Since March 2022, OCA-NY and our partner, Soar Over Hate have held several no-cost self-defense classes in New York City in response to the shockwaves felt throughout our community from the deaths of Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee. Our self-defense classes have empowered over 400 participants of all ages--they are your aunties, your siblings, your grandmas, your neighbors--seeking ways to protect themselves and feel seen and safe.

What do our self-defense classes look like?

• With the leadership of our instructors, Jess Ng and Monica Liu, our workshops cover situational awareness, foundational footwork, defensive and offensive techniques and basic striking. Attendees gain the foundational tools to own their power and also empower each other in a safe and supportive space.
• Our workshops act as necessary moments for community building. Friendships and lasting connections are made, and support networks are woven stronger. People who may not have felt seen and heard previously, find solidarity in others.
• We support AAPI restaurants, cafes, and local gyms. We help re-charge our attendees with free food and refreshments from local AAPI-owned businesses. Folks get to bond over our AAPI love language– food!

“Communal care is the medicine we reach for, to combat the poison of hatred... [Soar Over Hate and OCA-NY’s] self-defense class wastes no time in equipping and engaging participants with pragmatic safety tools and a better understanding of how to interact with the world considering our collective safety."

Our classes have also been featured in the New Yorker, NY1, and other news outlets, and our instructor, Jessica Ng has been profiled by NPR.

Donate to support our next slate of classes!

Interested in co-hosting a class with OCA-NY? 

Please fill out this Google form (https://bit.ly/SelfDefenseInterest) and we will get back to you as soon as we can!