NEW!!! Mount Laurel Martial Arts TV Channel

Available on new website at http://mountlaurelkarate.ning.com/

Alabama Youth Build Project - Interviews with youth and counselor

This is a 4 min video that contains an interview with Youth and Volunteers at Youth Build / HERO.  I want to thank Coach Tom Callos, who was instrumental in guiding me and UBBT members to step out of the dojo and get to work in the world.  I also would like to thank Pam Dorr, who is the executive director of HERO Housing, for being such a great mentor and host.

It is DONE...the fundraiser total!

WoW! This sure has been one exciting project! Mr. Laramie and I just returned from Alabama (Sunday) and have so many stories, experiences, photos and videos to share. 

Here's a quick recap on our trip.

I arrived in in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday and Mr. Laramie arrived on Thursday.  Once we arrived, we traveled by car to Greensboro and connected with everyone else at the Hero Housing location (an unused restaurant).  Wednesday night we met others and learned about what we were to do for the next few days. Thursday morning (7am) we began with coach Tom Callos leading us in a warm up, meditation and some martial arts training. We then headed over to the construction site by 8:30am to begin our construction phase, which we continued through to Saturday.  In the between hours of the day, we were in contact with dozens of other martial artists and Hero housing co-operators.  We were given the opportunity to learn about the community and even do interviews.

Please, look forward to footage and photos of our 'hands on' project over the next several weeks.

I've said it to many people in person, I've said it on Facebook, on this blog as well as many of my other blogs, but I don't think I'll truly be able to fully thank everyone who have been so wonderful and supportive in this fundraiser.  Thank you so much!  Although I am surprised with how well we did,  I'm not surprised that we met our goal...after all, I simply followed the Black Belt Success formula (See, it really DOES work!)

1) Know what you want
2) Have a plan
3) Have a successful coach
4) Take Consistent Action
5) Review your Progress
6) Renew your Goal

Initially, we launched our fundraiser on January 1st, 2011 with a goal to raise $2,000.  I thought it was ambitious and would certainly give us a run for our money.  Well, my friends, I am proud to tell you that on the eve of our Alabama departure our total contributions raised for HERO Housing is $2,230!

So it seems, 'I can always do better than I think I can,' isn't only applicable to white belts...

Respectfully,
Peter Liciaga

Master Liciaga creates website for Black History Museum

Last week while doing a communtiy house/school building project in Greensboro, Alabama with the HERO organization, I got the opportunity to meet and interview Mrs. Theresa Burroughs. Mrs. Burroughs is a civil rights foot soldier that worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the founder of the Safehouse Black History Museum in Greensboro.

After the interview, Mrs. Burroughs asked me (me and the UBBT / team 8) to not forget her and the work to build the black history museum.

Will I not only share the story of Mrs. Burroughs and the Black History Museum, but we have plans to incorporate a lesson plan to teach young people (and old) about civil rights.

Please visit our site at http://flavors.me/safehousemuseum

Master martial arts teacher creates video for Safe House Black History Museum

Education activist and UBBT member, Peter Liciaga ( http://www.peterliciaga.org ) interviews the Rural Studio builders that are renovating the Safe House Black History Museum in Greensboro, Alabama. Mr. Liciaga was down in Greensboro with over 60 master martial artist and their students to help build a school in partnership with Pam Dorr and the H.E.R.O. organization.

Alabama House Building Project - Master Liciaga interviews Ms. Geogia

Alabama Building Project - Day Two

My first day in Alabama - Building Project

Here is a quick video of where we will be living for the next couple of days while we work on building a school in Greensboro, Alabama for the ultimate black belt test.

Moorestown Photographer Martial Artist heads to Alabama

Visit Mr. Laramie's website HERE

Robert Laramie, Moorestown resident, professional photographer and a black belt at Dinoto Karate Center, is heading down to Greensboro, Alabama this week to join Master Peter Liciaga as part of a team of master instructors and their students as they build a home for a senior citizen and help renovate a school. Mr. Laramie will not only help with the building, but will take his camera and document the whole experience. Look for a special edition book that will feature a collection of photographs from this incredible work.

Visit his blog to see some of his work: http://www.rjlphoto.com/RJLPhoto/Blog/Blog.html

Thank you Mr. Laramie for ALL your help, encouragement, support, and advice.