Founded in 1993, Ruckus Safety Awareness began as a unique group of Asian women martial artists who came together to promote safety awareness and self-defense skills within the Asian Pacific Islander (API) women's community.

Today, we offer trainings not only for API women, but also women of all backgrounds, youth, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities.

Our self-defense and safety awareness trainings and seminars provide skills in a culturally sensitive space where participants are encouraged to learn and share their experiences in a supportive environment.

Material covered includes physical skills, verbal skills, awareness exercises, prevention strategies, assertive- ness training, and discussions regarding safety and violence in our society.

“Studying self defense gave me a framework to constuctively oppose the unfair systems that create violence.” - Jenny Lee, Ruckus Instructor

“Imagine my surprise when I left the session feeling that it is so important that everyone should be exposed to self-defense and that I had not only spent my Saturday morning well, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.” - Participant, age 50

“Self-defense opened me up to all the available options my body has. I used to think that in order to defend yourself effectively, you had to have a weapon.” - Participant, age 16