“. . .one of the best teachers and writers I've seen in my 25 years at the college. Emily's the type of person who is going to contribute constantly to society, I mean, she'll never stop. She's just amazing."

Kate Crowe, Professor and Teaching Internship Sponsor at The Evergreen State College in The Olympian

"Emily Stern is sweet, strong, powerful, and keenly intelligent. Her self-defense class allows you to express yourself in a comfortable setting while learning from her expertise and the others in the class. Emily gently challenges you to confront your fears and shows you ways of taking up space and protecting yourself that fit your personality and abilities. She doesn't claim to have all of the answers and she honors everyone's knowledge and experiences. This gets the class closer to having all of the answers and you leave feeling supported and empowered."

Aliza Shapiro, Truth Serum Productions Boston

Emily Stern is an intuitive genius of cooking, creating, and making space for sweetness and truth. She's a writer, and visionary who dedicates her whole heart to her work, inspiring growth and change through loving reflection. Emily's insights are hard-won and her passion is to be believed - so pay attention, and pay her well. We're lucky to have her

- Nomy Lamm, Writer, Performer, Artist, and Lecturer

Emily's commitment to her work and what it stands for has come through loud and clear in every instance I've seen her in action. As a fellow volunteer with her at the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls held every summer in Portland, Oregon, I've watched as Emily has reached out to young girls and given them tools of empowerment to be proud of who they are and to stand up against oppression in their daily lives, as well as the basic skills to defend themselves against an attacker or unwanted advance. Emily treated the girls (ages 8 to 18) with respect, encouraging discussion about themselves, the world, and why self-defense matters in the girls' own lives and in the lives of their friends and family. By the end of sessions I've seen many girls take brave steps, both emotionally and physically, and I can confidently say that Emily's approach was largely responsible.

- Lex, Rock and Roll Camp For Girls

Emily's presentations are interactive, informative and compelling. By sharing her personal journey in a heartfelt way, she is able to connect with a diverse audience and provides an opportunity for listeners to reflect on their own thoughts, beliefs, and choices.

Jill Rose Director of Development and Marketing at Harmony Hill of Union. www.harmonyhill.org

"My favorite thing so far has been when Emily came to talk to us. I think she helped me to remember that it is not my weight that is important but rather, whether or not I am comfortable in my own skin. It is an easy thing to forget, and after listening to her experience, I have realized that life will remain difficult on either side of the scale so I have to be happy with me."

-Marci, Workshop Participant

"Emily reaches into the depths of her own soul and the souls of others with compassion, discernment, and love."

Emily is a woman of many talents--music, visual arts, body movement, kitchen savvy, teaching--and much more. She brings these skills, along with compassion, discernment, and an open heart, to all of her endeavors. Her ultimate goal seems to be to understand the human condition--and to share that understanding with others.”

Dr. Lynn Reer Ph.D.

"Emily's talk really gave me a lot to think about. I really admired her and everything that she has been and is still going through. When you think that your life is or was bad, there is always someone that has been through the worst. When you look at the positive things that they have achieved, it makes you want to succeed also."

-Ameenah, Workshop Participant

Never have I known anyone who brings as much heart to all endeavors as Emily. She has an amazingly gentle, yet firm way of encouraging people-- challenging them to be the best they can be. She gracefully, and seemingly effortlessly, crafts her language to support and love the people she works with and serves, which was an incredible blessing to have at the lgbtq youth center where we both worked. Emily has the foresight and tenacity to get things done that need to get done, while reminding us that underneath it all, we really are just human…

Kristin Funk Executive Director East Michigan Environmental Action Council

"Emily is extremely organized, and professional when it comes to putting on events. She also knows how to creatively utilize all of the resources available to her, however few there are!"

-Jenna, Artist, Writer and Outreach Team Member Olympia WA.

“. . .I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your willingness to discuss your story with our class, so as to give us the opportunity to open our eyes to another aspect of reality that others (such as yourself) experience each and every day. In fact, I know I could relate to various aspects of your discussion, especially as it related to your body and distinguishing between the dissociating and then associating process and what all that entails. In all honesty, I feel as though I am just now realizing how often I dissociate with my body as I encounter stressful situations and the overall impact this is having on my day-to-day life. . . You have the instant ability to try and relate to your audience and I was captivated just listening to you share your story with complete and utter honesty. You are a great person and I hope you experience continued success, especially in the arena of educating others, which you obviously have a natural talent for!”

-Amber, Workshop Participant

Emily Stern is one of the most can-do people I've ever met. She knows how to translate big ideas into reality - pronto!

Vittrice Abel, Filmmaker

"I am a martial arts instructor and have been studying for about nine years now. I always wanted to take my training one step further and teach self defense also. You two inspired me to continue my dream and possibly set up a rape/crime prevention center."

-Audience member of The Bombshell Show

"Thanks for the lube and the hope,"

-Anonomous youth at Stonewall Youth Community Art Show