This podcast is brought to you by the Empowerment Project. It’s for kids and all the trusted adults who love them and want them to stay safe, empowered and thriving. With over three decades of experience teaching self-defense to children, teens, and adults, host Silvia Smart is a sixth-degree black belt and Head Instructor at her martial arts school in Oregon. Smart was inducted into the Association of Women’s Martial Arts Instructors Hall of Fame in 2020, recognized for both her dedication and body of work. Smart shares her compassion, ferocity, and wisdom with companies like Nike, Splunk, The City of Portland, Doc Marten, the FBI, and various non-profits, organizations, private groups, schools, and universities around the country. It is Silvia’s joy to share the gifts of owned power and safety through understanding, humor, and storytelling. A mom, Smart credits her two adult children with inspiring an ever-greater awareness of kids’ real, lived experience and their incredible ability to comprehend age-appropriate messaging. She strives for impact, honesty, true empowerment, and effectiveness in her work teaching children self-defense. Listening to The Power Up Kids Self Defense Podcast, kids are engaged and empowered while the adults in their lives gain language and tools to best support them. This can be a challenging subject to walk through with our children! Smart’s hope is that by listening together, children, and the adults who care for them, keep their conversations going long after each episode’s final affirmations. Her passion for this work is evident from the very first episode. Special thanks to Henry Smart-Denson, publisher and editor.