Zelda Gay: Renaissance Woman & Force of NaturE
I’m an “all in” kind of gal.
For a long time I tried to define the parameters of who I am or what I do in a search for “simplifying my brand,” or making myself “digestible,” but I got sick of reducing the microcosm of my skills, interests. and idiosyncrasies.
I am, unapologetically, all that I am.
So! As briefly as possible… I am a fourth degree black belt in Traditional Full Contact Karate and a competitive Kyokushin Karate Fighter. I am a performer with fifteen years of performance experience across different media and a fight choreographer with ten years of choreographing and performance experience. I am a Karate Sensei who spent ten years training kids and adults to practice martial arts and discover for themselves the extraordinary gift that a movement practice and the life of a warrior has to provide. For many years I ran my family Karate School in New York City, Karate-Do Ken Wa Kan, where my mother, Michelle, is my Shihan (master teacher) and my partner. I am now President of the dojo, where I continue to empower an extraordinary team of martial artists and teachers from my new home in Los Angeles, (living that bicoastal life!) I am the Chief Executive Officer of Self Offense, another Mother/Daughter operation that empowers people to protect themselves and works to transform the culture around sexual assault and sexual harassment as a whole.