Principles of Empowerment Self-Defense

Julie Harmon IMPACT Safety Columbus Ohio

All self-defense is not created equal. The desired outcomes may be similar–proving tools for people and their communities to feel safer. Empowerment Self Defense, which is a distinct types of self-defense, is based, not just on desired outcomes, but rests firmly  on key principles in which all aspects of teaching and learning are built. These principles guide curriculum development, implementation decisions, and instruction methodology.

1. Sexual violence as well as other types of violence, like harassment, stalking, and threats are social problems. 

This means that specific responses to these situations are considered based on context and individual choice – there is no one size fits all; no one right answer. For example, at a party, a response to an unwanted hug from someone you know, may elicit a different response, than a hug from a stranger at that same party. Or, if someone is bothering you and will not be dissuaded – the choice of responses could be an assertive verbal strategy, a very loud – attract attention verbal response, (depending on where this is happening: dorm room, street, store, walking path) or entering a safer place.

2. The aggressor is the one responsible for any and all acts of violence

The aggressor is responsible for harassment, verbal threats, to unwanted touch – every single act on the continuum of violence. Victim blaming or excuse giving has no place in ESD.

3. ESD is well researched and informed

80% of all assaults on women are perpetrated by someone familiar.  Most often that is a friend, a friend of a friend, a co -worker, boss – someone we would generally not expect to cross our boundaries. Programming is based on research and data, about who are the likely perpetrators, how these assaults begin and progress, and what strategies have been proven to be effective in addressing these situations.

4. ESD is trauma-informed

What that means is that programs are implemented through a trauma lens, which includes not only individual incidents of trauma, but also systems of oppression and the intersection of race, gender, and class. The impact of trauma and oppression are understood and considered as curriculum is implemented. Individuals are not singled out or isolated, rather the curriculum as a whole is developed based on this principle.

5.  ESD programs explicitly utilize a peer support methodology

Participants experience with others concerns about "being alone in their fears” or "being the only one"  or "worried about doing it right." Peer support methodology is intentional. It is not an accident that ESD program participant experience support for trying new things, for having a voice, for making difficult choices, for taking charge of their life, or for facing their fears. The support is felt – energetically and in new relationships that often become part of participants’ lives.

These five principles are foundational to ESD programs – they guide curricula decisions, instructor training, and programming options. The ability for participants to experience connection, belonging, safety and dignity is possible because of the adherence to these principles. ESD is based on more than outcomes – the processes and the intersection of  many disciplines  and areas, combine to make ESD programs as relevant, customizable, fun and empowering as they are.

Julie Harmon
Member, ESD Global and IMPACT International

Director and Instructor of IMPACT Safety, Life Care Alliance
Columbus, Ohio

From Julie's presentation for an ESD Global webinar organized by IMPACT Chicago Instructor Martha Thompson: "Three Reasons for Feminists to Advocate for Empowerment Self-Defense." Julie addressed Reason #1: ESD Works to Stop Sexual Violence. Thank you to producer Yudit Sidikman. Look for an ESD-related blog the last Monday of each month.

Empowerment Self-Defense Advocacy Coalition

In the 1970s, self-defense training was an integral part of the women’s movement (Matthews, 1994; Searles & Berger, 1987).  As rape victim services were professionalized, the focus of anti-rape work shifted from “stopping rape” to “managing rape,” marginalizing feminist self-defense (Matthews, 1994; Searles & Berger, 1987).  This marginalization has continued not only because of the shift in focus, but also because police and traditional martial arts programs began offering women’s self-defense programs and the feminist focus of women’s self-defense has been overshadowed by and confused with fear-based, non-women-centered self-defense programming. As social justice, empowerment-focused, and feminist-based self-defense instructor Carmel Drewes says,  “even though empowerment self-defense is documented to reduce sexual assault (Senn et all plus years and years of anecdotal evidence), it has been completely shut out of federal sexual assault prevention efforts through the DOJ and the CDC.

            This fall a small group of feminist self-defense instructors are gathering in Washington D.C. to kick-off a campaign to bring empowerment self-defense to the forefront of the anti-rape movement. Because many of these experts work for nonprofits, they do not have organizational resources to travel so they have set up a gofund me to raise money to support those of the group with limited resources. Carmel says: “If you can support us at any level, or help spread the word, you'll be helping a group of us meet this fall to galvanize a national strategy to include Empowerment Self Defense in all types of violence prevention efforts and research.” To make a donation or read more about the Empowerment Self-Defense Advocacy Coalition, click here.

Martha Thompson

IMPACT Chicago Instructor

References

Matthews, N. A. (1994). Confronting rape: The feminist anti-rape movement and the state. London, England: Routledge.

Searles, P., & Berger, R. J. (1987). The feminist self-defense movement: A case study. Gender & Society, 1, 61-84.

Senn, C.Y., M. Eliasziw, P.C. Barate, W.E. Thurston, I.R. Newby-Clark, H.L. Radtke, and K.L. Hobden. (2015).  Efficacy of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for University. New England Journal of Medicine 372:2326-2335. 

First-Ever National Street Harassment Hotline Will Launch in July

RESTON, VA -- Stop Street Harassment (SSH) and Defend Yourself are partnering with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to launch a gender-based street harassment national hotline in July 2016.

RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which provides confidential support those affected by sexual violence in both Spanish and English. The hotline is available via online chat and by phone 24-7. SSH and Defend Yourself will train RAINN staff who will be answering the National Street Harassment Hotline, to be equipped to help those calling about street harassment.

“We are thrilled about this new partnership and the ability to provide a safe space for those impacted by street harassment to receive help and appropriate resources,” said RAINN’s vice president for victim services, Jennifer Marsh.

Gender-based street harassment affects at least 65% of women and 25% of men in the USA, and it starts at a young age. It can range from catcalls and unwanted sexualized and homophobic comments to illegal acts like following, flashing, groping and sexual assault.

“Until now, there has not been a go-to place for people facing gender-based street harassment to find help. They want to know things like how to respond if they’re harassed, what their rights are under the law, or to generally receive emotional support,” said Holly Kearl, founder of SSH. “SSH is so pleased to be partnering with these two organizations to create that system of support.”

A growing body of research shows that street harassment negatively impacts women emotionally. It can be traumatic for them, especially for survivors of sexual abuse. “Mild” street harassment can escalate into physical harassment without warning and many women and some men have an underlying fear that verbal harassment will become physical. In January 2016, there were two cases – in Texas and Pennsylvania -- of street harassment escalating into murder. In late March 2016, a mother in California was shot in the stomach by street harassers whom she confronted for harassing her teenage daughter.

“Harassment is so pervasive, and it does so much damage to the lives of women and LGBTQ people,” says Lauren R. Taylor, founder and director of Defend Yourself. “Support can mean so much. We hope to empower people by sharing skills -- and increasing options -- for dealing with harassment in public spaces.”

Defend Yourself teaches skills for stopping harassment, abuse, and assault. It works to empower people -- especially women and LGBTQ people – to end violence and create a world where they can be fully themselves

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, and carries out programs to educate the public about sexual violence and improve the criminal justice system.

Stop Street Harassment is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and ending gender-based street harassment worldwide through public education and community mobilization. 

Prevention, Action, Change: Words to Live By

In “Self-Defense, Through a Different Lens,” Maine Women featured the work of Clara Porter, Portland Maine empowerment self-defense instructor and founder of Prevention, Action and Change.  Porter says empowerment self-defense includes physical tools, verbal tools, and awareness of the root causes of violence and that prevention, action, and change are words she lives by.

Responding to Self-Defense Critics

Before Charlene Senn and colleagues had the opportunity to bask in the positive attention that their rigorous and important study[1] was receiving, the naysayers started:

• Self-defense is an individual solution to a social problem.[2] 
• Self-defense places the responsibility for prevention on potential victims not on perpetrators.[3]
• If a woman defends herself, then the perpetrator will just rape someone else.[4] 

Wondering how to respond to these naysayers? Check out these thoughtful responses from empowerment self-defense instructors and supporters.

Include empowerment self-defense in a multi-pronged strategy to stop sexual assault.
“The CDC has steadfastly refused to consider self-defense training as part of its approach to preventing sexual violence. And because other major organizations - including the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault and a large number of universities and colleges - rely on the CDC for their research, self-defense training has been completely left out of the current rush to develop effective prevention strategies, especially on college campuses.” Jocelyn Hollander. “Why Isn’t Self-Defense Training Available to Every Woman Who Wants It? Huffington Post.

Self-defense training can help stop sexual assault
[In response to Senn’s research] “Dr. Sarah DeGue [CDC] stated skeptically that a man who finds himself thwarted by a woman who defends herself against his aggression could move on to a woman who is untrained or otherwise more vulnerable. Thank goodness public health officials didn’t see the polio vaccination that way. Not everyone has to be vaccinated to make a major dent in a public health problem.” Martha McCaughey. “Hey, CDC: Friends Don’t Let Friends Deny the Effectiveness of Self-Defense Training."

Follow the $
“Who takes issue with a program that cuts assault in half, you ask? The federal government, as it turns out….The two researchers [who cast] doubt on the value of Senn’s findings are both employed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), whose sexual assault prevention budget in 2014 was close to $50 million.” Susan Shorn. “Show Us the Money.” Bitchslap: A Column About Women and fighting.

Stop either/or thinking and funding
“We agree that men should stop raping! We agree there needs to be a systemic challenge to culture. We are squarely behind third party interveners, female and male. However, sexual predators are canny about attacking when no "good guys or gals" are around. What then? Write the CDC and tell them to stop their either/or thinking and funding.”Ellen Snortland. “A Deadly Double Standard." Huffington Post.

[1] Charlene Y. Senn et al. “Efficacy of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for University Women.” New England Journal of Medicine. 2015
[2] Dana Bolger “Smart study finds “resistance program” helps women avoid rape—but at what cost?” Feministing June 11, 2015.
[3] Melissa Healy “Sexual assault prevention program cuts risk of rape nearly 50%, study says.” Science Now June 10, 2015.
[4] Jan Hoffman “College Rape Prevention Program Proves a Rare Success.” New York Times June 10, 2015.

Martha Thompson, IMPACT Chicago Instructor

See Jane Fight Back

Self-Defense scholars Jill Cermele and Martha McCaughey have created See Jane Fight Back, a website covering research on women’s self-defense.

Located at http://seejanefightback.wordpress.com, See Jane Fight Back includes:

· the latest research on women’s self-defense

· critiques and reflections on ways that research about self-defense is ignored and reasons why

· self-defense advice

Recent postings include:

· An Open Letter to Girls’ Life Magazine about their advice to girls to say NO, but not offering any backup (Martha McCaughey)

· An Open Letter to Vice-President Biden and the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault (Jill Cermele)

· Self-defense training should be part of a college’s sexual assault prevention and education programs (Martha McCaughey)

· Falling Short: The White House Task For to Protect Students from Sexual Assault (IMPACT Chicago Martha Thompson)

Jill Cermele, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Drew University in New Jersey. The focus of her research is on women’s resistance to violence and the construction of gender. Along with McCaughey, Cermele edited the Violence Against Women special issue on self-defense. Two self-defense articles by Cermele are “Telling Our Stories: The Importance of Women’s Narratives of Resistance” published in Violence Against Women (2010) and “Teaching Resistance to Teach Resistance: The Use of Self-Defense in Teaching About Gender Violence” in Feminist Teacher (2004). Cermele has worked with Prepare Inc. to bring IMPACT self-defense training to faculty, staff, and alumnae at Drew.

Martha MCaughey, Ph.D., is a professor of sociology at Appalchian State University , one of the 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina. McCaughey’s academic focus is on the intersections of gender, sexuality, science, technology, social movements, and the media. McCaughey is the author of two books related to violence and self-defense. She edited with Neal King Reel Knockouts: Violent Women in the Movies (2001) and Real Knockouts: The Physical Feminism of Women’s Self-Defense (1997).

My Dream: Self-Defense Scholars and Instructors Working Together

I believe passionately that self-defense programs based on an empowerment model have the potential to save lives and prevent suffering; in the long-term I think empowerment-based self-defense training has the power to significantly and positively improve our society, making the term “rape culture” antiquated and meaningless.  

We have seen pushback recently in the violence prevention community about self-defense as an empowering and practical tool for preventing violence.  This is not new; it is just  more noticeable with so much communication through social media.  Many women are not yet convinced that self-defense is useful for them.  Unfortunately, some even think self-defense training is dangerous and blames women for violence.  Part of that is ideological, and we will not change everyone’s minds.  But part of it is ignorance of what empowerment-based self-defense training is.  

Today, anyone can say “I’m a self-defense instructor” because there is no universally-agreed upon standard of practice.  The National Women’s Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF) is working to change that. The self-defense instruction we have developed over the past 30+ years is a combination of fighting skills anchored in the martial arts and what are essentially cognitive-behavioral techniques.  This is part of its power; it harnesses both the body and the mind (or, if you are a neurobiology nerd like me, the amygdala and the neocortex) to enhance our safety.  It also interrogates social norms and helps us recognize and interrupt social scripts that harm people.

For over 30 years, NWMAF has been working to reduce violence against women and other vulnerable groups by developing a self-defense pedagogy that is explicitly strengths-based and grounded in an understanding of violence within a larger cultural context. It is a model with both empirical support and clinical wisdom behind it. To receive the NWMAF stamp of approval, self-defense instructors must demonstrate how they put self-defense into a social context and address a continuum of violence, how they expand people’s tools while keeping the responsibility for violence on the perpetrator, and how they offer a comprehensive toolbox of safety strategies, including awareness, avoidance, prevention, and verbal and physical self-defense tools.

My goal is to bring together self-defense scholars, social service practitioners, and self-defense instructors to work together to end rape culture. This is an invitation to become part of the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (you do not have to be a martial artist to belong) and to attend our national conference. This year's conference features women doing rape prevention work in Kenya, members of Cure Violence (nee CeaseFire) in Chicago, representatives from the Center for Anti-Violence Education in Brooklyn (recipients of a Robert Woods Johnson grant for their work with homeless LGBT yourth), and much more. Additionally social workers can receive CEUs through a partnership of NASW Ohio and NWMAF.

Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Gender Studies, IMPACT and NWMAF certified self-defense instructor, and author of "Empowering Self-Defense Training in the 2014 Violence Against Women Special Issue: Self-Defense Martha Thompson says: "I've been attending the NWMAF annual training since 1991 and the Self-Defense Instruction Conference since its inception in the early 2000s. The opportunity to connect with others who are committed to an evidence-based and empowerment approach to teaching self-defense has enhanced not only my self-defense teaching but my scholarship. I always look forward to attending this conference because I leave with so many ideas, resources, and connections." 

The full conference is Wednesday July 16-Sunday July 20 and takes place on campus at North Central College in Naperville Illinois (just outside of Chicago). There are three attendance options:
--the full program starts Wednesday morning and concludes Sunday at noon. It includes martial arts session. You can find the full schedule at nwmaf.org/PeaceWorksFullSchedule. 
--The day-and-a-half program starts on Wednesday morning and concludes mid-day Thursday. The early program focuses exclusively on violence prevention. The early program schedule is at nwmaf.org/2014_SDIC. 
--a one-day oprtion on Saturday which includes 3 sessions. See the Saturday Schedule at nwmaf.org/2014SuperSaturdaySchedule. Even if this year is not a possibility for you to attend, please check out the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (nwmaf.org) and help us combine our resources and passion to create a world where all people can live safely and with dignity.

Amy Jones, Co-coordinator of PeaceWorks, 2014 NWMAF Annual Conference 

IMPACT Chicago Instructors Make An IMPACT

IMPACT Chicago instructors are part of a larger community of IMPACT instructors and self-defense instructors who teach empowerment self-defense outside of IMPACT. The past few months, IMPACT Chicago instructors have been part of national forums where we have exchanged self-defense resources, skills, and knowledge.

2013 National Organization for Women Conference

IMPACT Chicago Instructor Martha Thompson was a panelist in the Violence Against Women track of the 2013 National Organization for Women Conference in Chicago. For more about that, see the IMPACT Chicago blog “Addressing Mis-Perceptions About Self-Defense and Feminism".


2013 National Women’s Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF) Self-Defense Instructors Conference and Martial Arts Camp (photo)

IMPACT Chicago instructors Margaret Vimont and Martha Thompson were trainers for the NWMAF Self-Defense Instructors Conference and Martial Arts Camp. Rob Babcock, Bruce Brio, and Ben Ruiz joined Margaret and Martha along with DC IMPACT Instructor and Director Carol Middleton to offer Introduction to IMPACT to camp participants. Class Assistants who were also attending the camp were Deb Mier (Chicago), Patti Fievoli (Ontario), and Katy Mattingly (Michigan).

IMPACT Chicago Instructors Katie Skibbe and Martha Thompson attended the the NWMAF Self-Defense Instructors Conference, learning from other self-defense instructors such as: Shura Gat, Energy Awareness and Self-Defense; Joy Williamson, Teaching Self-Defense to Blind and Visually Impaired People; Carmel Drewes, Understanding and Explaining Trauma to Self-Defense Participants; Kate Webster and Susan Barney, Five Fingers of Self-Defense.

Margaret Vimont offered a session: “From The Beginning Into The Do: Teaching To The Adult Student.”

Martha Thompson was on two panels:
“Does Self-Defense Really Work? Experience, Evidence, and Research” with Darlene DeFour (Hunter College), Jennifer Keller(Stanford), Silke Schultz (MA thesis on self-defense), Lee Sinclair (No Means No Worldwide).

“Working with Men and Boys” with Nancy Lanoue (Thousand Waves), Clara Porter (Prevention, Action, Change), Lee Sinclair (No Means No Worldwide).

National Women’s Martial Arts Federation Self-Defense Instructors Research Reading Club
Martha Thompson joined 10 other self-defense instructors on a 1 hour conference call to discuss the article "Emancipatory Sexuality Education and Sexual Assault Resistance: Does the Former Enhance the Latter?" (2011, Senn, Gee, Thake, Windsor, Ontario).

Addressing Mis-Perceptions About Self-Defense and Feminism: Reflections on the 2013 NOW Conference

It may surprise you to learn that many feminists don’t see self-defense as a feminist issue. Programs that focus on transmitting prevention skills to individual women tend to be dismissed as potentially “victim blaming” and rejected for foundation grants. Read on to hear how three self-defense instructors presented a panel at the annual NOW (National Organization for Women) conference to address these misunderstandings of our work and help feminist anti-violence advocates view self-defense providers as allies in the struggle to end violence against women.

“If we want to stop violence against women, we have to focus on men and stop asking women to do the work.” This was a common refrain voiced in the Violence Against Women Track of the 2013 National NOW Convention held in Chicago in July.  This mantra echoes a sentiment in the anti-violence field that presumes self-defense training places responsibility on women by supplying a list of don’ts—don’t wear that, don’t go there, don’t drink that—and ignores the responsibility of perpetrators. This sentiment was repeated enough times in the sessions preceding the panel “’If She Hadn’t Worn That:’ An Empowerment Model of Self-Defense” offered by NWMAF certified self-defense instructors Thousand Waves Violence Prevention Director Kate Webster, University of Michigan self-defense instructor Katy Mattingly, and me that we met over lunch to make adjustments to our presentations to address this issue head-on in our introductory remarks.

Kate, Katy, and I all agreed that for panel attendees to hear what we had to say about an empowerment model of self-defense that we had to challenge an “either/or” paradigm and offer “both/and,” stating the importance of providing people with tools to keep themselves safe while simultaneously working to change cultures and social structures that perpetuate violence. Addressing the need for both individual tools and social change and the complexities of responsibility and blame was well-received and resulted in our being able to share the roots of an empowerment model of self-defense in the feminist movement (Kate), the key elements of an empowerment approach to self-defense (Martha), and the powerful outcomes in preventing sexual assault and increasing women’s self-efficacy (Katy).

Addressing the complexities and then inviting participation from attendees resulted in people raising questions and making comments about their own struggles with how to frame violence and the role of self-defense.  For instance, one attendee said: “I know that blaming the victim is wrong, but I don’t know what to put in its place.” On the surface, the easy answer is the catchphrase about focusing on men’s responsibility. It is a comment, however, deserving serious consideration and discussion. Deming, Covan, Swan, and Billings (2013) have found that even with all the rape prevention work on college campuses, myths continue to shape college students’ reactions to rape, resulting in excusing men and blaming women.  So even among a population that has received the latest information about rape myths and facts, rape victims continue to be blamed if others perceive ambiguity or complexity (e.g. a woman was drinking alcohol).

Further, internationally-known and highly influential self-defense instructor Nadia Telsey (2007) urges us to distinguish regret and blame. She believes that by creating space for people to express regret for their behavior (e.g. being drunk, not listening to their instincts that someone meant them harm), we acknowledge individual agency which gives people hope and choices. The distinction between regret and blame is often blurred so we need to create space to allow people to work through the difference.

Participants responded positively to the messages we conveyed about an empowerment approach and the exercises they participated in as a way to experience our key points. An empowerment approach to violence offered a new framework for many and a way to begin to grapple with understanding the complexities of violence and self-defense. Our task, however, remains large: how to both continue to prepare individuals to keep themselves safe and simultaneously working to change cultures and social structures that perpetuate violence and blame victims.

Martha Thompson, IMPACT Chicago instructor

Reference

Deming, Michelle E., Eleanor Krassen Covan, Suzanne C. Swan, and Deborah L Billings. 2013. Exploring rape myths, gendered norms, group processing, and the social context of rape among college women: A qualitative analysis. Violence Against Women 19: 465-485.

Telsey, Nadia. 2007. Phone interview with Martha Thompson.


This article originally appeared in the August 2013 Kiai: Newsletter of Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center.

IMPACT International and Self Defense as a Social Movement:

“One class, twelve women at a time.“
Julie Curtis, Director-in-Training, IMPACT Chicago

It is the first week of August 2012 and I am here in Los Angeles with Martha for the IMPACT International Director’s Conference. I’m sitting at the table with the other IMPACT Directors from Los Angeles (Lisa and Heidi), San Francisco (Lisa), Santa Fe (Alena), Denver (Amelia and Sarah), Columbus (Julie), Chicago (Martha and me), Boston (Meg), D.C. (Carol), and on the phone (Well, Skype, actually.) are New York
(Karen) and Israel (Jill).

Alena mentions self-defense as a social movement and I look around thinking, “THAT is exactly what this is!”

When I took the IMPACT BASICS, social movements were not on my radar. My interest was purely about investigating the program structure and how I could use it as a martial artist. I was passionate about karate and then because of a single experience, became interested in effective programs for teaching women who
weren’t as passionate about karate as I was. i.e., what self defense programs were out there that could be relevant to any and every woman?

IMPACT answered that question. It has hurdled me on a path toward social justice. Given our history, how could we not be part of a self-defense social movement? Chapters in Los Angeles, Bay Area, Boston, D.C. and Chicago have been around for over 25 years.

“On March 12 and 13, 1991, the Organization Faction met in Chicago. This meeting was attended by Melissa Soalt, Model Mugging (MM) of Boston; Al Potash and Lisa Gaeta, IMPACT Personal Safety in Los Angeles; Carol Middleton; DC Model Mugging; Sheryl Doran. Bay Area Model Mugging (BAMM); Martha Thompson and Joe Connelly, Self-Empowerment Group of Chicago (SEG)… At our next meeting, a phone conference on May 16, 1991, we settled on Impact International Inc. (III)” ~ Mark Morris, a history of IMPACT International, Inc.”

We’ve been growing as chapters and coming together for a long time. Through our programs and workshops, we’ve reached thousands of women and men. Lisa Gaeta likes to think that she has been part of the self-defense social movement: “one class, twelve women at a time.“

I get that. I know she has been part of the movement. I remember watching videos of Lisa coaching and wondering what would it take to be a “Whistle.” By the way, Lisa, you weren’t reaching only one class, twelve women at a time, you were reaching others of us who aspired to be instructors.

Since I took the BASICS in D.C., it has been absolutely compelling to be a part of something that has so much potential for creating an equal and just world.

IMPACT chapters are in three countries, ten states, and eleven cities, with two more states in the process of either sponsoring a course or establishing their own IMPACT chapter. IMPACT courses have been delivered in several other countries, e.g., Mexico, Kenya--at least that I know of and I’m sure if I polled the collective memory of the directors, the list would grow…

And once a year, since 1991, the directors come together to share experiences, learn from one another, and to our own benefit, grow the possibility that we can and are creating a less violent world. This year the Directors agreed to continue to engage with more organizations involved in preventing and ending violence. If you have connections with any of these types of organizations and would like to join in this effort, please contact us.

For more on Mark Morris’ History of IMPACT International, check out the blog archive: http://www.impactchicago.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html