Michelle Johnson Blimes

Michelle Johnson Blimes is an Empowerment Self Defense instructor based in Hawaii. She founded Be
Empowered as a violence prevention program to increase awareness of gender-based violence and
create community action for social change. She is also a university instructor, teaching courses in
intercultural communication and personal and public speech. Michelle is passionate about women’s
issues and fighting discrimination in all forms. She holds a master’s degree in communication and
conflict resolution and a certificate in intercultural peacebuilding. She is a level 2 Empowerment Self
Defense instructor through ESD Global.