.

What is your most treasured possession?

Besides my pets over the years, I have my deceased Grandmother and Father’s everyday drinking glasses, and seeing/using them keeps them both present in my daily life.

“Thousand Waves Member Spotlight: Ten Questions for…” is a regular feature of Kiai! We will hear from Sensei Kate Philippo in the next issue.

Celebrating 40 years of Thousand Waves History

12.15.2025 by Thousand Waves

In thinking about how to celebrate our 40th anniversary, we thought it would be nice to provide a few links to the past. When was the last time you read about the history of Thousand Waves? Here is a snapshot taken from our website:

In 1984, Nancy Lanoue and her partner Jeannette Pappas moved from New York to Chicago with a new black belt, a decade of experience in empowerment self-defense, and a crazy dream—to create a safe and beautiful place for women to get stronger and feel more empowered. That dream became the Women’s Gym, a feminist health club that offered training in Seido karate. Pappas died in 1989, and in 1991, Sarah Ludden moved to Chicago and joined Thousand Waves, studying Seido karate and teaching a second martial art, Kajukenbo kung fu. The school had 50 women and 20 children students.

In 1995 The Women’s Gym made a big change – we began offering programming for all genders, enabling everyone to experience the benefits of martial arts training and heal from violence as allies. To facilitate a growing membership, the school moved to our present location and changed its name to Thousand Waves.  In 2001, the organization aligned its structure with its spirit of volunteerism and access for all by incorporating as a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization governed by a board of directors.

In 2016, Lanoue and Ludden transitioned out of their roles as Co-Executive Directors to focus on teaching and further developing our corps of instructors. The Board hired longtime Director of Operations and Instructor Ryan Libel to serve as our first non-founding Executive Director. He continues to serve, overseeing a paid and volunteer instructor and administrative team that strives to fulfill Lanoue’s decades old crazy dream: a safe and beautiful place that contributes to setting positive waves in motion for our members and our community. We currently serve over 225 members of all ages and genders. [Source: https://thousandwaves.org/about-us]

1987: Article about Shihan Nancy’s breast cancer

1993: Shuseki Shihan Nancy inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame - website article and YouTube video - Vernita Gray introduction and award clip: 41:19-45:21

2008: Sei Shihan Sarah kajukenbo performance at the 2008 National Women’s Martial Arts Federation Special Training, to Susan Werner’s “May I Suggest”, a choreography she first created in 2001, in honor of Sifu Coleen Gragen during the time of her fatal illness.

2009: First Kiai! edition with an article by Sei Shihan Sarah (then Kyoshi Sarah)

2009: “Celebrating Kyoshi Sarah Ludden: Recipient of 2009 Cook County Unsung Heroines Award” Kiai article by Senpai Pamela M. Robert

2009: Putting People First - Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center, NFP - Sensei Ryan short clip

2009: Sei Shihan Sarah created the Peacemaker Award “to acknowledge and publicly honor the courage, commitment and hard work it takes to prevent, stop or reduce violence. Thousand Waves peacemakers are people who challenge the prevailing culture and get involved in stopping violence. They decide to be allies to others who are in conflict. In the spirit of one wave setting thousands in motion, the Thousand Waves Peacemaker Award honors the individual in order to expand our understanding and commitment to violence prevention. Past awardees’ work has been far-ranging, including children intervening to stop harassment of their friends and academics working on issues of violence. To nominate an individual for a Thousand Waves Peacemaker Award send an email to info@thousandwaves.org.” https://thousandwaves.org/community-programs/

2011: Thousand Waves Peacemaker Award YouTube video - Senpai TJ Nakano [Note: Senpai TJ’s father George Nakano made many videos about Thousand Waves. They can be found in this playlist.]

2010: Spirit Challenge ASK performance

2015: “Thousand Waves marks 30 years of mission-driven work” Windy City Times article.

2015: Thousand Waves at Chicago Pride Parade 2015 YouTube video by Senpai Mark Hubert.

2020: YouTube Interview with Shuseki Shihan Nancy in conjunction with the Victory Gardens production of How to Defend Yourself.

2025:
Thousand Waves Helps Grow Strong Young Women
Thousand Waves Kids Self-Defense

2025: Shuseki Shihan Nancy and Sei Shihan Sarah are inducted into the AWMAI Hall of Fame.

2025: On Saturday, November 15, Thousand Waves founders Shuseki Shihan Nancy Lanoue and Sei Shihan Sarah Ludden were inducted into the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame for their decades of contributions to the martial arts. Thanks to Coach Arlene Limas, herself a 2014 inductee, for spearheading their nomination process. In a bold acceptance speech, Shuseki Shihan Nancy recounted her work on maximizing access and diversity in the martial arts and spoke of a hope that Thousand Waves might find ways to connect more concretely with the broader Chicago martial arts community. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

Upcoming Events and Useful Links

12.15.2025 by Thousand Waves

Fri Aug 7 - Tue Aug 11, 2026
Zen Shin: 50th Aniversary celebration of Seido Karate, Westchester County, NY

Some 2026 TW and Seido Calendar of Events - Save the dates!