Writing the first draft of my observation essay went well. Although I did lack some details to flesh out the narrative so to speak, the overall structure was good. While I improved those issues in my second draft, I also had to include my second observation in that draft. That observation was initially going to be a board meeting for the club, but that did not fit in my schedule. Therefore, I ended up observing another event. The main focus of my research was on how Feminism for All addressed self-defense. So, incorporating the second event in the essay smoothly was difficult and I did not do it effectively. Hopefully, in this draft, those issues have been addressed.  Again below are some comments I received on early drafts and my final draft.

 

 

 

Self-Defense Leads to Happiness

When I was in seventh grade, I had a self-defense class during my gym period. I remember very little that was helpful, but what I do remember was that if someone was assaulting us we were supposed to yell fire! At the time this confused me, I did not understand why we could not just yell for help. The teachers told us that people would always come and help if there was a fire. This means to me that they would not for other reasons. I had a suspicion that this training was aimed more at us girls, even though it was co-ed class. As I get older I am more and more aware of the risks that women face. The questions of how we combat those risks become more and more important. Thus, I was so eager to observe this self-defense class. I saw that the self-defense created a boost in confidence in all the participants. These were the first steps in understanding how Feminism for All approached self-defense.

As I entered the North Academic Ballroom I was a little nervous, mostly about fitting in enough so that I did not disturb the natural flow of events. The room was big with fluorescent lights that gave the room an odd glow. There was a wooden floor that was perfect for dancing; I was glad to see the room was aptly named. I had dressed in workout/athleisure gear to blend in. But I still felt a bit like an interloper. I was not the only one not from the club though, information had gotten out to those not a part of the club, I assume through social media. The class held appeal that went beyond the club. Because of that, the room held that feeling that I was feeling myself. That feeling that you were out of place. I was a few minutes early, and during that time people were pretty solitary, on their phones possibly to avoid conversation. This was when I learned that members of the board would be participating including the Vice President, secretary, and the treasurer. All the were very nice, yet that did little to ease the light anxiety in the room.

Soon, a man and a woman entered the room. The woman was dressed in a well fitted pantsuit, while the man was dressed more casually in jeans, Timberlands, and button-down t-shirt. As she walked, there was both the sound of her heels and a lot of keys. I wondered what she needed so many keys for. These two people were from Public Safety and would be teaching the class. The woman began with an overview of Public Safety and what they do. She also explained how Public Safety also does longer programs that provide a far more thorough overview of self-defense. She then gave the floor over to the man, Rondell, who was going to be the one to teach the class.

Rondell quickly began to make jokes, he was personable and had an ease about him that put everyone else at ease. With the humor, the seriousness of why we were learning self-defense was put on the backburner. He had us get into a circle. This allowed me a clear view of everyone attending and I saw that although this was primarily women, there were a couple men in attendance. Everyone’s body language felt a little closed off and apprehensive, with arms in front, and shoulders hunched slightly. Perhaps this was because nobody knew exactly what to expect with the class. But the longer Rondell talked the lighter the mood became.

Rondell took us through six moves. 1. The defensive stance 2. How to block a hit from the defensive stance 3. How to punch from the defensive stance 4. How to escape a chokehold from behind 5. How to escape a chokehold from the front 6. How to escape if someone puts their arm around you. When we practiced these moves, we could feel that they were effective, especially when there was a twinge a pain down your arm. Despite the occasional minor pain, Rondell was very jovial, while also acknowledging that what he was teaching us was serious. Throughout the class, I felt some tension between the woman and Rondell. She was far more serious and was making sure everyone was okay with what was happening. Even though they perhaps did not always get along so well, they seemed to balance each other out well, which is probably why they work together.

For the last three moves, we needed a partner to practice with, the aggressor and the victim. At this point, we were far more comfortable with what we were learning and with each other. My partner was also who Rondell used for his demonstrations. She was very sweet, a little goofy, but very enthusiastic. She was a little shorter than me, with shoulder length black hair. She too was dressed in workout gear. She was very willing to pretend choke a man she had never met. Something the rest of us were not so willing to do. Her enthusiasm helped to make everyone else feel comfortable too. The two of us helped each other to make sure we were doing the skills well, especially when one of us would use the wrong hand and end up tangled in our own arms. Despite her willingness to comply she always made sure my hair was out of the way, so she would not pull it by accident, which was very thoughtful. As we talked I learned she was hoping to be a criminal justice major and her dream was to be an FBI agent. This class had made her want to take the longer class and she felt that what we had learned was actually something she could use to protect herself.

By the end of the class, everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. The mood had become much happier, more open, and comfortable. I was not able to talk to as many people as I was hoping but the change in their moods told me all I needed to know. In the beginning they were wary, and unsure, by the end they were happy, confident, and laughing.

This mood change was also felt at my second observation was a Celebration of Diversity event. Ms. Injeian spoke about the fear women feel every day, and how self-defense empowers and allows women to move through society with confidence. While her talk was brief, Ms. Injeian hit some main points. She said that sexual assault and harassment are pervasive throughout society, and that women are likely to experience it at some point. One way to help women is to teach them self-defense so they may protect themselves. While she may have been preaching to the choir in the sense that everyone there was most likely already sympathetic to the feminist cause. Despite that, her words were meaningful.

What my observations tell me is that both events were successful in providing a welcoming atmosphere to educate those about self-defense. This was particularly evident at the self-defense class. How Rondell taught us, allowed for us to leave in a much better mood than the one we arrived in. This told me that Rondell was good at his job, and that the skills we were learning were meaningful. Both events were effective collaborations between the organizations, which showed me that the grassroots organization works best at empowerment and teaching self-defense by working with other organizations to boost their numbers and knowledge.