TESTIMONIALS

Read below to hear in their own words how students are affected by and positively benefit from Emerging Strategies sponsored programs.

KIMBERLY HENDRICKSON, Graduate 2005

I took the IMPACT Self Defense Class this summer through a leadership organization for young women called Sadie Nash.  Emerging Strategies offered the class to us for free—thanks partly to the money that gets raised at this event.  I had always wanted to do a self defense class and when the opportunity came up, I told my family about it.  My sister said, “Do it.” 

I grew up in Trinidad and moved here when I was 14. In Trinidad, I had a couple of frightening experiences.  The worst was when I was home alone and heard somebody pacing up and down the backyard outside my house.  I picked up an iron rod, went to the phone, and called my family.  They said, “Okay, we’re coming.”  While I was standing there on the phone with them, I saw the shadow of a person outside the window and his eyes staring in at me.  When he saw me on the phone, he left.  My heart was beating fast and I had started crying.  Now that I live in Brooklyn, I deal more with the daily interference of guys making comments as I walk down the street or cussing me out because I ignore them.

It seemed like taking a self defense class could be important and might change my life in some way.  But I expected the class to be routine.  I didn’t expect it to be personal. 

The scenarios were so real—not just physically, but emotionally.  In one of them, the instructor pretended to be a guy saying some really serious stuff and making rude comments to me.  He was calling out words I had been struggling with in my life for many years.  I hadn’t told him what to say.  He just knew.  His character started to really cross my boundaries and it was good because that’s what real life is like.  It got to me.

I started to see what we were doing in class from a personal perspective.  It touched me in a way that I knew my life would never be the same after that. I was broken down and then built back up.  It didn’t only help me to deal with sexual harassment.  It helped me deal with  personal problems, like just putting myself out there and breaking that barrier that holds me down.

If I had not done this training, I would still be struggling.  I feel stronger and a lot braver and like I can deal with hardship.  I used to be a serious pessimist, but now I’m more optimistic about things.  I feel more secure and more ready.

When our class this summer ended, they gave us a wristband with the words “Fighting Spirit” on it.  My experiences in class showed me that I had “Fighting spirit” in me long before I ever signed up to be there.  I haven’t taken the wristband off since the day I got it.  That’s how much these words mean to me.

I’m in college now and living with my sister.  Almost every night, I have to walk home by myself.  Because of this class, I am aware of my environment and keeping my eyes on everybody.  What’s going through my mind is: stay calm, keep thinking, and get into ready position if it’s necessary—just prepare.  

On behalf of the other young women and kids who benefited from this class in the last year, I can sincerely and definitely say that your donation is going to an important and life saving program.  Thank you for listening to me, thanks for your financial support, and thanks for being here tonight. 

JULIANNA BACCHUS, Graduate 2004

Thanks to Emerging Strategies, I got a scholarship to participate in my first full impact Women’s Basics Self Defense class this past summer.

I had heard from other girls I knew who had taken the class that it was a lot of fun.  But I was nervous because I thought it would be like my martial arts and dance classes.  In both, the teachers emphasized what we did wrong.  They seemed to want to humiliate us, so I quit.  I figured the self defense class would be the same, but I signed up anyway since it only lasted two weekends and a total of 20 hours.

The first day, I couldn’t even yell NO.  I laugh when I’m nervous, so I kept laughing.  But the teacher was patient.  She yelled with me so I didn’t have to do it by myself.  When we started the actual fights, I was surprised by the power in me.  I especially liked getting up after a fight and standing in ready position in front of the guy on the ground.  It felt good knowing that was my work.

It was exciting to see the other girls fight too.  One girl, named Shirley, was always the quiet, really smart, timid girl in our group.  But when we watched Shirley fight, she was one of the loudest and most ferocious.  It was impossible not to get caught up in her energy.  We were all cheering her on.

The best thing we learned was how to tell somebody you know that you feel uncomfortable.  That had always been a problem for me, since I wanted to tell people no but didn’t want to hurt them.  For example, how do I tell a family member that I’m uncomfortable with them?  How do I tell a friend who wants to give me a hug that it doesn’t feel friendly to me? 

In class, we learned that it’s all in the tone of voice, how I hold my body, and the words I choose, straightforward and clear: This is what I want you to do. 

Now I see a lot of people in my life who can benefit from this.  When they say: Leave me alone, it reminds me of how I used to say it—giggling and not forceful.  But now, if I want to be left alone, I am gonna be left alone.

I am proud to stand up here and tell you that this class has made a difference in my life—regardless of whether I ever use the physical fighting techniques I learned. 

Thank you for listening and thank you for coming to this event.