“As a young girl, I was exploited and victimized. When I was 19 years old, I was pushed out of a Bronco by my boyfriend and landed on the curb of a kickboxing studio. I went in and took a class and it changed my life. Once I began kickboxing daily, my self-esteem soared and I began to heal from the trauma I’d been through. The two sisters who owned the studio I trained at encouraged and supported me, and it was the first time I’d felt really seen in my whole life.
After boxing and kickboxing internationally for many years, I created the I Am Initiative with the purpose of helping girls and young women avoid becoming victims like I was growing up. I realized I owed so much to the amazing female mentors I had in my life, and I wanted to offer the same experience to others.
My confidence-building curriculum and empowerment products teach young women about self-love and self-protection, as well as how to trust their gut and create positive change in the world. I provide young women with the tools they need to be strong—in middle school, in high school, in college, and beyond—so that they can confidently overcome the obstacles they encounter in their lives.”
Lisa Van Ahn
