TT- @aaronchase91

IG- aaronchase91

This look at community self-defense explores how these classes actually started—not just as fitness trends, but as grassroots responses to a system that often fails to protect marginalized people. It connects personal healing with social change, showing how martial arts can build mental resilience, discipline, and a sense of safety. However, building these communities isn't always easy. The narrative digs into the challenges of navigating both online hype and real-world training spaces, while tackling a tougher reality: how martial arts are often co-opted by political and nationalist agendas. Ultimately, it’s about how we can reclaim these spaces to build genuine empathy and solidarity across different backgrounds.