New England Arab American Organization holds educational training for hate crime witnesses – WGME, 2021

“There’s many things you can do from causing a distraction, to reaching out to the person after the fact, to documenting, to delegating to someone else, lots of things to increase the safety of the person being targeted, which should be your goal.” – Clara Porter

As hate crimes rise, active bystanders needed, advocates say – Portland Press Herald, 2021

“New data released by the FBI last month shows that hate crimes in Maine rose sharply in 2020, part of a national increase that saw the largest reported number of bias-motivated crimes in more than a decade, according to the Portland Press Herald.”

Portland, Maine group teaches empowerment self-defense skills – News Center Maine 2021

“Really, our mission is to help people to prevent, interrupt, and respond to violence — and then heal, if something has happened in their lives,” Porter explained.

The Power of Feminist Self-Defense – Ms. Magazine July 2019

An excellent and comprehensive by our colleague Lauren Taylor of Defend Youself in Washington, DC. “My other students also tell me that our classes are life-changing. “I thought self-defense was just about dealing with creepy random guys,” one said. “But really, I had a problem getting my point across in everyday life. Now I know what to do.”

Large businesses address workplace aggression – Portland Press Herald November 2018

“Porter said live, in-person workplace harassment training programs that examine the underlying causes of power-based aggression are far more effective than online, self-paced training that merely ticks off the requisite boxes to satisfy state law.”

Sexual Assault is not Youthful Indiscretion – Bangor Daily News November 2018

“PAC Director, Clara Porter addresses issues of sexual assault raised by the Kavanaugh hearings.”

Anti-Harassment Program Launched – Portland Press Herald January 2018

“Porter said Heart of Hospitality is starting its training with bars ‘who are interested and open’ and already trying to make their establishments safer, more welcoming places.”

Active Bystander Training – Bangor Daily News January 2017

“There is a real hunger for knowing what to do, how to step in and help people be safer,” (Porter) said. (The) two-hour trainings teach people how to identify and assess a threatening situation and then to come effectively to the aid of the target of that threat.

Active Bystander Training in Brewer – Channel 5 News Bangor Maine

“We don’t always have police right next to us when we need somebody there but we can be there and we can stand with another person and we can make sure they’re okay … and show them we are being an ally in a situation when someone really needs one,” says Kimberly Hammill, Co-Founder, Bangor Racial and Economic Justice Coalition.

Saying “No” to Harassment – Fix News Bangor, Maine

“If we are going to be a society that does not support hate and fear then we need to step up and be the people who can make a change.” Clara Porter, Director Prevention. Action. Change.

Rise in demand for Self Defense Courses – Portland Phoenix November 2016

“A good portion of what we teach is really about awareness,” Porter explained. Awareness of the social context for violence, not just statistics which are also important, but also looking at what the intersection is between racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia within the violence that we and other people experience.”

Self Defense Through and Different Lens – Maine Women Magazine

“’Empowerment self-defense is very different from what people think of when they think of self-defense,’ Porter says. ‘We do teach physical skills, but it’s much more about building awareness of the root causes of violence in the first place.’”

A Streetwise Approach Can Stop the Street Harassment of Children – Maine Today Media September 2016

“Let’s shine a light on this behavior and be clear in our expectations of and for the youth in our lives.”

Helping Children Through the Holidays by Giving then Choices, Trust. – Maine Today Media December 2015

“Teaching children to respect their bodies and listen to their signals will help them throughout their lives, but we cannot expect them to set limits with adults.”