Local martial arts studio offers free karate for kids

A martial arts studio in Hialeah is making a powerful move The owner is opening his doors for free to kids whose families can t afford lessons Heather Walker shares why in this Spotlight Inside this martial arts studio in Hialeah every punch and kick comes with a purpose and now a new promise free classes for kids whose families can t afford them Damian Rodriguez We want to help people we want to help the youth grow and make a positive impact in their life Damian Rodriguez and his wife opened Millennium Martial Arts Academy more than years ago It s made a positive impact on countless kids over the years but the business was born from a tragedy that struck on his way to a karate competition Damian Rodriguez When I was I was involved in a car accident I flew out of the car I landed in the middle of Alligator Alley I perhaps shouldn t be here Why am I still here there has to be a purpose That purpose he says is helping other kids through karate Heather How does it make you feel Carlos Luna Happy Kids like Carlos Luna Heather When did you start karate Carlos Luna A long time ago For a -year-old a sparse years feels like a long time He s now a yellow belt and according to his mom a whole new person from when he started Mariela Luna It s not just that he s less shy it s that he s more confident He s more independent Carlos Luna I got more advanced in my fighting Damian says conquering fears on the mat teaches kids how to conquer challenges in the real world Damian Rodriguez The martial arts is going to teach you the discipline it s going to teach you the respect it s going to teach you the time management it s going to teach them so much and I feel like for it not to be accessible to particular kids it s not right It should be accessible to all kids Which is why he started a non-profit called Diamond to offer free karate classes once a week Damian Rodriguez Via Diamond they should be able to shine have high integrity they should have good values That s fundamental for any kid But especially for a child who is having a hard time at home Damian Rodriguez For whatever reason divorce lose a parent and can no longer afford martial arts Damian knows what loss feels like his dad died in that car accident when he was and Damian says martial arts helped him heal Damian Rodriguez There s hundreds of thousands of kids in South Florida that I think could benefit from that opportunity from having good quality martial arts and pressure in their life With a little positive pressure Damian is helping to shape the next generation of diamonds in our region Heather Walker News For more information about Millennium Martial Arts visit their website here If you or someone you know would like to apply for the Diamond plan you can sign up in person at any Millennium Martial Arts location If you know of a person place or group that you think we should highlight email us at spotlight wsvn com