Breaking News: Brandi Carlile and the Indigo Girls will be teaming up with Seattle's Century Ballroom to offer one year of free self-defense classes for women living in underserved and at-risk populations.

This information is being reported to you through my connection with Brandi's official publicist and a press release has just been sent to media outlets.  You are reading it here first!  The Official Press Release is posted below in its entirety.  Interviews with Amy Ray and Brandi Carlile are tentatively scheduled for next week.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 29, 2010 – Fight the Fear Campaign, a newly-formed, community oriented violence prevention initiative based in Seattle, Washington, today announced that it will host a kickoff celebration on January 10, 2010 in Capitol Hill’s Century Ballroom. The mission of the campaign is to provide free self defense training and violence prevention education for women in underserved and at-risk populations. The genesis of this project was the July 2009 tragedy in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood when two women were assaulted in their home, and one was murdered.

Seattle-based musician Brandi Carlile is a driving force behind the project. “The South Park incident hit the women’s community especially hard,” says Carlile. “I wanted to be a part of something that would have an empowering effect on women. For me, self defense is about knowing that you're worth fighting for. Through this project, we want to help build confidence and feelings of self worth where it is needed, particularly in at-risk communities.” Carlile’s Looking Out Foundation is a primary source of funding for Fight the Fear Campaign. Carlile, and the Indigo Girls, also supporters of the project, have recorded a song together to be released in January. All proceeds will be directed to the Fight the Fear Campaign.

The survivor of the attack is the project’s guiding light. She says, “As someone who lives in fear on a daily basis, this campaign gives me an opportunity to take back my sense of safety. It holds the potential to change lives and bring confidence to communities. One life saved or even one community lifted makes it all worth it.”

The event will commence with a two-hour self defense workshop for 100 participants affiliated with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning organizations in Seattle. The workshop will be followed by a two-hour celebration, with appearances by Brandi Carlile, and Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, to officially launch the campaign.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to provide free, customized self defense workshops to underserved populations by linking up with the organizations that are already serving them,” says the campaign’s Executive Director Melinda Johnson, Head Instructor of Seattle Kajukenbo, a Seattle-based martial arts school. “And, with the resurfacing awareness of the need for self defense training, we are happy to connect the general population with services that already exist in our area. All people have the right and the ability to defend themselves and we are honored to further that reality.”

The 2010 campaign will provide 40 classes at Seattle-area women’s shelters, senior centers, community centers, homeless centers, and other gathering places. It will also provide four workshops open to all women; space will be limited. For more information please visit www.fightthefearcampaign.org .

About Fight the Fear Campaign
Fight the Fear Campaign provides free self defense training and violence prevention education to women in underserved and at-risk populations. The campaign is led by an affiliation of highly experienced women martial artists and self defense trainers, and is funded and supported by Brandi Carlile’s Looking Out Foundation, the Indigo Girls, and the Seattle Police Foundation. Community outreach is conducted in partnership with the Seattle Police Department. Seattle Neighborhood Group is the fiscal agent. Classes are taught by trained instructors from Seattle Kajukenbo and Seven Star Women’s Kung Fu. To learn more, visit www.fightthefearcampaign.org .