Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tasha Church. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Tasha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
Three years into teaching martial arts, I happen to be enjoying an evening out salsa dancing. I loved to dance and had come to that ballroom for over a year. That night, I was roofied, taken, and had to fight for my life. I remember driving home at 3 am realizing my saving grace wasn’t one of the moves I taught. I instead used a haymaker and hit the guy in the face with a pair of keys. It was a defining moment, realizing that the majority of what I was teaching wouldn’t work while wearing three inch heels and a dress. So, I designed my own curriculum based on practical moves for women and girls. I based it off of several factors and went through over 800 self-defense moves.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Aloha from Maui! My name is Tasha Ina Church. I am a mixed-race Native American, Ukrainian, Scottish, Welsh, and Asian American (yes, a Heinz 57). I love all parts of me, my culture, heritage, and family norms. I am a daughter, a sister, a partner, a dreamer, an entrepreneur, and more. On a personal note: I am a born and raised Washingtonian who made the leap for love to move to Maui. We moved here in January 2015 and just celebrated our ninth anniversary. I am a bookworm, an adventurer, and an outdoor enthusiast who loves the sun, the mountains, the jungle, and the sea.
About my passion & heart work
Since 2011, I have embarked on the life of an entrepreneur, publishing my first multicultural children’s book, We Are One at the Falling of the Sun. In 2012, I started my first empowerment business – an in-school and after-school empowerment program for middle and high school girls focused on boosting confidence in body image, self-esteem, and self-defense. With over 20 years of experience in martial arts and self-defense, I am the proud owner of an empowerment company called ElleLiveAction. It is focused on offering empowering strategies for emerging women leaders so that they can be their own heroes.
What does this look like?
I am teaching Empowerment Self-Defense through online courses and trainings, in-person private and group workshops, and one-on-one empowerment coaching.
How did I get into my industry?
When I was 15 years old, I met my first stalker. He was former special forces in the military, 6 foot 2 inches, and over 230 pounds. At 18, I confronted him, drawing a line in the sand, setting boundaries never to come near or talk to me again. I thought that if he had swung at me, I would have been a goner. So, I joined a martial arts school looking for skills to empower myself and feel safer. I studied 7 styles of Japanese Martial Arts (Aikido, Jujitsu, Ninjutsu, Shotokan, Bojutsu, Kobudo, Iaido). Unfortunately, it was a male-dominated school, and the toxicity was palpable. I experienced harassment and worse, but I stayed because I loved the arts. I knew, somehow, I was meant to learn those skills.
Three years into my teaching career, I was out salsa dancing. That night I was roofied, taken, and had to fight for my life. The culprit was someone I had known for over a year, and I got away without using what I learned at my martial arts school. That was a turning point in my life. I knew women needed training like what I could offer. So I went through over 800 self-defense moves with my self-defense partner Lee Vilaysane to come up with the few that would work while wearing three-inch heels and a dress. I wanted women and girls to know that they could defend themselves no matter what they wore.
After leaving the school, I studied Tai Chi; I also had training in three styles of Self-Defense (Warrior Spirit Training, IMPACT Personal Safety, and ESD Global’s Empowerment Self-Defense). I added what I learned to my clinical psychology background, trauma-informed training, and psychological first aid. Adding it all together, I developed my own Empowerment Self-Defense training. Clients learn boundary setting, de-escalation, self-care, safety planning, awarenesses (social/personal/environmental), trauma-informed techniques, and practical self-defense moves for everyday living. People think of self-defense, and they think of a physical fight. I want them to know that in any fight (mental, emotional, or physical), they are worth fighting for. My trainings are game-based, scenario-based, and self-defense moves.
What type of products/services/creative works do you provide?
In 2018, I had a student walk through my door. She got a private lesson, and she shared that 20 years before, she had been assaulted at knifepoint in a dorm room. So, we took the time to go into what she could do in the future with new skills, strategies, and choices. She looked at me and said, “Everyone needs this!” Then she gave me advice on creating an online self-defense course. I was excited to have an influencer in online courses share her expertise. However, I launched my course, and few bought it.
Honestly, most in my industry thought I was nuts to do an online course vs. in-person training. But, I wanted to create something that could reach people around the world, something women who had experienced domestic violence could watch that may help them. When the pandemic hit, our domestic violence rates increased 46% here in Hawaii. As a domestic violence survivor, I felt compelled to do something. So, I gave away 46 courses to those who needed them. But I kept thinking, how can I reach people if I can’t go out during the pandemic? So, I pitched an online pilot program to the Kamehameha Private School, and they wanted it. That was a start! Then I partnered with a company called The Transformation Academy and still produce courses through them. I have six through them total and eight courses in total.
What am I most proud of?
So many things! However, here are a few. My (Accredited) Empowerment Self-Defense Life Coaching Certification and my Empowerment Self-Defense for Personal Empowerment launched in April 2022. Those courses reached a total of 42 countries. In August 2022, my new Life Coach Certification for Self-Care and Boundary Setting reached 90 countries and over 2000 students. I’m so happy I can support people around the globe in their empowerment and self-defense journey! I grew up on 6 acres and a farm with two teachers for parents. I never dreamt of doing something like this. Still, as a survivor of stalking, domestic violence, harassment, and assault, I wanted others to know there is someone out there that has experienced much and is still living, thriving, loving life. I want those who have experienced these types of challenges to dream still and to dream big. I don’t want them to feel like they have to just survive. I want them to thrive.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
People often wonder would I go back and choose the same profession. I originally wanted to be an author. However, life had other plans. I wouldn’t wish upon anyone what had happened which led me to this profession. I am grateful I do the work I do and I do love it. I hope that answers it.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I moved to Maui, I had many martial artists see that I taught self-defense and didn’t grasp the difference between what I do and what they do. They didn’t see how my teaching could benefit their school or dojo. I had a boxer want to partner, and when we ended the conversation, he said, “You’re too cute to teach violence.” To which I responded that I taught violence prevention. I even had threats. A martial arts instructor in Oahu said he would fly over to Maui to see who would win in a fight. I responded, “So, you say you teach self-defense, and you are talking about coming over to this island to beat someone up? Isn’t that counterintuitive?” My partner asked me to quit. He didn’t want anything to happen to me. Was I scared? Yes. Honestly, there were times I would look around to see if anyone unfriendly was nearby. My response to my partner is, “It looks like I just need to add on more training.” So, I applied to train in Empowerment Self-Defense through ESD Global. Based on my background and experience, they flew me to New York, and I took part in their 40-hour training, along with a 16-hour IMPACT Personal Safety Training. It was intense and amazing! I loved seeing women from around the world who were doing work like me. That was their level 1 training. Since then, I have reached level 3 and am applying to level 4, their expert level. It is exciting and worth the ride that got me there.
So, if you are ever fearful of anything, explore it. Look at it as a lesson, a learning process. Get curious.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ElleLiveAction.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/ElleLiveAction
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ElleLiveAction
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashainachurch/
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ElleLiveAction
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1SPXO04UfIYiUXvyZBHh1A
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/elleliveaction-lahaina-2?osq=self-defense
- Other: Here are the links to my most recent courses: Empowerment Self-Defense Life Coaching Certification: https://store.transformationacademy.com/products/empowerment-self-defense-life-coach-certification?sca_ref=1843696.rwgWnFfjIf Self-Care Life Coaching Certification: https://store.transformationacademy.com/products/self-care-life-coach-certification?sca_ref=1843696.rwgWnFfjIf Empowerment Coaching Certification: https://courses.transformationacademy.com/courses/empowerment-life-coach-certification Living in Action Blog: https://elleliveaction.com/living-in-action-blog
Image Credits
Maui Marathon for the images of me in blue. Stephen Flynn Photography for the profile image and me holding up my hands in the teal outfit.