Mar
10
Madison Area Technical College
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Yesterday I spoke in beautiful Madison, WI to a room full of students and campus police. It was a lunchtime event, and let me tell you – nothing goes better with a sandwich than a good ol’ can o’ whoop-ass. And whoop we did. My scary bad guy, Evan, was a gentle soul who didn’t quite know the “right way” to mock attack me on stage. Fear not, Evan…I actually find it quite refreshing when men aren’t skilled at the predatory take-down. Big thanks to Cherry and the entire PAC for organizing and publicizing the event for so many weeks!
Feb
21
AFLV and NACA
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Last week was wild, and I’m just now recovering. First learning point: I can’t run around the the country like I used to! My journey began in St. Louis at the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values conference, where I was asked to give our new Greeks Fight Back program to fraternity and sorority leaders. It was late on the first day of their arrival, so everyone was a little tired. But it’s amazing how much people perk up when you start throwin’ eye jabs.
While I was at AFLV, I saw some awesome people and good friends. I was especially excited to spend some quality time with my friend and creator of Response Ability, Mike Dilbeck. Response Ability is an exciting new program that addresses bystander behavior of college students. I think his message is incredibly important because it affects most problems facing our campus communities today from drinking to violence to eating disorders. It’s so easy to say “It’s none of my business” and not get involved…Mike challenges that and I really admire the film he produced, and the movement he started as a result of it.
I left St. Louey and flapped my wings to Boston for a big conference I’ve been looking forward to for a very long time. It was the annual convention of the National Association of Campus Activities, and this year I was selected for the lecture showcase. Now I’m not sure how many hundreds or thousands of speakers apply for the 14 coveted slots. All I can tell you is that when I got the news last Fall that I’d been chosen, I was driving and had to pull over on the side of the highway because I was doing the happy-shreik-cry-scream-hyperventilate thing…and it just wasn’t safe for me to be operating a vehicle at that time. So needless to say, this was a big deal and a huge honor. *bow*
NACA is the most glorious little fun-land, time-warp, freak-show circus with some of the most interesting and inspiring people. Case in point, the Lectures Showcase I was part of on Monday morning. Here was the line-up, each of us having 15 minutes to present our program’s most interesting highlights. (Which by the way, is the absolute hardest thing for a speaker to do…especially those of us accustomed to having 90 minutes to yap our trap!) First up was Teri Nicolai, a victim of domestic violence whose ex-husband kidnapped her, sealed her inside a garbage can partially packed with snow and left her in an unheated storage unit. Her miraculous story of survival and strength was so inspiring. Next was Dan Clark, who you may better recognize as “Nitro” from American Gladiators. One of my childhood heroes, me and Nitro became buddies and I’m hoping one day to jaust him. (He was undefeated on the show in this event.) I spoke after Nitro – and what a rush! Over a thousand people in attendance, and so little time – a no-fail formula for sweaty pits. After me, Blake Mycoskie spoke. He’s the founder of Tom’s Shoes and in my opinion, one of the greatest social entrepreneurs of all time! For each pair of Tom’s Shoes you buy, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Genius. After Blake, my dear friends Shawn Decker and Gwenn Barringer took the mic, speaking about their marriage (and sex life) with Shawn being HIV positive (or as he calls it, being a “positoid”) and Gwenn being HIV negative. If you want to read one of the greatest books ever, check out My Pet Virus – written by Shawn. Memoirs about growing up with HIV are not normally described as “hilarious,” this one is. Read it and get ready to pee your pants.
Anyway, there were more speakers but I’ll stop there. You see what I mean – just awesome, inspiring people with messages that can really make this world a better place. It was an honor to be part of it. I was in Boston for about 5 days total, having a blast and working the Girls Fight Back booth along with GFB speaker, Megan. The final night, Megan and I took a picture with another childhood hero of mine, Dennis Haskins – better known as Mr. Belding from “Saved by the Bell.” Way to end this conference on a high note…thumbs up all around!
Nov
26
Giving Thanks
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This time last year, I was a little freaked out. I was newly pregnant, and started realizing my life was going to change in a big way…both personally and professionally. While I felt grateful for the blessing of a new life, it didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t ready to leap into the abyss of the unknown. But even when you don’t feel prepared, the world keeps on turning. I am thankful for getting tossed out of my comfort zone.
Since Thanksgiving of 2008, many things have happened. We selected and trained a team of amazing speakers (Megan, Michaela, Heather & Jaime) to give Fight Back Productions seminars at schools, colleges and corporations across the country. I found a stellar Marketing Coordinator (Jenn) two incredible Program Directors (Cheryl & Dianna) to arrange these events, in addition to joining forces with the award-winning agency, Bass-Schuler Entertainment. Together we booked the busiest semester to date this past Fall, giving personal safety seminars in over 40 cities. We already have 30 stops on the Spring ‘10 Tour planned, and we’re just getting going. I am thankful for a rock solid team.
This past August I gave birth to my first baby, a little boy named Miles. His entry into this world was awesome, and the past 3 months of learning, growing, adapting and letting go of perfection have been enormous life lessons for me. I am thankful to be someone’s mom.
I’ve always read that kids make life chaotic, but for me, Miles has slowed me down and helped me smell the roses. I’ve relaxed a bit, simply because I had to. I recall a few days after he was born, I was awake most of the night. While feeding him at about 5 am, I looked out the window and noticed the sun was starting to rise. Minutes later it was over, and I realized I hadn’t stopped to watch a sunrise from start to finish in close to a decade. I am thankful that each new day gives me another opportunity to make this life count.
Whether you’re at our table today or somewhere across the globe, I am grateful for you. It’s our first Thanksgiving dinner cooking totally alone, so wish me luck with science experiments like turkey roasting, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and cranberries. And if these dishes end up being a total disaster, I’ll be thankful for Chinese take-out.
Nov
12
Denver Self-Defense Classes
Filed Under Erin Weed's Blog, Girls Fight Back! | 2 Comments
Girls Fight Back started in Hoboken, New Jersey in 2001 at a place called The Bar at 10th and Willow. Why a bar, you ask? Because the manager – a guy named Mario – had 7 sisters, believed in what I was doing and gave me the space for free. After getting certified by the American Women’s Self Defense Association as an instructor, I began holding weekend classes in the bar, and women all over the tri-state area attended. I remember banging on Mario’s apartment door at 10 am, so he’d let me into the bar to start class. (He went to bed at 6 am on weekends, so he probably cursed my name a lot those mornings…)
Today I’m excited to announce a new partnership with Denver’s coolest yoga hot spot, Spiral Yoga & Wellness. Starting November 21st, I will be teaching a 2-hour women’s self-defense workshop at Spiral once a month. (Normally the workshops will take place on the 2nd Saturday of each month – except for the first one in November, which is the 3rd Saturday.) Then in January 2010 I’ll start teaching an ongoing self-defense class every Wednesday night from 7 – 8:30 pm. (Whoop-Ass Wednesdays) These weekly classes are structured like yoga. Pay as you go, $15 per class, come every week or just once a month…no contracts, so you decide! (Note: You must attend one of our 2-hour workshops as a pre-requisite before starting weekly classes with me in January. This way, all students will begin the classes with an understanding of verbal self-defense, prevention strategies and other basic fundamentals. If you can’t make the Nov. 21 workshop, be sure to attend the one on December 12.)
Teaching again is very exciting for me. For the past few years I’ve been mostly speaking, writing and traveling. My average crowd size tends to be in the hundreds, sometimes even more than a thousand. But getting back to the basics, teaching a small group of spirited women and girls…well, I find this invigorating. I hope you’ll join me…please spread the word. Space is limited! Here are details for the first workshop:
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009
2:00 – 4:00 pm
@ Spiral Yoga & Wellness
4106 Tejon Street
Denver, CO 80211
$20 per person (women/girls ages 12 and up)
Click here for details and registration
Sep
24
A Big Night
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Tonight I know that somewhere, an angel was smiling down upon us. In 3 different states (Ohio, Texas and Virginia) this evening, 3 of my speakers were giving Girls Fight Back seminars. These events took place at Old Dominion University, Baylor University and Ohio State. Wow. To think that a year ago, I was in the thick of my Fall Speaking Tour, living on airplanes and wondering how I could possibly find people to help me expand the company. I was exhausted, over-exposed and stressed. I lay awake many nights knowing I had to seek and train young women to help me conduct the presentations, but how? This seems to be the common thread in companies that grow. Each has a CEO that lays awake wondering how the hell it’s all gonna go down, trying their best to ward off nightly panic attacks…
For me, the fire was lit under my ass to begin this expansion after finding out I was pregnant. Not only did I want to expand our company, but at that point I absolutely had to! Full knowing I’d be out of commission while on maternity leave, the plans began for finding some incredible young women to carry the torch. That was November 2008, and by January 2009 we had speaker applications circulating on the web. They were due in April 2009, and then we had a whirlwind of interviews, video submissions, in-person meetings and finally the GFB Academy in June. That was probably the most inspiring week of my life, because with my own eyes I started to see what was possible.
And here we are today, just 3 months later. Fight Back Productions (the parent company of Girls Fight Back, since we now give seminars for other demographics besides young women) is rockin’ and the speakers are making me proud. Last year at this time, I was jet-setting around the nation, on stage in front of hundreds of people every night and blogging about my wild adventures. What a difference a year makes – Today I was excited to get out of the house and go to Walgreens by myself and get a flu shot. Ah, the joys of new motherhood…but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My life, our company, this mission…we’re all damn blessed.
Check out the Fight Back Blog to read about the events tonight…and maybe some pictures too!
Sep
23
According to Wikipedia, a manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions. I intend to do just that, as well as make suggestions on how to fix our damaged state of women’s safety education in the United States today.
My name is Erin Weed, and I’m the founder of Girls Fight Back and CEO of Fight Back Productions. We are a personal safety education company that teaches ordinary people they are capable of extraordinary things in the face of violence. I plunged unexpectedly into the anti-violence movement in the aftermath of my life’s greatest tragedy, the murder of Shannon McNamara, in 2001. For the past 8 years, I’ve been researching, training, writing, speaking, fighting and educating myself and others to become our own best protectors. While that may sound noble, I’m actually writing this manifesto because I’d like to apologize. Because we, the personal safety and self-defense community, have failed you.
- To every woman who ever walked down a city street and looked over her shoulder with fear, and had no action plan if someone was to emerge from the shadows…
- To every teen girl who experienced unwanted or forced sex because she didn’t understand the word “NO” is her right (and also a complete sentence)…
- To every man who has loved a survivor of violence, and awakens in the night to her crying softly, hoping he doesn’t hear…
- To the woman I saw on Oprah today who was the recipient of our country’s first ever face transplant because her husband blew off her face with a shotgun…
- To that woman’s daughter, who had to explain to Mom that falling back into the arms of the man who permanently disfigured and nearly killed her probably wasn’t such a good idea…
- To the women who will never bother to read this because violent things don’t happen in your neighborhood…
To all of you, I’m sorry on behalf of the movement. We don’t offer enough personal safety education, at an early enough age. I’m sorry no one ever taught you how to set boundaries as a pre-teen. There are still child safety ‘experts’ preaching concepts like stranger danger, despite the fact the most likely person to molest a child is someone they know. There aren’t enough reputable self-defense classes available, and virtually no network by which you can find the good ones. Or sometimes you find a great class, but are forced to choose between paying your rent or learning to fight that month. (Rent usually wins.) I apologize we haven’t integrated life saving self-defense education in schools yet, despite useful classes like algebra (sarcasm) being mandatory to graduate. Most self-defense instructors don’t market safety training in a way you can stomach, because we’re so hung up on visual martial arts symbolism like dragons and tigers. (Both of which can eat people, by the way - scary.) I’m sorry you aren’t validated more often that your intuition is correct, without needing to prove it. I wish you were told just how powerful you really are when basic physical techniques merge with an adrenaline dump, instead of being told you’re doing the step-by-step of a pinning situation escape incorrectly.
In Spring 2009 I conducted an anonymous, online survey asking everyday women of all ages, races and geographic locations about their personal safety and self-defense education. It was their responses that spawned this manifesto, after months of their honest and sometimes haunting answers marinating in my brain. I feel it is time to make some declarations about the state of female safety education in this country, or lack thereof. Because of the 136 women who filled out my survey, 64 responded YES to the following question:
Have you ever experienced any sort of crime or assault?
Did you do the math? That’s nearly HALF the respondents who said yes, admitting they have endured a violent act in their lifetime. And given that 86% of the respondents are under age 40, this is not a long lifetime we’re talking about. HALF. Actually, let’s assume it’s more than half since experts say many survivors cannot (or will not) label certain painful life experiences as the crimes they are. It just hurts too much. HALF. I’m sorry, but I can’t get out of my head that every party I’ve ever walked into, half the women sipping martinis in their little black dresses know this pain. Half of the 500,000 people I’ve spoken to in my seminars over the past 8 years understood the violence I spoke of all too well. Sometimes I could see it in their eyes, but many hide their suffering expertly.
So let’s hypothesize, based on my un-scientific survey, that half our female population has endured violence in some form or another. After the blood is gone and the wounds are physically healed, does it still leave a mark in other ways? According to the World Health Organization (2002), victims of sexual assault are:
- 3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
- 6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
- 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
- 26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
- 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.
These shocking statistics beg the question: What greatness have we missed out on from these women? What precious gems of contribution to our society have we been deprived of, all stemming from violence? I suppose we will never know. What I do know is more must be done to eradicate this culture of violence and victimization. Because seriously…HALF? Something is very broken here.
I will admit, there are days when I wish I was the CEO of a company more simple in nature. There’s a great soap store in Boulder that I covet to own, because it seems like a pretty carefree operation to run. What’s a tough decision for that store manager? Lavender or Patchouli? But then I think of this quotation by Hillary Rodham Clinton:
“I’ve often thought that when something is hard for you, whether it’s going to law school or anything else that challenges you, that’s probably what you should do.”
Women’s Safety Manifesto, Part 2 – Coming soon…
Sep
17
September e-News
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September 2009 Monthly e-News from Fight Back Productions
Click here to subscribe
September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month, but many co-eds haven’t felt so secure lately. The recent murder of 24-year-old pharmacology student, Annie Le, at Yale University has shocked the nation. America had been watching for days as the search for Annie took place, which many hoped was due to ‘cold feet’ in anticipation of her upcoming nuptials. But sadly, her body was discovered this past Sunday, which was supposed to be her wedding day. The layers of tragedy seem endless, and my heart goes out to Annie’s family.
When campus crimes like this make national news, I get a flood of emails from concerned parents of college students. The query is usually the same: “How can I keep my child safe while on campus?” To answer this question, I pulled together my favorite campus safety tips and created a FREE campus safety fact sheet. (Click here to view the e-news and download the PDF) In observance of National Campus Safety Awareness Month, will you please forward it to anyone attending college or who loves a college student? Feel free to make copies and distribute widely!
My advice to parents and students alike is to start a conversation about campus safety. As a guide, check out my book: Girls Fight Back! The College Girl’s Guide to Protecting Herself. It’s the only book out there just for young women on campus, and I hope it helps female co-eds avoid bad situations…and fight back if necessary. Get FREE SHIPPING ON BOOKS if you order by 5 pm EST tomorrow (Friday). We can ship directly to your favorite college girl as a back-to-school gift, and all books will be autographed by me. Enter the coupon code CAMPUS to redeem this special offer. Click here to buy the book.
And in case you were wondering, I finally gave birth! On August 18, 2009 we welcomed a baby boy named Miles Patrick into the world. He was 8 lbs, 4 oz and 22 inches long. I finally understand the amazing, protective, unconditional love that only parents can have for their kids…
Strong. Resilient. Spirited. Unified.
Erin Weed
Aug
5
Fight Back Productions – New Video
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Message from the August e-Newsletter…
The other night my husband and I went out for Thai food, and had a lovely dinner on the outdoor deck. The sun was setting on a very productive day, and I had gotten many things crossed off my to-do list. At the completion of the meal, our server brought us fortune cookies. And let me tell you – I love fortune cookies. Yes, they taste good, but I’m also a big believer in fate and subtle (or not so subtle) messages that are dropped in our laps. (Or in this case, show up in our food.) I always take my fortune cookie messages very seriously.
This night was no exception. Perhaps with everything going on right now, I built it up more than usual. With the busiest Fall Tour we’ve ever planned starting in September, and our first baby due next week, I am open to all the wisdom I can get. As I cracked the cookie in half with nervous trepidation, I hoped it would rock my world. And it said…
“About time I got out of that cookie.”
Really? A fortune cookie with a sense of humor? How fitting. And that’s when I knew this is the message I needed most. To relax, to live, to laugh…and to trust in the simple idea that everything is alright in good time.
Because things over here are better than alright…let me bring you up to speed on a few things. First off, in June I trained a team of incredible speakers who will be carrying out all presentations this Fall while I’m on maternity leave. You can meet them all by watching this brand new video on YouTube.
Second, you probably noticed we changed our official name to Fight Back Productions. This came about as customers began asking for educational programs for female employees (Women Fight Back) and for mixed gender audiences at colleges (Students Fight Back). It was time to develop a larger umbrella organization beyond Girls Fight Back that would be the home for all our educational programs. And so it was…
Third, we are currently planning our biggest and busiest Fall Tour to date. Please see the tour stops at right to see if we’re coming to a city near you. If your school, college or business would like to book a stop on the tour, we offer discounts if you book when our speakers are in your area. And if you work for a business that might be interested in becoming a tour sponsor, please contact us for an info packet.
So that’s the scoop! Until next time…I’m sending you simple joys and lots of good fortune.
Strong. Resilient. Spirited. Unified.
Aug
3
The official definition of the word victimization is: to make a victim of. The definition of re-victimization is: again anew. Often in the anti-violence community, re-victimization is the concept of a child who endures emotional abuse as a child, will then find themselves in emotionally abusive relationships as an adult. That’s why so often, violence is referred to as a cycle, which goes round and round…
So when I read this article in the Huffington Post today, I couldn’t help but think the same theory applies here. Take a victim of rape, who makes the brave decision to go to the hospital and have an exam performed to collect evidence in hopes of catching and prosecuting her attacker. After being sexually violated in the most vile way, you can only imagine the trauma that an invasive vaginal exam can have on a woman. And that’s not the re-victimization part yet…that’s just what she has to go through in order to get her second dose of hell.
No, the re-victimization I’m speaking of is being doled out by state governments in sending a bill to rape victims to actually pay for their exam! Here is a segment from the article:
Congress created the Violence Against Women Act to protect victims and encourage them to report rapes. The law known as VAWA has forced many states to crack down on billing problems. But ambiguities in the law still allow a remarkable disparity in the legal system: Some rape victims, unlike victims of other crimes, have to pay for basic evidence collection. “We never ask a robbery victim to pay for the cost of fingerprints,” said Sarah Tofte, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, which has been tracking how states comply with VAWA.
“As a victim recovers from her assault, the last thing she needs is a bill for her exam,” said Katherine Hull, a spokeswoman for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. “Rape is not something you can budget for.”
Overall, I believe this is a national disgrace and we need to do something about it. Most of the work we do at Fight Back Productions is focused on the proactive or preventative measures a woman can take to avoid becoming a victim. But we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that violence is happening NOW and we need to take care of people who have been affected by it NOW.
Take action! Get familiar with the Violence Against Women Act by reading up at Wikipedia.
Or…
Visit the RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) website to learn more about getting involved in the role of DNA testing for victims of rape.
Jun
29
Now Hiring Interns
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Here ye, here ye…Fight Back Productions (Girls Fight Back) is looking for some fabulous interns around the nation! Specifically we’re seeking Events Interns in the states of: California, Colorado, Illinois, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington state.
Their main role is to organize and promote Girls Fight Back Second Saturday events. Second Saturdays are free, open to the public, women safety & self-defense seminars held in cities across the nation on every Second Saturday of each month starting in August 2009. Interns will directly assist our professional Speakers who conduct these seminars with a wide variety of tasks, and will also work closely with staff at our headquarters in Colorado.
The ideal Events Intern is mature, responsible, works independently, enjoys networking and has a go-getter mentality. He/She is willing to assist our Speakers in any way requested of them that pertain to all events. He/She believes in our mission, that all women have the right to defend themselves from violence in all forms…and that this education should be available to women regardless of age, race, religion or economic status.
Interns should be pursuing a college degree in the subject areas of: women’s studies, advocacy, business, non-profits, journalism, marketing, publicity, communications, advertising, fundraising, graphic design, web design or education. Other majors may also apply. Interns must receive college credit, and are not paid.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Determining a suitable Sponsor (non profit organization) for each monthly event
• Secure a venue for Second Saturdays – gyms, auditoriums, libraries
• Web publicity via Facebook, MySpace, the GFB website, etc.
• Promote the event in the community via posters, flyers and networking events
• Serve as Assistant to Speaker before, during and after the event
• Assist in videotaping all events
• Facilitate donations, raffle, distributing literature and merchandise sales
• Be a friendly and welcoming face to all who attend the events
To apply, please e-mail your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest and qualifications to jobs@fightbackproductions.com. We are looking to fill these positions immediately. No phone calls please.
May
26
Free GFB Seminar – June 6, 2009 in Estes Park!
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Estes Park welcomes Girls Fight Back to the public performance stage on Saturday June 6th! Come on out for a FREE, open to the public women’s safety and self-defense seminar. Our presentations combine cutting-edge safety tips, empowerment and a healthy dose of humor. We’ll help you see that fighting like a girl is a very good thing…then we’ll show you how! Learn more at http://girlsfightback.com. After the seminar, stick around for lunch, shopping, elk sightings and sunshine in gorgeous Estes Park, Colorado!
Click here to download an event flyer. Please post and spread the word! Here are the details…
FREE 90-minute GFB seminar!
Sat. June 6, 2009
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
@ the outdoor Performance Park Stage
417 W. Elkhorn Ave
Estes Park, CO 80517
Open to all ages!
FREE Admission!
FREE parking on-site!
FREE giveaways, live music and more!
This event is being sponsored by the Estes Valley Victim Advocates, and we encourage attendees to donate to this wonderful organization. *In the event of bad weather, the event will be moved to Estes Park High School. Please check out our Twitter page for any weather-related announcements the day of the event.
One last thing – EVVA is also looking for sponsors for this event. Is your business or family interested in backing this great day with a sponsorship of $25, $50 or $100? If so, please contact Annette at 970.577.9781.
Hope to see you there!
May
20
May E-Newsletter
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The Girls Fight Back e-Newsletter was sent today…view it online here, or just read the pasted message below.
Today I’m on the verge of a passing a mighty torch. At 7 months pregnant, my husband Peter and I are looking forward to meeting our little guy in August. That’s right – it’s a boy! I suppose God thought we already had too much girl power in this house. (And Peter probably agrees…)
This spring we hired 6 speakers to give the GFB seminar, and have booked 14 Fall events and 9 conferences. This is a new record! These new speakers will be attending the GFB Academy the first week of June. For almost a full week they will be studying the two things that scare most people into paralysis: Self-defense and public speaking. Brave souls!
Many people have asked me if I’m feeling sad in passing this torch, and the answer is a resounding “no.” Having six more speakers means we will reach six times as many people. Besides, for almost 8 years I have traveled the U.S. and spoke to over a half million women about how to become their own best protectors. No regrets! I published a book, produced a DVD, was named 2009 Best Female Performer by Campus Activites Magazine and have an incredible network on the web via our website, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Good work has been done, and I’m ready to lead the Mother Ship to her next big destination. I’d like to conclude with a story to summarize this point…
My final speaking engagement of the Spring ’09 Tour was an event sponsored by the Eastern Illinois University Alumni Association in Schaumburg. This was my farewell event until after the baby is born, and I was feeling a little uneasy at the thought of moving on. I wondered if this final seminar would bring some closure as I moved into a new role at Girls Fight Back…but I doubted it. Then someone’s face appeared in the audience, who was more special than words can say. It was Bobby McNamara.
For all these years since Bobby’s sister Shannon was murdered, he has not attended a Girls Fight Back seminar. It must have been too hard and too painful. He graduated high school the week before her murder, and endured so much loss at such a young age. His only sibling was taken too early, and Girls Fight Back must be a bittersweet reminder of that.
But there was Bobby, in the front row. I immediately knew this was a gift from Shannon. With the perfect timing only angels are capable of, she was telling me it was okay to move on, okay to train other people, that I had done my job and now it was time for a break and start a family of my own. In all my pregnant, hormonal glory, I fought back tears at the sight of him.
The seminar was great and the crowd was lovely. Afterwards Bobby approached me, and I was nervous. What if he didn’t like it, or was offended by something I said? But in an instant he put an end to all doubt. With tears in his eyes he simply said, “Thank you.” And then he hugged me. And it was done. Somehow, during the span of that sincere hug, I moved on to the next phase of my life. As Pete Seeger of The Byrds recorded in 1962:
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep.
So I will go forward, now with a team of people behind me, believing the final lyric of that song to be true…that there is a time for peace – I swear its not too late.
Strong. Resilient. Spirited. Unified.
To book a Girls Fight Back seminar, call 1-866-432-2423.
**Offering discounted prices for seminars booked in Washington state, Oregon, California, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee and North Carolina. Contact us for more information.**
May
14
Want a FREE Girls Fight Back seminar?
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In the first week of June, I’m training 6 speakers to give the GFB seminars at schools, colleges and corporations across the country. They will be intensely trained that week in both self-defense, violence prevention education and public speaking. Their graduation is to give a live speaking engagement to an audience of women on June 6th, anytime in the morning or afternoon. These seminars must take place somewhere in Denver/Boulder, and ideally have a crowd of at least 20 people. These seminars are totally FREE! All we are asking for is feedback about the Speakers’ performance, and we’ll just need you to fill out a short evaluation form after the seminar is over.
We’re looking for venues and audiences to allow these speakers to strut their stuff. Know of any groups who would like this sort of thing? Any age females will work, as long as they are above 12 years old. Ideal groups may include: fitness groups, religious organizations, recent high school grads, girl scout troops, mom clubs, non-profits of any other group that can rally a bunch of women on a Saturday to open a can-o-whoop-ass.
Please call 1-866-432-2423 or e-mail us through this form if you have any leads. Thank you very much!
Apr
13
Ellen Snortland
Filed Under Erin Weed's Blog, Girls Fight Back!, Safety & Self-Defense | 1 Comment
A few days ago I was chatting with my friend Ellen Snortland on the phone. Ellen is a speaker, author, actress, on the Board for Impact Safety in California and one of the first women to write a book about women’s self-defense. She and I were discussing many things, but one thing that struck me was a story she shared about women suffragists. Ellen is quite the women’s history buff, and she told me that public speaking was one of the most effective tools the suffragists used to lobby for a woman’s right to vote. Specifically these speakers went on speaking tours, focusing on less populated cities in the Midwest to spread the message of their campaign. I’ve always found public speaking to be very effective in communicating with women across the U.S. and it reaffirmed my belief that more of us need to get out there, grab a mic and share our stories and knowledge with one another. After researching this, I found that Susan B. Anthony specifically was an incredible speaker and was the movement’s unofficial spokeswoman.
But back to Ellen – Since I became involved in women’s self-defense back in 2001 I’ve had a few permanent books on my desk. As Girls Fight Back evolves, I turn to these old faithfuls to ground me in what ideals this company was built upon. The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker is always a great reminder that each of us can (and should) trust our intuition when it comes to safety, relationships, life and business. The other book I always seem to turn to is Ellen’s book, Beauty Bites Beast. She recently returned from Brazil, where her book was just released in Portuguese! (See the YouTube video above, which is a film project based on Ellen’s book.)
People like Ellen, Eve Ensler and Lee Sinclair are so inspiring to me, because they are the leading the charge to make women’s safety education and self-defense a global issue. Yes, we have overwhelming problems with violence right here in our own back yards. But in countries where goats are more valuable than women, you can only imagine how much work we have ahead of us globally. Cheers for girl power everywhere!
Feb
26
World Wide Rave
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Above is a video done by bestselling author, David Meerman Scott, about his new book, World Wide Rave. David interviewed me for his book, about some of the fun things we’ve done using cell phones during GFB seminars to promote self-defense to young women. So what IS a world wide rave, exactly? From the book’s website: “A World Wide Rave is when people around the world are talking about you, your company, and your products. Whether you’re located in San Francisco, Dubai, or Reykjavík, it’s when global communities eagerly link to your stuff on the Web. It’s when online buzz drives buyers to your virtual doorstep. And it’s when tons of fans visit your Web site and your blog because they genuinely want to be there.”
We strive to create a global rave such as this with Girls Fight Back, by making our work to end violence against women accessible on the web. We have some big plans in the coming year for sprucing up the GFB website with a ton of personal safety and self-defense info that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world, for free. We’re hoping this will continue the buzz that women are worth fighting for…and it’s time for each of us to have the skills to do so.
A big thanks to David for believing in our mission, and we wish him the best of luck with the release of his book! You can buy it here. Watch the video above to see a pretty hilarious cameo, by yours truly. You can’t miss it.
Feb
20
2009 GFB Video
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Feb
17
Bass/Schuler Entertainment
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I’m very excited to say that I’ve officially joined forces with an awesome booking agency called Bass/Schuler Entertainment! Going forward, Bass/Schuler will be booking all my speaking engagements. After weeks of phone chats to make sure this was a good fit for all, I finally got the opportunity to meet Chris Schuler (co-owner) and the incredible team of speakers and artists at the NACA Conference in Nashville this week. (See us pictured at left) What a talented and hilarious team! With all the new and exciting growth that’s planned for this year with Girls Fight Back, this is a pretty incredible business partnership.
FYI, Bass/Schuler has been nominated “Agency of the Year” by Campus Activities Magazine. They deserve it, so please click here to cast your vote.
My schedule is pretty full for March, but we’re offering a discounted speaking fee for events that occur during the month of April. As you probably know, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and probably the best possible time to bring women’s safety and empowerment to campus. Please call Bass/Schuler at 773.481.2600 to book me to speak, or visit their website by clicking here.
***FYI, April is my farewell tour. Come May, I won’t be traveling by air as I’ll be in the final trimester of my pregnancy. So last chance to book me to speak ’till I’m off maternity leave in late October…
Jan
26
Quick Update
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It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, and have so much going on. So here’s a quick update, until I can make some significant 2009 announcements. In mid-January my husband and I jetted off to Cabo San Lucas for a week of R&R. Cabo is an interesting place, and definitely got me into the mode for thinking about safe spring break seminars I’ll be conducting at colleges in February. This place was party-town, mostly comprised of people in their 50s and 60s. They were total rock stars, and I thought more than once, “I wonder if your kids knew you just took a shot of tequila poured down your throat by the random bartender.” Conversely when I visit spring break hot spots every March, I’m always thinking, “I wonder if your parents know…” But overall, it was a good trip and I think all of us need time away now and again to just zone out, dream and re-connect with loved ones.
What made this trip even better was the fact that frequent flier miles bought the flights and our hotel was bought in a charity auction for Sungate Kids last year. This is an amazing non-profit that conducts forensic interviews of abused children in the safety of a cute little yellow house. The interviews are videotaped, in hopes to prevent the kids from having to take the stand in court and have to confront their abusers. Kudos to my good friend, Diana Goldberg, who is the Exec. Director and is doing such tremendous work.
On the flight back to Denver from Mexico, I was hit with a stomach virus like no other. It was insane, and of course kicked into high gear at 30,000 feet. Nothing is quite as glorious as ralphing in an airport bathroom. I had one day to recover, and then was back on an airplane to New York City. I gave my first speaking engagement of the year at Shippensburg University, and the following day had a meeting at the Times Square headquarters for SELF magazine. Girls Fight Back and SELF are cookin’ up some big ideas, so stay tuned. Spent this past weekend in the mountains enjoying picturesque falling snow, hot chocolate and loved ones. Now Monday is here, had a great meeting about ideas for campus safety initatives with Pearson Higher Education, and am hoping to get back into my regular blogging routine. So that’s the scoop…wishing you a great week. Before I go, a quick little quotation for you as January soon comes to a close…don’t forget to set your intentions for 2009!
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.
~Oprah Winfrey
Dec
28
Survey says…
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About two weeks ago, I sent out an online survey in regards to the Summer 2009 Girls Fight Back Conference we’ve been planning. I met with countless hotels and conference venues here in Colorado, and found some excellent prospects. It was coming time to get serious, save dates and sign contracts. While I felt the feedback during the Fall Tour about this conference was overwhelmingly positive, my team and I decided to ask our peeps for more specifics about what they were looking for in this training opportunity. I’m glad we asked, because we received feedback that changes our original vision, starting with WHERE this conference should be held. Here’s what 100 women surveyed from across the nation had to say:
93% of women were interested in attending a GFB Conference, focused on safety & self-defense for women, and held over a weekend in Summer 2009.
63% said they were not willing (mostly for financial reasons) to travel to Denver for the conference. 32% said they would make the trip.
The top cities suggested as alternative locations (in order of popularity): Chicago, New York tri-state area and Washington DC.
Many people suggested having multiple training conferences, held regionally.
June was cited as the best summer month to hold a conference like this.
Downtown, in a larger city, was named as the preferred setting.
People weren’t overly concerned about becoming GFB certified instructors. They expressed wanting to simply train and learn with GFB, with certification not being a major factor.
77% of responses stated the training needs to be $200 or less per person. 45% would pay up to $350 and 16% would pay up to $450.
65% felt social activities outside the conference were “somewhat important” followed by 30% who felt social is “very important.”
The top 5 subject areas of breakout sessions include (in order of popularity): Basic self-defense, rape & sexual assault prevention, date (acquaintance) rape, assertiveness/boundary setting and self-esteem/self-confidence.
53% want lunch provided by the conference, 39% want breakfast provided and 28% want all meals provided.
We’re going to take the next few weeks to make some decisions using this data, and will post more information as soon as it’s available. At this point, it’s looking like regional conferences might be a better bet, and possibly keeping the trainings to one day (instead of a full weekend) in an effort to keep down conference costs and travel fees. I’m also wondering if 2010 might be a better idea, since 2009 is right around the corner! If you have ideas, please comment below…now is a very crucial time in planning these trainings and we are listening! P.S. – For anyone who plans events or ever needs to collect feedback to make educated decisions, go to Survey Monkey and send out surveys for free! It’s an incredibly valuable tool.
Dec
18
Take Our Survey
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As many of you know, we’ve been planning our first-ever Girls Fight Back conference for Summer 2009. And since it’s our first time planning an event like this, it’s been a learning experience. I have new respect for event and meeting planners after many weeks of meetings and site tours. Talking to hotels and convention centers has filled us with endless possibilities, but it’s also making our heads spin a bit.
So we decided to give the power to the people. Click here to take a quick, 10-question, anonymous survey about our first conference. Even if you don’t want to attend, or cannot afford it this year…we want to hear that as well. Girls Fight Back has limited staff time and resources, and we only want to organize this conference if people really want it. Thanks for your particpation, and feel free to send the link to friends. The more responses, the more educated our planning process can be.
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