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A monthly newsletter for students and friends
of Kicks Martial Arts for Women
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Inside this issue: The Future of Feminism ITU Seminar a Hit! Cool Link of the Month Rank Promotions Upcoming Events |
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| Located at the Heiter Community Center • 100 North
Fifth Street • Lewisburg, PA 17837 |
May 2004 |
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| The Future of Feminism |
Faces of the
Future
A look at Bucknell Sirens and SASSE Syracuse |
This issue of the Dojang Digest is dedicated to all
young women fighting to advance the cause of feminism, which includes
as a tenet the struggle to eradicate the systematic violence that women
experience in their daily lives.As a member of the Bucknell community I am always encouraged by the strength and leadership of Bucknell students who are organizing themselves around feminist principles. The members of Bucknell Sirens, for example, tirelessly work to educate students and staff about issues of sex inequality and misogyny. Sirens' activism encourages dialogue and protest and represents the courage and conviction of today's feminists. Sirens is currently the sponsor of 
Bucknell Kick Back Against Violence
2004, which will be held on May 2nd.I recently had the opportunity to give a twelve hour Empower! Self-Defense for Women workshop at Syracuse University. The event was sponsored by Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE). It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I left Syracuse empowered by the future of feminism! This month's Dojang Digest is dedicated to this current generation of bold and brazen feminist fighters who are continuing the struggle to challenge sexism and inequality. 
These young women, along with thousands of others across the country and internationally, are a force to be reckoned with! Their example leaves me optimistic about the future of feminism. Keep up the great work! Quay practices ground fighting
during Empower!
SASSE Syracuse
SASSE (Students Advancing Sexual Safety and Empowerment) was started
as a subset of the only existing feminist organization at Syracuse University
[SU] in 2000, the Committee on Women and Art (CWA). The Vagina Monologues
was first performed at SU in 2001 and was so successful that it split
with CWA to form V-Day Syracuse. After a second successful
year in 2002, V-Day Syracuse decided that in order to expand to fill the
needs it recognized in the SU community, it needed to move away from
the international V-Day organization in name and goals, and so SASSE
was formed. V-Day Syracuse still exists as a sub-committee within SASSE,
but the goals and work of SASSE reach far beyond V-Day and V-Week.As the largest feminist organization at SU, SASSE is committed to advancing the status of women in all aspects. While the focus of the organization is sexual safety and sexual empowerment, we believe that many things are incorporated in those issues and are open to addressing anything that effects the lives of women. Our to focuses/ on-going campaigns are Sexual Safety and Empowerment through Knowledge. The ongoing slogan that we are using currently for many project is "Choice is Power." Laura McClelland, executive board member of SASSE said, "Our two campaigns that will be implemented starting next Fall are "F is for Feminism," addressing issues and needs surrounding the feminist community and women's experience at SU, and 'Pussies to the Polls,' educating women about the necessity of their presence at the voting polls in November." Upcoming Events
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Bucknell Sirens - Sirens was created in the Fall of 1999 by Women's Studies students who felt that women's voices were underrepresented on campus. Sirens aims to organize events with the intent of raising awareness about gender equality and the welfare of Bucknell's women. Various students have commented on the lack of
diversity on Bucknell's campus and because of this have felt pressure
not to be who they truly are. Sirens aims to break away at the barriers
that prevent women from feeling like they have to act a particular way and,
at the same time, increase education about the way women's roles have
been determined and how they are often times incomplete.
Alyssa Schneebaum, a Kicks' Blue Belt, is the incoming
president of Sirens for the Fall of 2004. According to Schneebaum, "I
think the main purpose of Sirens is to recognize that a definite patriarchy
exists in our society. We unify to understand and breakdown the sexism
that pervades our community and our world, and then take political and
social action advancing the power of women. We acknowledge that sexism
is not just something that some people do; it is a system. We fight to
eliminate this structure by examining how it works and what its consequences
are, and by counterattacking those circumstances with female-righteous
events, campaigns, publicity, action, and exposure."
Congratulations!
Kicks Rank Promotions
Junior Promotions:
Senior Promotions:
A special congratulations
to Gaby who earned a medal for her outstanding
Perseverance.
A special congratulations to Katie who earned a medal for her outstanding performance in Breaking. 
A special congratulations to Junior Student of the Month - Joanna 
You can check out more test photos by clicking here. 
V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual slavery. Through V-Day campaigns, local volunteers and college students produce annual benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues" to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within their own communities. In 2003, over 1,000 V-Day benefit events were presented by volunteer activists around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls and raising US$4 million to combat it. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. We'd love to hear from you! Please send us your comments, feedback and suggestions. 
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