We were lucky to catch up with Derrick Wright recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Derrick thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I have had to take so many risk in my life some small, big and others have been life changing. I moved out on my own when I was 17 years old, my last year of high school, that was a struggle. But it led me to join the Marine Corps which was a life changing event and extremely beneficial to me even though I didn’t know it at the time. After coming home from Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I was discharged from the Marine Corps and moved to Los Angeles with a brand new car, $500 in my pocket and no job lined up or a stable housing. It was a struggle at first but it all worked out in the end.

In 1997, I started teaching martial arts in North Hollywood at various locations; North Hollywood Park, Noho Gym, and a dance studio. On November 2002, on a leap of faith, I made another life changing event and opened up a commercial martial arts academy in North Hollywood with the help and sacrifice of students and parents that have supported me for years through out many changes of locations in North Hollywood, Torrance/Redondo Beach, Hollywood and soon to be Long Beach. As a business owner, I learned a lot about myself, others, teaching, owning and operating a business. I had a lot of great success and I also made a lot of mistakes which talk me some great lessons.

However, being self employed and having some dedicated instructors allowed me to go back to school and finish my undergraduate education at CSU Dominguez Hills where I received a bachelors degree in Behavioral Science with a minor in Psychology and lastly the University of Southern California where I received a Master of Social Work degree with an emphasis on Veterans and military families. In addition to learning and teaching traditional Chinese martial arts, I also work for the VA Healthcare System as a licensed clinical social worker where I provide therapy, case management, support and assistance to homeless Veterans. I also work as a contract therapist in the community and provide individual, couple and family therapy on a part time basis. Everything in my life worth risking has been life changing. event for me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My interest in martial arts, more specifically traditional Chinese martial arts was inspired by the Hong Kong Chinese martial arts craze in the 19707s-1980s. Like many young people that grew up in that era, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jim Kelly, Carl Scott and many others had a strong influence on many youth across the world. The very first martial art film I saw was “Soul Brothers Of Kung Fu” directed by Shan Hua in 1977. I went to see that film at the local movie theatre in Sikeston, Missouri with my foster brother. After that, I was fascinated by the movies and wanted to learn martial arts, not just any martial art but specifically Traditional Chinese martial arts. However, on my journey to finding authentic Chinese martial arts, I did dabble in Karate and Tae Kwon Do off and on as a child.

While stationed in Okinawa while serving in Marine Corps as a military policeman, I discovered Master Hokama. He taught Hsing Yi, Bagua and Tai Chi in Naha. I started attending his classes on a regular basis and met one of his senior students Norman, I would later obtain additional training from Norman at his home on the weekends. During my training with him, he taught me Southern Dragon and would re-enforce what Master Hokama taught us during group training. Okinawa is were I participated my first martial arts tournament and won my first trophy. I was in Okinawa for one year, at the end of my deployment I received orders to Jacksonville, North Carolina. One of the most exciting events was being on duty at the gate to the base with a famous master of Isshin Ryu Karate and discussing martial arts with him and receiving training tips on body conditioning.

While I was stationed in Jacksonville, there were not a lot of martial art schools. My barracks mate so happened to be a black belt in Isshinryu Karate and another fellow marine was a black belt in Tae Kwon do so I would train with them from time to time. I also attended local tournaments in Jacksonville such as the Battle of the Carolinas. Later, I would be deployed to Desert Shield and Desert Storm and my martial arts training was put on hold until I was discharged from the Marine Corps and moved to Los Angeles.

After getting settled in LA, I started looking for schools and trained a little in different places until I came across Master Kenneth Edwards, he is the chief instructor at Shan Tung Kung Fu in Pasadena, CA. I feel this was my first introduction to real traditional martial arts training, we worked hard. I practically lived at the academy, trained sometimes 3-4 times per week if not more and sparred weekly with my classmates. In 1997, I received my Black Belt certification and permission to teach.

My training in Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu started with Master John Cheng of California Martial Arts. I became a certified instructor in Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu by Grandmaster Lee Kam Wing in 2004 and was recognized and internationally ranked with the World Wushu Kung Fu Federation in Vancouver, Canada in the same year.

In 2005, I earned the title of “Sifu” from the US Kung fu Exchange Federation and became the first student of Master Cheng to receive the title. As a member, and affiliate school of the US Kung Fu Exchange, Master Wright served as the organization’s president, and board member from 2005-2009.

I am a closed door student/disciple of Grandmaster Lee Kam Wing, of the International Seven Star Style Lee Kam Wing Martial Arts Association. He participated in the “bai si” ceremony at Grand-master Lee Kam Wing’s 40 year anniversary in Hong Kong in October 2012. .

I serve as chairman of the World of Seven Star Mantis Style Federation, vice chairman of the Southern and Northern Martial Art Association, overseas founding member of the Global Martial Artists Association, and former chairman of the board and a founding board member of the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Federation.

I have also had the opportunity and privilege to train with and attend seminars and workshops held by masters such as; Henry Chung of Midland, MI, Raymond Fogg of Dallas, Texas, Carl Albright of New York, Brandon Jones of Tyler, Texas, Jeff Hughes of Austin, Texas, and the late Richard Feagin of Killeen, Texas.

I am an alumni of the University of Southern California Suzanne-Peck Dworak Graduate School of Social Work. A licensed clinical social worker. I am substance use disorder specialist with the Long Beach VA Healthcare System where I provide therapy, case management and support to Veterans with substance abuse challenges. I also work as a contract therapist in the community and provide therapy to children, teens, adults, couples and families.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I would have to say my whole life story has been a journey of resilience, it is just what I have become. My mother was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at a very young age and my father was somewhat involved in my life but he wasn’t a major influence. My siblings and I was removed from the home when we were very young and placed in various foster homes throughout Southeast Missouri until we were eventually separated and adopted by different families.

Due to the difficulties of the home I was living in, I became emancipated at the age of 17 years old, moved out on my own and struggled to complete high school. I was heavily involved in church and received some support from them until I started to develop my own identity and I was no longer accepted or supported by the members there. Now that I look back, It seemed more like a cult. I was working as a dishwasher and busboy at “Ragsdale’s on the River in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and I received a lot of support from my coworkers until I graduated and moved to St. Louis to be near extended family.

During the late 1980’s, certain neighborhoods in St. Louis was a rough, like most major cities in the US. I lived on the South side on Arco and Newstead, It was a neighborhood ran by local teens and young men selling crack. There was a lot of violence, gambling, prostitution which of course attracted the attention of law enforcement. I witnessed a lot of gun violence among dealers and between criminals and law enforcement. I knew that I had to get out of that environment and I joined the US Marine Corps. The military presented numerous opportunities for me that I was able to take advantage of that has helped change my life for the best instead of being just another statistic.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think their are many qualities that has been helpful in my successes as a martial arts business professional, social worker/therapist, and entrepreneur. It takes discipline, organization, following through, team work, initiative, perseverance but most of all effective communication. I think learning how to communicate effectively is probably one of the most important factors of succeeding. You can know what to do and how to do it, you can even be right but if you don’t know how to communicate it to others in an assertive way without being passive, aggressive or both, it will be hard to play well with others. This is a lesson I have learned and am still learning to be better at doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wrightskungfu.com
• Instagram: @SIFU_DERRICK_wrIGHT
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SifuDerrickWright
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickwrightla
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wrightskungfu/about

Image Credits
Solomon O. Smith, Derrick A. Wright