Through my 25+ years of training and teaching in this profound art, I've seen people make wondrous and amazing changes in their lives. It's a thrill that I never tire of witnessing.
Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara has never been much of a commercial operation. Instead, we've deliberately strove over the years to keep the organization a grassroots one. The benefit we feel, is the resulting "dojo community" that members become a part of, rather than simply offering them a "place to work out."
In addition to offering ongoing classes in this "Art of Peace", we've also had an impact on the community with various workshops and projects. (Click here for more info...)
But we are able to continue to have a strong, positive impact on the community onlywith your help. Please show your support and give now. Any amount helps and is therefore, greatly appreciated.
Very truly yours, Lia Suzuki Head Instructor: 1999 - Present Board President & Executive Director: December, 2008 - Present
Mission
Our mission at Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara is to pass down the true
message of Aikido "The Art of Peace", and to nurture a better society by creating
individuals of responsibility, compassion, judgement, and character.
4 Reasons to Give to Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara
The need exists & is substantial. There is a gang violence problem in Santa Barbara. Youth are drawn to gangs because they increase a sense
of self-worth and promise higher
status and
peer acceptance, which is so important in adolescent development. Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara is
a community, rather than just a "place to work out." Every member of
our dojo community adds value to our organization and therefore gains a sense of self worth.
Also progress in the art is publicly recognized through testing and
promotion in rank, for example. This contributes further to the feeling of self
esteem and self worth.
Return on your investment. Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara
provides self esteem, status, and peer acceptance to youth, along with alternative coping mechanisms for conflict,
whether it be physical conflict, verbal conflict, emotional conflict. In the
big picture, supporting Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara means investing in a more peaceful and safe Santa Barbara.
Giving feels good. Contribution is one of the
core values we teach our young people. It's the only way we can
truly manifest our vision.
Our young people deserve your support. There's a saying in
Japan - "Everyone is born good." We believe this at Aikido Kenkyukai
Santa Barbara. EVERY CHILD is born good and therefore deserves a peaceful, happy, and safe childhood.
There is no better time than now to invest in our community’s future
and our children. We look forward to the results we create together in
the years to come.
Our History...
Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara was founded in 1999 by Lia Suzuki.
In
the summer of 2007, we lost our training space on lower State Street
due to an extreme rent increase. After regrouping and reorganizing, our
aduts’ class came together and resumed training in a temporary space.
The kids’ class reconvened a full year later, refusing to give up hope
for continued study under Suzuki Sensei.
Now, we’re a 501(c)(3)
California nonprofit public benefit corporation, training at the Santa
Barbara Buddhist Temple. We’re excited and grateful to be able to be
back training weekly. Our future goals are to once again have our own
dedicated training space, take field trips to
Japan, and to hold events to benefit the community through this
fantastic art that we love called Aikido - the Art of Peace.
Guest Book
Show your support for Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara by signing the Guest Book. Your entry will appear in the list below.
To all of you wonderful people,
I have always wanted to build a traditional wooden dojo in USA with a modern green building gasshuku dormitory where some uchideshi can live full time.
I have always dreamed of it near a beach in the middle of a residential area. I have also dreamed of it in a vineyard near a lake.
80% of the students or more will be paying students
20% of less will be on grants
I'd like to provide not just Aikido but Japanese language, writing, cooking Japanese and socializing with Japanese communities globally that may not be martial artists.
It should be fun if we can do an exchange stay with another Aikidoka in Japan. They stay here in your home when you are in their home. If we can be interested in each others' work, I think it would be interesting too.
By the way, what kind of a new dojo are you trying to build and where?
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