Anonymous Parent of Denison Family Karate Student wrote on 03-09-2015

What Karate Means to Me

My child experienced a life-changing trauma, one that typically damages a child’s self-concept. Karate gave my child the courage to speak out when most people (including adults) might not. Karate also helped my child to refuse to wear the label of “victim.” Instead, there is a constant infusion of positive language like “winner,” “champion,” “honesty,” “integrity,” “courage,” etc. My child is loved and appreciated with encouragement from both peers as well as adults in karate. As a parent, I originally signed my child up for karate to learn skills, to practice self-discipline, and to get exercise. I never knew how much more it would mean to us. My child is a survivor, and I believe that training with Mr. Perez has been as much a therapeutic process as it has been skills training.