Rise Up - World Martial Arts Center Fundraiser
The picture Included here is a prime example of not only what Sabumnim stands for, but why my wife and I KNEW this was the school and the Master with whom my son should begin his martial arts journey with. My son was given a citizenship award at school and Sabumnim was so emphatic about the fact that it should be celebrated even though my son hadn’t mentioned it during the dojang afterschool program.
Prior to joining WMAC, I had reached out to a few schools when my son was 4 and a half years old, and they all said that they didn’t start training children that early. Undaunted, I came to WMAC. I’ll never forget the day in 2015 when I came to the dojang on a Saturday afternoon and Sabumnim was just about to leave. We talked for about 45 minutes.
I expressed my desire to have my son start training early, as I wished I had, and how important it was for young Black boys to develop not just martial arts training but the discipline, awareness, and sensitivity to equip themselves for the unique challenges they would face. We were speaking each other’s language as Brooklyn-bred men of color. I knew this was the place for us. To my joy and surprise, the diversity of dojang students and instructors was more than I ever expected. The adaptation to needs, skill sets, and particular challenges has been a blessing and a joy. The Chungsanims even motivated me to get back to my own training regardless of my physical challenges (which had been my personal crutch for years). I can’t for a minute imagine what we would do without WMAC, Sabumnim and the community. #Lifechanging #necessary #cantdowithout -Kurt
The World Martial Arts Center started over 30 years ago to teach self-defense and empower women. Seeing the rapid skill development of these women, the men around them were inspired to join us. Since that time, many of the members have gotten married and had children and we created a children's program that has grown to a seven day a week program, with an emphasis on self-esteem, self-image, self-respect and self-confidence.
WMAC has received seven prestigious national top ten martial arts school awards and besides having 60% female instructors, it is one of the few schools in New York City to produce women masters in traditional Korean Hapkido and VSK Combat Street Jujitsu.
This is a place where families train together, little boys learn to respect and value little girls as their equal. And little girls learn to hold their own, with complete confidence amongst any group of boys. At our school, we build character and teens respect and admire their parents.
WMAC is an empowerment generating force in the community for men, women and children regardless of socio-economic backgrounds. It is a place where Black Lives Matter, where a Hasidic Jew, Egyptian Muslim, a Chinese Buddhist and an Irish Catholic can train together and bond as brothers and sisters of the human family tree.
The pandemic has decimated seventy percent of our student body which has made it impossible for us to maintain and operate our school. We are forced to leave our present location and we need your help to establish a new location and save our school. For the first time in 30 years a school that was started with $38 and no bank loans, that not only thrived but supported countless others in fulfilling their goals and life dreams, and has reached down to lift so many up now is reaching up for a hand to pull them back onto solid high ground so that we can continue being a true force for good for humanity.
This is an urgent and time sensitive appeal to save our school and maintain a place of empowerment for all in these disempowering times.
Your donation means so much to us and as a thank you,
If you donate $50 or more you get access to a virtual beginners' guide which includes the complete beginners' program
$100 or more you get access to the virtual beginners' guide and the 12 guided meditations
$500 or more you get all of the above plus exclusive access to a special, live, virtual weapon training with the Grandmaster (includes five preparation videos prior to the workshop)
