Free ESD Classes for the LGBTQ+ Community – June 4th
1st Sunday of the month 12:00 to 1:30 at the Equality Community Center – 15 Casco Street, Portlan
These fun and information packed sessions are open to LGBTQ+ community members. Come gain effective and accessible verbal and physical tools to prevent and respond to microaggressions, harassment, assault, and abuse. Share tools for managing adenaline in stressful moments and strategies for setting boundaries, de-escalating situations, and responding physically when needed. While addressing serious topics and situations, this class is engaging and built around the ethic of challenge by choice. There are many ways to participate and you decide what works for you: watch an exercise, participate in a role play, practice a grab release with or without touch. All physical techniques are accessible and adaptable
What to wear/bring: Please come as you are. We will have water and masks available at the Center. For everyone’s safety, we will all be masked throughout the sessions. No preregistration necessary.
Active Bystander Intervention – in-person
June 4th 11am to 12:30pm
Allagash Brewing – 50 Industrial Way, Portland
Gain awareness and tools to safely and effectively intervene when you witness incidents from microaggressions to threats of harm based on race and the intersecting identities of gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, and other factors. Learn methods for managing adrenalin, assessing situations, and engaging other bystanders all with the goal of increasing the safety of the person or group targeted. Explore the concepts of calling in vs. calling out and ways to assist that respect the autonomy and choices of the person(s) targeted. $10 – $20/person (more if you can / less if you can’t): Pre-registration recommended.
Empowerment Self Defense
June 25th 11am to 1pm
Rising Tide Brewing – 103 Fox Street, Portland
Active Bystander Intervention – in-person
July 16th 10am to 11:30aa,
Austin Street Brewing – 115 Fox Street, Portland
Gain awareness and tools to safely and effectively intervene when you witness incidents from microaggressions to threats of harm based on race and the intersecting identities of gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, and other factors. Learn methods for managing adrenalin, assessing situations, and engaging other bystanders all with the goal of increasing the safety of the person or group targeted. Explore the concepts of calling in vs. calling out and ways to assist that respect the autonomy and choices of the person(s) targeted. $10 – $20/person (more if you can / less if you can’t): Open to all ages. Children welcome. Pre-registration required.
MORE SUMMER CLASSES TO COME!
PAC COURSES available: for details check the drop down tab under Programs
WORKPLACE TRAINING: Sexual harassment prevention and response, Safe and Welcoming Workplace, Navigating Challenging Interactions, Microaggressions and Identity-based Harassment, and more.
HEALING THROUGH EMPOWERMENT: An 8-10-week program designed for people of all genders who have experienced sexual and/or intimate partner violence. Participants report decreased PTSD symptoms, and increased confidence and feelings of safety in their bodies and in their lives.
EMPOWERMENT SELF DEFENSE BASICS: Gain awareness, verbal tools for assertive boundary setting, de-escalation, physical self defense skills, and tools for healing and growth. These skills will help you navigate interactions on the spectrum from challenging to dangerous at home, online, in relationships, or in public.
NAVIGATING CHALLENGING INTERACTIONS: 3 Sessions: A blend of Verbal empowerment self defense tools to address a range of challenging interactions facing us at home, in public, online, and at gatherings and protests. Each session focuses on a different skills: Assertive Communication and Boundary Setting, Active Bystander Intervention, and De-escalation Strategies and Tools.
DE-ESCALATION FOR BUSINESSES: As part of our larger work in Empowerment Self Defense and in recognition of the many challenging interactions presented by the current pandemic such as the wearing of face masks, social distancing, and anti-asian and anti-back hate/bias we have crafted this training to help maintain safety and build a supportive and caring community.
ACTIVE BYSTANDER INTERVENTION: Gain awareness on the rise in hate based harassment and Covid related incidents occurring in supermarkets and other public spaces and learn skills and strategies to safely intervene when you witness this harassment online or in person.
ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION AND BOUNDARY SETTING: Dealing with physical distance and the extra closeness of home is challenging for all of us. As states begin to ‘open’ and many of us return to face to face interactions, come together to learn and share skills for assertive communication and boundary setting in these challenging times.
PAC also offers specific training for:
- Parents and Children
- Mothers and Daughters
- High School Seniors
- College Students
- LGBTQIA++ community members
- Survivors of violence
Register here
PAC Classes include:
- Healing Through Empowerment 10-week series for women
- Mother / Daughter Self Defense
- Single and Multi-session Empowerment Self Defense
- Workplace Safety
- Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response
- Active Bystander Intervention
- Microaggressions and Identity-based Harassment
- and more…
Many PAC classes are scheduled with businesses, organizations, schools, groups, and individuals. Contact us for more information and we’ll build a class around your schedule and interests!
Prevention. Action. Change. 