In partnership with Modern Self-Defense Center, YWCA Greenwich hosted a free self-defense class on Aug 5. This women’s empowerment training class taught participants techniques to help protect themselves against all forms of physical violence.
YWCA Greenwich CEO Mary Lee Kiernan expressed her excitement about this important class, “We want women and people of all ages to have the confidence to be able to get themselves out of a dangerous situation, should they find themselves in one. Before we send our kids off to college, we provide them with escape strategies, techniques to disable threats, and help them stay safe.”
“We believe it’s important for everyone to possess the skills to defend themselves, regardless of their age, socioeconomic status, gender, or location,” Kiernan continued.
“Women of all ages attended, and one participant attended with a service dog,” explained Michelle Pennino, Director of Member Services. “Women who had taken the class a year ago also attended to practice their skills, and we will hold more classes of this kind in the future.”
For more information, please visit www.ywcagreenwich.org.
Founded in 1919, YWCA Greenwich is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA Greenwich provides programs for people of all ages and genders with initiatives that include preschool and after school programs, aquatics programs, youth athletics, health and fitness programs and seminars focusing on racial justice and women’s empowerment. Additionally, YWCA Greenwich is the only provider of domestic and sexual violence services in Greenwich, with staff who are licensed to provide crisis intervention, counseling, shelter, and victim advocacy. These services are free.
The Modern Self-Defense Center was founded in 2002, with the purpose of bringing the most effective, up-to-date training methods in Martial Arts and Self-Defense to the greater Connecticut region. Beginning with Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the programs quickly expanded to include Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, Boxe Francaise Savate French Kickboxing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition training. For 7 years MSDC offered a free self-defense class every week. MSDC has been featured on the front page of the Sunday Middletown Press, ABC.com’s News homepage, and the NBC 30 evening news.