Help AIMS Martial Arts Build a New Home in Chinatown, NYC

My name is Sifu Yeydy De La Cruz, and I’ve been training and teaching martial arts for nearly 30 years. Martial arts has been my lifelong passion and purpose—a path that’s taught me not only how to defend myself but also how to live with integrity, discipline, and compassion.

I’m the founder and head instructor at AIMS Martial Arts, an academy built on a simple but powerful belief: martial arts is for the everyday individual.

For the past two years, AIMS has proudly served students from all walks of life in the Financial District of Manhattan, helping them discover strength, balance, and confidence through training. Now, we are taking the next step on our journey—moving to Chinatown, a vibrant neighborhood whose community will greatly benefit from the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and other martial arts traditions.

This move is about more than just a new space—it’s about expanding our reach and deepening our impact.

Your support will help us:

Design and equip a new, modern training facility with upgraded mats, gear, and technology

Enhance our teaching tools and digital systems to improve student interaction and outreach

Expand our programs to include women’s self-defense, elderly, veterans, and youth classes, along with practices such as yoga, music, and dance.

Host family and community events that bring people together and promote shared growth.

We are a community-focused school, committed to building value, discipline, and transformation through martial arts—one class, one person, and one story at a time.

With your help, AIMS Martial Arts can continue to serve as a beacon of empowerment, helping individuals and families in Chinatown and beyond discover their own potential.

Please join us in bringing this vision to life. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Together, we can build a home where discipline meets compassion—and where movement becomes a way of life.