South Queens Women’s Self-Defense March Fights Stigma

The safety of young women and girls around NYC has long been a concern. An organization located in Jamaica, NY called the South Queens Women’s March (SQWM) is taking action, launching initiatives to help women and girls gain resources to fight against increased violence. The organization has offered a variety of workshops related to self-defense.

Aminta Kilawan-Narine Esq., founder and Executive Director of SQWM, explained the motivations and challenges in the work done to protect women.

“We want to bring these resources … to the heart of our community and make them accessible for folks who may not even be able to travel distances, including childcare, relationships and cultural taboos,” Kilawan-Narine said. She pointed out prominent examples such as the rise in anti-Asian, Sikh and Muslim hate crimes, which included violation of women’s rights. The workshops have garnered a variety of people from the Indo-Caribbean, Punjabi, Sikh and elder communities who have experienced
brutalization.

Kilawan-Narine noted that, “The workshops were aimed at addressing cultural barriers and helping the local community who might have not been brave enough to come forward for this sort of assistance, an important part of addressing women in areas like South Queens.” The value of a local resource is a major win for the community as people of all backgrounds and ages have found themselves voiceless against it.

“We’re providing these spaces free of cost to ensure women and girls have the tools they need to not just survive but to thrive,” Kilawan-Narine said, stressing that these unique workshops are usually not part of your local finds. It is a pivotal moment to have beneficial workshops that do not discriminate against working-class communities.

As with most groundbreaking initiatives, there comes challenges, one being taboos and fears that come from speaking up, something women across history have valiantly battled. Kilawan-Narine explained that many women hesitate to attend workshops due to questions like, “Why am I attending a self-defense workshop? What am I defending myself against? Am I identifying as a survivor or as a victim of violence in attending these workshops?” The stigma will always remain, which complicates the task of creating a safe haven for women and girls, yet Kilawan-Narine and her team remain devoted to the cause.

When given the chance, the workshops prove beneficial — amplifying the voices of women once the stigma is challenged. When asked about the program’s personal impact, Kilawan-Narine shared a powerful story with The Knight News:

“I’ve heard from at least one survivor who attended our workshop that she felt like she had the tools necessary to respond in real-time to what she was experiencing at home. She’s not necessarily ready to leave the abusive relationship that she’s in, but she wanted the tools to defend herself in situations that she previously wasn’t able to … and she indicated that that’s why she turned to the workshop. She chose to remain anonymous but certainly left feeling empowered.”

These stories further the value of self-defense workshops for women in Queens, the voices they gain are important. The workshops have further been enhanced to accommodate the diversity of Queens where people of different religions interact and engage to promote unity.

On March 28th, a self-defense course was hosted by the group in collaboration with non-profit organization MALIKAH (@wearemalikah on Instagram) at the Yogashakti Yoga Studio in South Ozone Park.

“We included a community Iftar specifically for women and girls where we could share a meal together afterwards, and we did it in a Hindu house of worship because we want to make sure that we are promoting interfaith dialogue and […] unity and solidarity across the board,” Kilawan-Narine said. “That is exactly what South Queens Women’s March aims to do — to merge the various identities of women and girls in South Queens under one cause, which is gender equity and women’s empowerment.”

The sense of togetherness is critical in hosting workshops where women learn to embrace their voices and fight for their rights in diverse areas of Queens. Aminta Kilawan-Narine highlighted that by protecting women we are promoting healthy relationships, combating food injustice and curbing domestic violence and sexual violence.

“The goal of South Queens Women’s March is to create a world in which women and girls cannot just survive, but also thrive,” Kilawan-Narine said.

More information about the South Queens Women’s March’s self-defense workshops can be found through their Instagram @southqueenswomensmarch and linktr.ee/southqueenswomensmarch