Book rec: “Get Empowered: A Practical Guide to Thrive, Heal, and Embrace Your Confidence in a Sexist World”

Creating safe drinking spaces and growing the collective awareness of gender-based inequities within beverage alcohol workplaces is a never-ending quest. Our friends at Defend Yourself, an organization that empowers people — especially those targeted for gender-based violence — have published a book this week to further their work: “Get Empowered: A Practical Guide to Thrive, Heal, and Embrace Your Confidence in a Sexist World.”

Co-authors Lauren R. Taylor and Nadia Telsey say that “Get Empowered” is based on decades of empowerment self-defense education.

“This is my first book, and it’s the culmination of years of work and decades of learning,” Taylor says. She has been working to end gender-based violence since 1978, when she co-founded Washington, D.C.’s first shelter for abused women.

She also co-founded and directed Safe Bars, which teaches active bystander skills to staff of bars, restaurants, breweries, and clubs, working to create safe and respectful hospitality spaces. Don’t forget to sign up your brewery for the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative.

“Get Empowered” has something for everyone, according to Taylor:

• If you’ve taken a class with us, the book will help you go deeper. It has more than 100 exercises!
• If you’ve always wanted to take a self-defense class but it just hasn’t happened, you’ll be able to gain skills and transform your perspective with “Get Empowered.”
• If you want to be more confident or assertive, take up more space in your life and the world, this is the book for you.
• If you live with self-blame over the way you’ve handled harassment, abuse, or assault, “Get Empowered” will help you heal.
• If you’re interested in ending gender-based violence or committed to being an ally, this book will give you the tools you need!

You can learn more about “Get Empowered” – and order it – here.