"Please join me to help make this dream a reality!"

Our goal is to provide free Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and self-defense training for women of color at FOUR Elements Fitness in 2019. We seek to offer women in the community up to 16 scholarships per month over a period of a year."

At FOUR Elements Fitness, our core mission is to teach martial arts to students who may not feel comfortable in traditional martial arts school settings, particularly women, survivors of trauma and assault, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in Oakland, CA in 2014 by two female martial artists, Sharon Sanghera-Sidhu and Shawn Tamaribuchi, FOUR Elements Fitness is dedicated to building community strength through martial arts and fitness. Our programs and services enable individuals to realize their potential, connect with others, and become healthier in body, mind, and spirit. As a martial arts gym with an orientation towards social justice, FOUR Elements Fitness regularly holds fundraisers, participates in community events, and provides free self-defense seminars for LGBTQ people and other at-risk groups.

While students at FOUR Elements Fitness primarily practice BJJ for the fun, fitness, competition, and community-building it provides, they also know that someday they may need to use the very skills they are learning to fight for their safety and defend their lives. For this purpose, students need instruction specifically for self-defense. Women, in particular, need training that directly addresses the kinds of threatening situations women encounter, including preventing, escaping, resisting, and surviving assaults from bigger and stronger attackers.

FOUR Elements Fitness currently offers women’s Brazilian Jiu-jitsu self-defense courses on a limited basis, as specialized seminars. But these limited offerings are inadequate to meet the greater need in our community for women’s self-defense. Ironically, the women most at risk of falling victim to violence often face economic hardships that prevent access to these paid seminars. Studies show that women of color face an elevated risk of violence while suffering employment discrimination and other economic obstacles that can hinder their ability to receive self-defense training.

ABOUT SHAWN

Shawn Tamaribuchi holds a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt under a World Champion, Lana Stefanac. Currently, Shawn is a co-owner of Four Elements Fitness in Oakland, CA. She dedicates her time teaching self-defense and empowerment programs to local youth organizations, as well as hosting women’s only open mats and a weekly LGBTQ+ class, one of the first of its kind in the US. Her greatest passion for teaching stems from sharing what she has learned from the sport and passing on the love she holds for it. Shawn has carved a path for others to follow, serving disadvantaged communities as an instructor, a mentor and a role model. She has made a lasting impact in the San Francisco Bay Area’s community, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, through her dedication and commitment.

(donut photo by Sita Bhaumik)