WORLD CHAMPION, TRAILBLAZER + THOUGHT LEADER

I began training in martial arts at the age of 42 (I am currently 60). My interest in martial arts started at the age of 13 when an after-school martial arts class was offered at my Jr. High School. Unfortunately, my father wouldn’t consent because he said: “girls did not participate in combative sports.” This was very hard for me to accept, but I still had my love for Bruce Lee and martial arts films. It wasn’t until I was 41 that I was posed with the question by my friend and mentor, Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones, “What is stopping you from achieving this dream now?” So, with the realization of having nothing to stop me, I enrolled in Karate class at Apollo’s Martial Arts right after my 42nd birthday. 

Accomplishments:

First Female BJJ Blackbelt in the State of Oklahoma; First African American Female BJJ Black Belt under Carlos Machado Affiliation; Tulsa, Oklahoma Impact Woman of Color of the Year; 2x World Champion; BJJ Master Ranked #3 Internationally for BJJ; Female Black Belt Master 6; 2017 Inductee into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame; 2021 AAMA Inductee; 2021 Inductee into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame; 2021 Sport Karate Museum Honoree; 2021 Black Belt Co-Instructor; Girls in Gis 22 State Championships; Multiple National Championships; 
40 + Karate Grand Championships; Lifetime Achievement Award by the Whirlwind Classic Tournament

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Affiliations:

Elite Publications│American Martial Arts Alliance │Girls In Gis │StretchLab South Tulsa │OsteoStrong │The Athletes Sportsbag │Grappling Getaways │Bombsai Handmade Soaps