Empowerment Summer Camp for Girls
Dockweiler Beach and Burton Chase Park, 12000 Vista Del Mar, Playa del Rey, CA 90292
About
Empowerment Summer Camp for Girls includes SHIELD Self Defense Classes with specific techniques such as palm strikes, elbow strikes, knee strikes, kicking, blocking, takedowns, and grappling, along with training on how to get away from a hair pull, grab from behind, chokehold, and wrist grabs. Campers take part in activities such as yoga, meditation, dance, outdoor sports, core workouts, beach days and color runs, boat rides and water therapy in the marina, and more fun and game activities. The camp also includes empowerment talks, self awareness and building confidence workshops, and daily discussions about one extraordinary woman from the past or present and her leadership and achievements.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, with weekly options from June 15 to August 7, 2026 (8 weeks total)
Since 2003, SHIELD Women's Self Defense System® has been providing self defense classes for women and girls, focusing on fighting back a much stronger opponent in close-range situations, and Empowerment Summer Camp for Girls is part of this program. The camp’s weekly lessons focus on topics such as acceptance, fear, responsibility, perseverance, confidence, focus and self control, anti bullying, and vision and purpose. Nelson Nio, founder of SHIELD, has been trained in various martial arts and self defense training since childhood.
The mission of SHIELD Women's Self Defense System® is to empower women and girls, eradicate sexual assault, and even up the playing field through its self-defense training system. SHIELD Women's Self Defense has been featured on BBC World News, Good Morning America, BuzzFeed, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, Hallmark Channel, KCAL9, France24, MegaTV, Univision, Telemundo, and E! Entertainment, and has received recognition such as “Best of LA People” 2011 by LA Weekly, an award from the Consulate General of Mexico, an honor from Amanecer Community Counseling, and a “Civic Pride” mention by Glendale News Press.
SHIELD Women's Self Defense was hired to teach self defense classes for women and girls in the Same District in Tanzania, Africa, and its program is part of the curriculum for 19 schools there. Nelson has also served on the Board of Directors for YWCA Glendale, on the Executive Committee for the National Organization for Women (NOW), Hollywood, and on the Board for Culver City Education Foundations.
Parents and participants have shared feedback such as a parent noting that her daughter is no longer being bullied and uses skills she learned at SHIELD, another parent describing the topics and skills as crucial for middle school and beyond, and another parent expressing gratitude that her daughter has the confidence to move freely in the world with the power and permission to defend herself. An adult participant described SHIELD training as including drills that simulated attacks such as throat grabs, hair pulls, sneak attacks from behind, and being lifted off the ground, and reported that the course helped her body adapt to aggressive physical contact and respond instinctively in order to defend and free herself.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, with weekly options from June 15 to August 7, 2026 (8 weeks total)
Since 2003, SHIELD Women's Self Defense System® has been providing self defense classes for women and girls, focusing on fighting back a much stronger opponent in close-range situations, and Empowerment Summer Camp for Girls is part of this program. The camp’s weekly lessons focus on topics such as acceptance, fear, responsibility, perseverance, confidence, focus and self control, anti bullying, and vision and purpose. Nelson Nio, founder of SHIELD, has been trained in various martial arts and self defense training since childhood.
The mission of SHIELD Women's Self Defense System® is to empower women and girls, eradicate sexual assault, and even up the playing field through its self-defense training system. SHIELD Women's Self Defense has been featured on BBC World News, Good Morning America, BuzzFeed, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, Hallmark Channel, KCAL9, France24, MegaTV, Univision, Telemundo, and E! Entertainment, and has received recognition such as “Best of LA People” 2011 by LA Weekly, an award from the Consulate General of Mexico, an honor from Amanecer Community Counseling, and a “Civic Pride” mention by Glendale News Press.
SHIELD Women's Self Defense was hired to teach self defense classes for women and girls in the Same District in Tanzania, Africa, and its program is part of the curriculum for 19 schools there. Nelson has also served on the Board of Directors for YWCA Glendale, on the Executive Committee for the National Organization for Women (NOW), Hollywood, and on the Board for Culver City Education Foundations.
Parents and participants have shared feedback such as a parent noting that her daughter is no longer being bullied and uses skills she learned at SHIELD, another parent describing the topics and skills as crucial for middle school and beyond, and another parent expressing gratitude that her daughter has the confidence to move freely in the world with the power and permission to defend herself. An adult participant described SHIELD training as including drills that simulated attacks such as throat grabs, hair pulls, sneak attacks from behind, and being lifted off the ground, and reported that the course helped her body adapt to aggressive physical contact and respond instinctively in order to defend and free herself.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
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