Thursday, October 1, 2026
For 15 women who gathered in Baldwin late last month, learning how to throw a proper punch was only part of the lesson. At Walk Wise, Stand Strong, a women’s safety workshop, participants gained practical self-defense skills while building confidence, sharpening their situational awareness and learning to trust their instincts.
The two-hour session, held at One Life Christian Church, was organized by The Village LI, the church’s nonprofit community outreach organization. Led by Coach Jay Morales, of Heavy Hitters Boxing Gym, the program combined hands-on self-defense instruction with discussions of situational awareness, teaching participants practical strategies to recognize potentially dangerous situations and respond safely.
For Robert Nelson, a member of The Village’s board of directors and a New York City police detective, the workshop was about more than teaching women how to defend themselves. Violence against women, he said, is a reality that extends beyond Baldwin, making education and awareness essential tools for staying safe.
Nelson said that recognizing potentially dangerous situations before they escalate is just as important as knowing how to respond if a confrontation occurs. “If something doesn’t feel right,” he said, “remove yourself from the situation and seek help.”
Some women arrived with little or no self-defense experience. Ashanté S., of Jamaica, Queens, said she signed up because she wanted to learn practical ways to protect herself.
“This was the first time I participated in a personal safety class,” she said. “I had always wanted to take a self-defense class, so I leaped at the opportunity when it came about.”
One of the workshop’s most important lessons, Ashanté said, was learning to recognize what organizers described as “calculated distractions” — seemingly harmless interactions that can be used to divert someone’s attention. Morales, she said, emphasized maintaining eye contact when approached by a stranger, remaining aware of her surroundings and using simple defensive techniques to create an opportunity to escape if necessary.
The experience also changed the way she approaches everyday life, encouraging her to be more aware of the people and situations around her.
Rose Gonzalez, a police officer, a military veteran and the program’s co-coordinator, said that she and Nelson focused on situations women are most likely to encounter day to day, drawing from their combined law enforcement experience to focus on practical skills participants could use.
Watching the attendees grow more confident, Gonzalez said, was one of the day’s most rewarding moments.
“Events like this are important because they remind women they are capable and more powerful than they believe,” she said. “Providing them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves helps build confidence and strengthen the safety of the community.”
Throughout the workshop, participants practiced defensive techniques with one another under Morales’ guidance while discussing real-world scenarios they could encounter. Organizers encouraged questions and conversation, emphasizing that awareness and preparation can often prevent dangerous situations before they escalate.
Ashanté described the atmosphere as empowering, saying that she and the other women openly shared their experiences and encouraged one another throughout the session.
“Hearing other women share their stories of feeling unsafe and then watching their ‘aha’ moment as the light bulbs went off was motivating,” she said. “Seeing women engage in meaningful conversations and practical application made me feel like girls really do run the world.”
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Isaac Badaraco, said that One Life created The Village late last year after recognizing that the congregation’s growth presented an opportunity to serve residents beyond Sunday services. Rather than existing solely as a place of worship, he said, church leaders wanted to use its people, partnerships and resources to address practical needs throughout Baldwin.
"Baldwin deserves our very best," Badaraco said. "We want to be godly people who exist for the well-being of the greater community."
The Village partners with community organizations to offer programs such as employment readiness, parenting support and educational workshops.
Nelson said organizers were encouraged by the community's response. All 20 registration spots were filled, and although 15 women ultimately attended, they have already requested additional sessions, and asked organizers to offer the workshop to other community groups, in response to what Gonzalez described as a growing demand for practical safety education. Nelson said The Village hopes to make Walk Wise, Stand Strong a recurring program.
"Knowledge is power," Ashanté said. "Having this information reiterated from individuals who are out in the field and see this day to day felt reassuring."
