Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
SFAC Main Gallery, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102    
Free. Space is limited. Email sfac.galleries@sfgov.org [2] to register  

This workshop is intended for QTPOC identified and presenting individuals.

IMPACT Bay Area offers violence-prevention programs for people to embody their own power, set effective boundaries, defend their physical and emotional safety, and heal. Tailored to queer and trans folks of color, this 90-minute workshop will introduce strategies that can be helpful in the face of gender and race based harassment like adrenaline management, de-escalation, and verbal boundary setting, as well as bystander intervention. The class also includes an introduction to Empowerment Self-Defense techniques, starting with the foundational skills of intuition, situational awareness, body language, and voice--which prove effective in increasing safety and confidence.

About the Instructor

Nynke Koopmans has been teaching self defense for 20+ years and has been leading safety teams for large public/private events ongoing for 5+ years. She is a registered nurse, a 2nd degree black belt in Kajukenbo, and is especially committed to sharing safety skills with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.

This program is planned alongside the exhibition Ceremonies: Ritual to Self [3] on view in the SFAC Main Gallery through May 3, 2025.

Program Partner

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