The word “ohana” means family in Hawaiian. For a newly formed nonprofit in Vancouver, it’s more than just a word. It’s a mission to empower women through self-defense.

Formed in August 2024, Ohana Self Defense provides free self-defense classes for women, youth and members of the LGBTQ+ community ages 14 and up across Clark County. The classes, designed specifically for survivors of violence, focus on uplifting participants by teaching them self-defense techniques that can be applied to real-world situations.

Ohana aims to fill a gap in Clark County by accommodating survivors’ needs. It is the first nonprofit in the county to offer trauma-informed and survivor-centered self-defense instruction at no cost, founder Wendy Bukoski said.

“We believe that self-defense is a human right. It’s

See Full Page