Looking back over the nearly 5 years I've trained in karate with Thousand Waves, I can't help but feel gratitude to both the school and its teachers for all the many things it has done for me and many others. Much more than a school, Thousand Waves is a community. In addition to a scholarship program--which allows those who wouldn't be able to afford otherwise to come train in karate--and the Adapted Seido Karate program (A.S.K.) for children with disabilities, we have a remarkable and empowering Self Defense and Violence Prevention program which I cannot be more humbled or grateful to be a part of. 

I have encountered many "hard times" throughout my years training here--mostly outside of the dojo space. But it has always consistently been through being part of the dojo space--both as a karateka and as a Self Defense instructor--that has grounded me and given me the courage to face these difficulties with an "unshakable spirit." 

This is why I ask you to help me support my school. Because it is so much more than a 'school'. The Self Defense and Violence Prevention programming we do throughout the city of Chicago is so important, and often the people and the groups who need it the most can't afford it without help. Help us reach out to high school and college students about healthy relationships, how to respond to bullying and harassment. Help us reach out to support other disadvantaged groups who are more often targeted for violence. Help us reach out to people like me, who wouldn't have been able to start training without the Scholarship program, whose life has been transformed by the Self Defense and Violence Prevention work we do. 

Through your support, you can be a part of this powerful work! The name of our school (Thousand Waves) comes from the saying, "One wave sets thousands in motion." Help us as a community continue to make these kinds of "waves" in the world. 

In the meanwhile, feel free to follow my journey preparing for this year's challenges here. :)