At the 17th Golden State International Wushu Competition, five ladies from our free Tai Chi sessions proudly showed up. But the moment that truly lit up the day? Six of us, together, won first place in the Women’s Sword group event!
Yes—first place.
From free community classes to a championship title.
How far have we gone with free Tai Chi? Farther than we ever imagined.
Sometimes, when people hear “free Tai Chi,” they assume it means a teacher who doesn’t teach seriously, or students who don’t put in much effort. But I’ve been lucky. The women who come to our sessions are not just beautiful and graceful—they are brave, committed, and resilient.
They show up. They practice.
They ask questions. They help each other.
And now, they shine on the competition floor.
Let me share just a glimpse of how brightly they shined:
🌟 Linda earned Bronze in Women’s 24-style Taijiquan and 32-style Taijijian.
🌟 Karen brought home Silver in both Women’s 24-style Taijiquan and Taijijian.
🌟 Holly won Gold in Women’s 32-style Taijijian.
🌟 June earned double Golds in Women’s 32-style Taijijian and another straight sword event.
🌟 Yushen took Gold in Women’s 24-style Taijiquan.
Their achievements are no accident. They invested their time, heart, and dedication, and it showed. As for me—I had the privilege of practicing alongside them, sharing laughter, sweat, and the occasional “we’ll get it next time!” Together, we grew stronger and more inspired, every step of the way.
I don’t know how far we’ll go from here. But I know we’ve already come a long way—from a local park and library room, to the stage of an international competition.
To everyone walking this journey with me—thank you.
To the library, for giving us space to grow.
To my team, for believing in this dream:
Let’s keep walking, together.
Let’s see just how far ordinary people—like me, like us—can go.
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