IMPACT Chicago History Lives On

On October 15, 2020 Laura Berfield (pictured here), Archivist at Loyola University Women and Leadership Archives, accepted four crates of documents from IMPACT Chicago Lead Instructor and Admin Team Co-Leader Martha Thompson. Martha donated the IMPACT Chicago documents she has collected since she began working collaboratively to build and maintain the infrastructure to support IMPACT Chicago programming (not participants' personal information or instructors and staff personnel files). The documents provide insight into the founding and early development of IMPACT Chicago as well as the opportunities and challenges that the organization faced from 1987 to the early 2000s. The Women and Leadership Archives collects, preserves, and makes available records of women and women's organizations documenting women's lives, contributions, and activism and women's issues. IMPACT Chicago is proud to be part of the Women and Leadership Archive collection!

From the 1990 Archives: I Projected My Voice at the Moment I Needed It

I was leaving my job. I have always felt safe enough to park my car around the corner under the expressway. This day was like any other; at least I thought so as I walked to my car. I looked around and saw cars leaving their parking spaces from nearby factories. I didn’t think of much, but “Thank God it is time to go home.” I unlocked the passenger side door, placed my purse on the seat, locked the door, and then walked around to the driver’s side. A car drove by and a man got out and approached me. At first I thought he was lost. As he got closer I said “What do you want?” in an authoritative voice. He replied: “I want your purse.”

My adrenaline started pumping. I immediately centered my energy on the man and assessed the situation. As he started to reach for something in his jacket—God only knows what. I yelled louder: “Don’t give me no shit.” “I don’t need this.” “Get away from me.”

As I got louder, he looked around but before he could take out what was in his jacket, the driver of the car yelled, “Let’s go, Now!” I got in my car and locked the doors, watching the car drive away. I sat in the car a while, a bit shaken but fully aware that I had taken control of the situation. I made a police report as soon as I got home.

[Before taking the IMPACT Core Program], I never thought I could project at the moment it was needed. I was able to channel my fright into a fight response, and what’s even more exciting is that I feel empowered to freely pursue my life.

Felice

For more about the power of using our voice, check out the November 4 blog, “Verbal Boundaries are Tested Far More Than Physical Ones.”

From the IMPACT Chicago Archives: IMPACT Just May Have Saved My Life

Megan, Northeastern Illinois University Core Skills graduate

I took IMPACT about 2 years ago. I was recently attacked on my way home from school. I was taking a short cut through an alley when a man grabbed me from behind.

It was seriously like slow motion yet all happening at once. I remembered everything I was taught and just acted. I don't even remember everything that happened since it was so fast. He grabbed me from behind and I know I did the butt hit. That nearly knocked him down because he totally was not expecting it. He then went for my legs and knocked me over (this was before the snow hit, so the ground was really really hard). He was saying stuff to me but I honestly don't remember what it was.

I remember twisting in his grip and getting a lot of kicks in, mainly his torso. He really was not expecting what I was doing. I know I got a kick into his groin and then my knee collided with his nose (all of this was done on the ground). The crunch was really loud. He was lying on the ground, fetal position with blood just pouring out of his nose.

A woman on the second floor of an apartment saw him grab me and immediately called the police. I don't live far from the 17th district police station so I was really really surprised and freaked out when the police showed up not two minutes after the woman called. A patrol car was only 3 blocks away, so that's why it all happened so fast.

The woman also said I was screaming NO really really loud but I honestly for the life of me do not remember screaming. I just know most of it took place on the ground because I knocked him down. The cops pulled up in the alley and everyone was shouting and screaming and then one cop had his gun on the guy and the other officer was pulling me away, trying to get me to stand up. Before I knew it the guy was cuffed and in the back of the squad car and I was in an ambulance. I was in shock for a good 24 hours afterward.

So those are the details that I remember. That butt hit is what did it. I know that my legs are much stronger than my arms, I've always known that. So my body just took over. The whole experience looking back on it is just really really surreal. You can share the details. People should know that the butt strike does work. Especially since women are typically stronger in their lower bodies and legs.

I have a court date in January, he's looking at 10 years for aggravated assault with a weapon (the cop found a knife and a rope in his coat). He's going away, from what I know me showing up is just a formality. They really do not know what he was planning since he just took the first deal that was offered to him.

The D.A. asked me how I managed to defend myself. I told her that I took self-defense classes. She asked me where and I told her about IMPACT Chicago. She said she would look into your organization and recommend your classes to women who've been abused. So score on that one as well!

Anyway, I'm alive and I'm ok and he's in jail with a broken nose and his balls in his throat. I just want to thank you. What you taught me just may have saved my life. Thank you.

Megan took IMPACT Chicago Core Skills in 2008. She used what she learned to defend herself
in 2010.

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

Back in the day

Back in the Day: Reflections on the first IMPACT/Model Mugging Class

Dianne (Dee) Costanzo

The world cracked open for me in August 1987 in a way that would leave me forever changed; I was one of the fourteen women who took a self-defense class called Model Mugging. No, we did not mug models. We changed the world just a bit. While I cannot speak for the other women, I do believe most would agree that those five evenings on the mat shifted our way of being in the world.

It certainly changed the direction of my life, so much so that I knew I needed to be a part of what would become IMPACT, so much so that I became the first certified female instructor in Chicago and probably east of the Rocky Mountains, so much so that I had the honor of walking with countless numbers of strong women who signed up for classes, workshops, or informational talks for the first twenty-two years of IMPACT’s existence in the Chicago land area.

For those who have taken the class, I do not need to discuss its transformative power, but I can share what the class meant to me. It shook me to the core and when the shaking stopped enough, I saw myself differently. It helped me integrate body, mind, and spirit and called me very clearly to help others come to their own truth, their own life in their own way. As an instructor, I always believed that every woman speaks the truth of her life and has the right to speak it clearly, strongly, and with a non-negotiable sense of dignity. I should like to think that I helped provide the space for women to do their inner and outer work.

Over the years, I was known for coming up with phrases that might put things in perspective: “Love those hips!” “Strong women can fight and cry at the same time!” “Different mugger, different day!” “You can put a new ending to an old story.” And my favorite, “GET UP!” At a visceral level, I knew the fear and doubt many women felt during a difficult scenario, and I always felt blessed to be a witness to a woman so willing to step into the unknown and come out the other side.

 Many times after a class, I would go home and cry—not because a woman couldn’t learn how to protect herself, quite the opposite. I would cry because a woman found the strength, however tentative, to say “no.” And that little “no” became a big “No,” and that big “No” joined the “No” of all the other women in class, and at graduation, when graduates of previous classes came to support the women graduating that day, the “No” would represent circles within circles of all the women who stood up one at a time to make a community of warrior women who simply want to walk in the world on their own terms.

I have always believed that we have the responsibility to make the world better than we found it, and it has been my honor and privilege to “lay down the mats” and have women come to their own truth. Twenty-five years in some way is a long time to support such an effort, but in truth we are just beginning.

From the IMPACT Archives: How IMPACT got its name

Excerpts from Mark Morris’ “Making IMPACT” in A History of Model Mugging[1]

Backstory from Mark’s history, 1990

In July 1990, Carol Middleton organized a meeting with chapter heads from Boston, LA, DC, Chicago, and the Bay Area to meet with Matt Thomas to come up with a plan to pay him for the rights to use the name Model Mugging, even though he had not taken any steps to protect the trademark. Negotiations broke down and some chapters decided to explore a national organization with a new name; [1] this group is who Mark called the Organization Faction, chapter leaders who wanted to form a national organization. Mark identified two other factions: the Owners (some of the founders who developed Model Mugging into a full-fledged program—Matt Thomas, Julio Toribo, Danielle Evans) and the Community Faction (people who did not want to go either way, but wanted to maintain relationships).

The Chicago Meeting

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). I was there too -- however I no longer represented a Chapter. Bill Kratoska (MM of Minneapolis) was very supportive of our efforts, but he was unable to attend. We were joined by Laine [Jastram] and her husband, Jeff Evans, representing MM of New York, and Rick Gibbons from MM of Kansas City….

We approved an idealistic Mission Statement that focused on the public good. I pointed out that we were also working together for our own benefit. Failure to keep this agenda out in the open would lead us directly to the same sort of self-serving self-righteousness we all resented so much in Matt [Thomas]. After this good start, we quickly got bogged down in a debate over a name for the proposed association. There was a deeper question underneath this surface issue. Were we trying to create a strong association built around a new trademark or a weak association with a generic name? Most of us agreed that IMPACT was the best sounding of the suggested names. However, concerns were expressed about giving undue influence to the LA Chapter. [According to Mark’s chapter The Dust Settles, in 1989, Irene van der Zande , Al Potash, and Lisa Gaeta decided to establish a new organization. They all wanted a new name for the organization that did not involve the name Model Mugging. In 1989, Al came up with the name IMPACT, the IMPACT Foundation was incorporated, and Model Mugging of Los Angeles began a transition to the IMPACT name.] Al said he was willing to yield the IMPACT name to the national organization.

Sheryl Tips the Scales

In May, Sheryl [Doran] opted to support "IMPACT" as the trademark for the national organization. [Sheryl’s support was critical because she was “the mother” of Model Mugging. She created and defined the female instructor role. She was technically skilled, professional, empathetic, and a skilled facilitator. Sheryl’s combination of networking, word of mouth, and ability to connect with people brought women into the courses. Her business and marketing skills were key to the success of Model Mugging]. At our next meeting, a phone conference on May 16, 1991, we settled on Impact International Inc. (III)…. A majority (the Chapters in LA, the Bay Area, Chicago, and D.C.) now supported a strong association and the III name….

May to October 1991

From June until the December 1991 National Retreat, we held III meetings on a monthly basis through phone conferences….Martha Thompson played an important role (beginning with the March conference) by facilitating our meetings. Through her leadership, we were able to move forward, if only at a crawling pace, through even the thorniest issues…

AT THE DECEMBER 1991 RETREAT

Impact Personal Safety organized a National Model Mugging Staff Retreat for December…By the time of the Retreat, III consisted of an association between the [former] Model Mugging Chapters in the Bay Area, LA, Chicago and DC….Carol Middleton from D.C. was the first President of IMPACT International, Inc.

---

[1] Martha Thompson selected the excerpts and has inserted some explanatory notes. To read the full history as written by Mark, contact Martha (Martha@impactchicago.org) for an electronic copy.

From the IMPACT Chicago Archives: Building an Organization, 1988-1990

 Martha Thompson

IMPACT Chicago Director and Instructor

November 1988 through November 1990 was a time of building an organization with a mission and infrastructure.  For more about the founding period, see the May 21, 2012 blog: The Beginning. I prepared the overview of the founding period and for building an organization for the first SEG conference in 1990. I also documented the timeline of development. In 1990, I circulated the document for additions, feedback,  and collective wisdom.

Key Groups

There were three key groups during this organizational building period: Core Group of Volunteers, Long Range Planning Committee, and Interim Board.

Key Individuals

Susan Andrews, Joe Connelly, Dianne Costanzo, Debborah Harp, Linda Jedrzejek, Anne Mason-Guthrie, Theo Pintzuk, Martha Thompson, Joel Winograd, and Becky Yane.

Main Activities

·         Building an instructor team, with regular meetings, in-service trainings, and an instructor training plan.
      Instructor training for Defense Against an Armed Assailant (Martha, Lonna, and Joe trained in Boston with Matt Thomas and then trained the other Chicago instructors).

·         Building a volunteer organization to support all the work that needed to be done. This included monthly meetings.

·         Offering a regular and expanded class schedule, including a review class, defense against an armed assailant workshop, and a boundaries workshop.

·         Offered 18 basics courses, 2 defense against an armed assailant, 1 boundaries, 1 sexual harassment, 2 review, and 1 class assistant training.

Issues

·         How to build an organization consistent with the empowerment principles of the program?

Related issues: decision-making process, division of labor, accountability, communication, language, and problem-solving.

·         What kind of leadership model do we want to support?

Related issues: recognizing the invisible work and the people who do it, avoiding burnout, figuring out the instructor-volunteer relationship (what role will instructors play and how to transform instructor-student relationship to a peer relationship)?

·         How do we determine and evaluate our success?

Do we focus on process or product?

Do we focus on program (women served) or organizational (office, number of paid people, career lines)?

Key Decisions

·         Martha Thompson became the official coordinator of the organization in 1988.

·         A joint committee of volunteers and instructors was created to guide the organization in 1989.

·         The Board of Directors was established as a membership based group in 1990.
            The organization was formally established on principles of empowerment and personal growth.

      TIME-LINE: BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION

November 1988

Martha organized the first meeting of the Core Group of volunteers. A class schedule was set for 1989, Dee organized a recruitment committee (Susan Andrews, and Janice Guerriero), and other volunteers worked on t-shirts, stationery, and mailings.

Martha organized the first local instructor retreat. Dee, Lonna, Carole, Joe, and Martha attended. Martha began negotiations with MMOM to send an Instructor Trainer to support Dee and Martha in their next stages of training.

December 1988

Second National Model Mugging Instructor Retreat was held in Santa Cruz CA. Martha attended. Major disagreements among Model Mugging leadership came out into the open. Irene resigned and PEC dissolved.

Core Group held its second meeting with members making specific commitments. Core Group members were Martha (coordinator), Dee, Susan Andrews, Anne Guthrie Mason, Debborah Harp, Theo Pintzuk, and Becky Yane.

Martha was recognized as the Coordinator of the Self-Empowerment Group. Her work also included being Instructor Coordinator.

January 1989

Two classes were held with Sarah Longaker in from California to oversee Dee’s and Martha’s training. Joe was the main instructor for both classes and Bill the guest. Lynn Fernandez assisted in Dee’s class, supervised by Sarah) and Sue Albertson assisted the class Martha and Sarah co-taught. Lonna observed. Ken Olson attended a graduation, the first step for a suited instructor candidate. Dee was certified and Martha successfully completed her second phase of training.

The first Boundary Setting Workshop was held in Chicago, led by Sarah with Dee, Martha, Joe, and Bill assisting. Twenty women, mostly graduates, attended.

Anne Mason-Guthrie took over organizational finances.

Martha presented a proposal for a volunteer structure and process to the Core Group of Volunteers. The first long range planning meeting was held.

February 1989

A review class was co-taught by Lonna, Martha, Joe, and Bill.

Core Group meeting

March 1989

Dee, Joe, and Bill taught a Basics course at North Park College. Martha was an assisting instructor and Anne Mason a class assistant. Ken Olson observed the course as part of his training process.

With the dissolution of PEC, Martha had to find an alternative to finish her training. With the support of Mary Tesoro, Judith Roth, Sarah Longaker, and the Chicago instructor team, she designed the final stages of her training. She assisted with April, June, and July classes, each time taking on different instructor responsibilities.

Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business, the group considered a proposal from Becky Yane for getting the most out of meetings and a proposal from Martha, Theo Pintzuk, and Sue Albertson for organizational structure and process.

April/May 1989

Lonna, Joe and Mark Frear (Rocky Mountain Model Mugging) taught with Martha as an assisting instructor. Ken Olson observed.

Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky, Martha, and Sharon Bromberg presented a proposal for Core Group Membership.

June 1989

Dee, Joe, and Bill taught a course with Martha as an assisting instructor. Merry Beth Pietila was the class assistant.

Lonna, Joe, and Martha went to Boston for intensive training in defense against an armed assailant.

Core group meeting.

July 1989

Lonna, Joe, and Bill taught a basics course at Mundelein College. Martha was an  assisting instructor and Margaret Vimont, a class assistant. Martha finished her instructor training.

Final plans for fall courses—2 two-week intensives and one 5 week course.

Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky presented a fundraising plan.

August 1989

Review course was offered, co-taught by Dee, Martha, Joe, and Bill

Core group meeting—in addition to regular business, Susan Andrews presented guidelines for a raffle.

September 1989

A basics course at Northeastern Illinois University with Martha, Joe, and Bill with Dee as an assisting instructor and Anne Mason as the class assistant. Martha arranged for the course to be offered for one-hour credit and over 5 weeks (our first 5 week course).

Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business, Marjorie Trytten presented a proposal for core group voting and attendance.

October 1989

Theo Pintzuk and Marjorie Trytten organized a demonstration and presentation for therapists offered by Martha and Joe.

Joe built Ken’s groin protector and Ken put together the rest of his armor. Joe and Anne worked with Ken for his initial training.

Core group meeting

November 1989

First class canceled in two years. Another offered with Dee,  Joe, and Bill with Ken in training, and Anne assisting. Joel Winograd observed.

Lonna, Joe, and Martha trained Bill, Ken, and Dee in defense against an armed assailant.

Core group meeting. Linda Jedrzejek became the Recruitment Coordinator. With assistance from Susan Andrews and Janice Guerriero, she started to recruit for the January class. Becky presented a monthly workplan for the Core Group.

December 1989

The first defense against an armed assailants workshop was held in Chicago. Seventeen women attended. Dee, Lonna, Martha, Bill, Joe, and Ken taught.

Bill retired as an instructor.

Core group meeting—in addition to regular business, Martha provided an overview of the 1989 accomplishments. Susan Andrews hosted a holiday party for volunteers and instructors.

January 1990

The first class assistants training was held with 12 women attending. Anne facilitated with help from Martha, Dee, Lonna, and Joe.

Martha, Joe, Ken, with Joel in training offered a basics course at Northeastern Illinois University. Theo and Becky Fitzpatrick assisted. The first time we ever had a waiting list

Lonna, Ken, and Joe taught a basics course at Mundelein. Bill Kratoska (from Minneapolis Model Mugging) was in training. Joe supervised Bill and Ken. Anne and Debborah Harp assisted. Martha came in for the final three classes to assist with coaching. Anne became a lead instructor candidate.

Core group meeting

February 1990

Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky proposed a core group handbook and guidelines for working with student interns. Susan Andrews went on maternity leave.

March/April 1990

Dee, Joe, and Ken taught a course at Mundelein. Steve Johnson from Minneapolis Model Mugging was in training under Joe’s supervision. Anne and Lynn assisted.

Martha, Dee, Joe, and Ken with Anne assisting taught Defense Against an Armed Assailant.

Martha and Joe developed a sexual harassment workshop which Martha and Bill offered at the Midwest Sociological Society meetings. 16 women attended.

Third National Instructor Retreat was held in Washington D.C., hosted by Carol Middleton. Joe and Martha attended. The possibility of a national organization to replace PEC was discussed.

Lonna went on maternity leave.

Core group meeting.

May 1990

Dee went to Minneapolis to teach their first course with their suited instructors.

Martha, Joe, and Joel taught a basics course at Northeastern with Anne as an assisting instructor. Linda J assisted. 

Core group meeting

June 1990

Dee, Ken, and Joe taught a basics course at Mundelein. Lynn and Linda J. assisted.

Martha, Joe, and Ken taught the first course in Indianapolis. Suzi Newnum assisted.

Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Susan Andrews presented a proposal for a Self-Empowerment Group convention.

July 1990

Martha, Joe, and Joel taught at Mundelein with Margaret Vimont assisting. Marcus Martin and Mike Kratoska observed.

Core Group picnic to celebrate the work of the Core Group, to mark its ending, and the transition to a Board of Directors.

Anne attended Instructor Training in Kansas City.

August 1990

Joe participated as an instructor in the LA Instructor Training. Mike Kratoska attended the Instructor Training.

September 1990

Lonna resigned.

First SEG convention coordinated by Susan Andrews and Margaret Vimont with assistance from committee members: Dori Conn, Debborah Harp, Cathy Sneider, Maria Wolchanski.

Over 70 women attended the day-long conference which included a keynote address by Pauline Bart, co-author of Stopping Rape: Successful Survival Strategies as well as workshops, films, speakers, informal discussions, and more.

Instructor representatives to the Board were elected: Joe, Dee, and Ken. Martha stepped down as Instructor Coordinator (remained as SEG Coordinator) and Joe took on the position. In addition to instructor board members, others elected were Dori Conn, Demetria Iazzetto, Linda Jedrzejek, Cathy Sneider, Margaret Vimont, and Becky Yane.

Two basics courses were offered. One at College of DuPage with Dee, Ken, and Joe Tammy DeBoer and Debborah Harp assisted. Another at Northeastern Illinois University with Martha, Joe, and Ken and Anne, Joel, and Mike in training.

October 1990

Three courses were offered: at Niles College, Northwestern, and University of Chicago. Instructors Dee, Joe, Martha Ken. Anne in training. Becky, Dori, Julie (didn’t record last name) and Margaret assisted. Marcus observed.

The first meeting of the new SEG Board was held, facilitated by Becky Yane.

Accomplishments:

·         An expanded instructor team and class offerings: In 1989-90, 18 basics courses, 2 defense against an armed assailant, 2 review, 1 boundary setting course, 1 sexual harassment workshop, first class assistants training

·         A large group of volunteers responsible for running the organization

·         Board

·         Conference

·         Offered 2 courses out-of-state (Indiana and Minneapolis)

With the launching of the SEG Board a new phase began.

From the IMPACT Chicago Archives: The Beginning

Martha Thompson

IMPACT Chicago Director and Instructor

2012 is IMPACT Chicago’s 25^th anniversary. In July 1987, Joe Connelly, the founder of Chicago Model Mugging (the precursor of IMPACT) and Lonna Brooks, the first lead instructor trainee in Chicago, formed the Self-Empowerment Group (a nonprofit) to support Model Mugging in Chicago.

In November 1990, I interviewed Joe Connelly about the founding period (August 1986-October 1988) of what was to become IMPACT Chicago. I summarize the key people, main activities, major issues, and key decisions. Below the summary are excerpts from my interview with Joe.

Key People

Joe Connelly was the key person during the founding of what would become IMPACT. He negotiated with leaders of Model Mugging and he provided the funds for his and Lonna Brooks’ instructor training, some of the funding for other instructors, and the founding of the Self-Empowerment Group.

Other important Chicago people during this time period were Lonna Brooks, the first lead instructor trainee in Chicago; Dianne (Dee) Costanzo, the first certified lead instructor in Chicago; Theo Pintzuk and Carole Isaacs, who took the first Model Mugging course (Theo later served on the Board); Martha Thompson (who took the course in May 1988); and a Business Advisory Board (Norm Axelrod, Dennis Detzel, Elliot Rubenstein, and Dennis Conroy).

Main Activities

Joe’s main activities during this time were negotiating with the Personal Empowerment Center (PEC), Model Mugging of Monterey (MMOM), and Matt Thomas (the originator of Model Mugging) to offer courses in Chicago; to send people for training, and to recruit for classes. The Chicago people who participated in training during the founding period were Joe, Lonna, Dee, Carole, Martha, and Bill Stobierski. Fifty women were trained during the founding period. The California trainers in Chicago were Judith Roth (August 1987 and May 1988), Mark Morris (August 1987), and Tom Elliot (May 1988).

Key Issues

How to create an effective, efficient organization with a commitment to offering the program to as many women as possible?
Are we teaching self-defense or empowerment? What is their relationship to each other?

Key Decisions

·         Establish a not-for-profit not a for-profit.

·         Decline to sign a royalty agreement with Matt Thomas (this decision was based on having no guarantee of services).

TIMELINE FROM THE INTERVIEW WITH JOE

August 1986

Joe heard about Model Mugging from friends in California and read an article about it in Black Belt Magazine.

December 1986

Joe talked with Julio Toribio and Danielle Evans, Model Mugging of Monterey, about training to be an instructor. 

February 1987

Lonna Brooks, the first lead instructor trainee in Chicago, took the Basics course in Monterey.

March 1987

Joe attended the first national Model Mugging Instructor Training in Colorado.

April/May

Joe established a Business Advisory Group. The group suggested a for-profit organization and outlined an investment proposal.  Joe decided to pursue a nonprofit group to keep the course of the cost low and the focus on the program rather than investment returns.

June 1987

Lonna worked with a pro-bono attorney to apply for nonprofit status. Joe and Lonna established a Board of Directors and scheduled the first class for August.

July 1987

Lonna attended Instructor Training in Monterey.

Joe and Lonna formed the Self Empowerment Group (SEG)—the nonprofit organization supporting Model Mugging in Chicago--the official beginning of what would become eventually become IMPACT Chicago.

August 1987

The first Chicago area class was held at (then) Hillcrest Community Center with 13 women. Judith Roth and Mark Morris came in from California to teach with Joe as a co-teacher. Dianne (Dee) Costanzo, who would become the first fully certified female instructor in Chicago, was in this course.

September 1987

A second course in Chicago was scheduled for November. A demonstration was held to recruit students.  Joe continued his training by guest instructing in Boston.

November 1987

The Board of Directors expanded membership.

The November class was canceled because of lack of enrollment.

January 1988

The Personal Empowerment Center (PEC), a national nonprofit for Model Mugging, was formed. It was created by the originators and established to protect their interests and to promote the program. Irene Vander Zande (who would become the founder of KidPower) was the Board President.

January/February 1988

Dianne (Dee) Costanzo  and Carole Isaacs attended Instructor Training in Monterey. Most of their fees and expenses were paid by SEG, which had received a loan from Joe. Carole received additional support from the then defunct group Chicago Women’s Uprising and Dee covered the remainder of her expenses.

April/May 1988

Dee, Carol, and Theo Pintzuk recruited for the two classes scheduled for May.

The week courses were to begin, MMOM unexpectedly asked for full payment for instructor fees. Joe borrowed money to cover the balance. Two classes were held; one with 15 and the other with 7. Judith Roth from California and Joe taught the larger class with Dee co-teaching and Carole assisting. Lonna taught, with Judith’s supervision, the smaller class. Martha Thompson and Margaret Vimont, who would later become certified lead instructors, were each in one of the May 1988 courses.

June 1988

A fundraiser was held to raise money to send Bill to instructor training. Carole and Joe approached Martha about working with them to develop a curriculum for universities and colleges.

July 1988

Martha Thompson and Bill Stobierski went to Monterey for Instructor Training. Bill’s expenses were covered by SEG and Martha covered her own.

August 1988

Joe, Lonna, Dee, Martha, and Bill set dates for two classes in the fall. Martha negotiated with North Park College for a location for the September and October courses and actively recruited for the classes. Carole went on leave.

September 1988

The first class in Chicago taught totally by a Chicago team was held at Mundelein College. Lonna was in charge of the bookkeeping and organizational finances. Lonna and Joe taught the course with group facilitation assistance from Dee and Martha assisted. Bill was the guest instructor. Martha continued to recruit for the October class.

October 1988

Lonna and Joe again taught with Dee providing facilitation support. Lynn Fernandez and Sue Albertson assisted. Lynn and Sue suggested class assistant training be developed. Bill and Martha came in for the final two classes (at that time the class was offered in 5 hour, 5 day sessions). Bill was the guest suited instructor and Martha was an observer.

Acccomplishments
By the end of the Founding Period, a nonprofit organization had been established, 5 courses had been offered (August 1987, 2 in May 1988, 1 in September 1988, and 1 in October 1988) with a total of 50 graduates and Chicago had an instructor team of 2 suited instructors and 3 lead instructors in different stages of instructor training.