In May and June of 2021, Mission Housing hosted its first in-person trainings since the pandemic.
The topic was chosen in order to support and empower our residents in light of the recent increase in harassment and violence towards the AAPI community, particularly seniors -- although the training was open to everyone.
The trainings were entirely outside, with clearly marked spacing for participants, and were taught by a local martial arts instructor John Collins of United Studios of Self-Defense with a specific focus on material that is accessible to seniors and people with disabilities.
In order to ensure COVID-safety and language access, the Mission Housing team split the training into two groups: an English/Spanish group and an English/Cantonese group, and each group received a two-part training.