Recently in collaborators Category

Beyond the movie reference,  No Sale is a comment to resist the corporatization of our lives and Pride. (Oh, and the irony of wanting you to buy these pieces is not lost on us).
 
Happy Pride everyone!!!

photo by Tara McMullen - www.taramcmullen.com

Yep, she's tough, but what you can't see in the photo is that Savoy is also very funny, generous and community-minded.  

She began training in 1992 and fought in the first sanctioned bout for female boxers in Toronto in 1993.  Boxing at the Toronto Newsboys Club implanted the desire in Savoy to have a Newsgirls Boxing Club for women, and a space in which to train.  The club operated out of another boxing gym (during the weekends when it was otherwise closed) for 8 years until the location shut down.  Scrappy Savoy continued to train women in parks until the current gym location on Carlaw Ave. opened in 2006.

In addition to running the facilities as well as training and fitness programs, Savoy has partnered with community organizations to create Shape Your Life, a recreational boxing program for women and trans people who are survivors of violence.  Program participants gain strength and empowerment through boxing-based training, and learn about expressing anger and healing in a safe space.


Recently, (the day after fighting in Boxing Canada's National Championships!) Savoy and fellow Newsgirls coach Scrapper flew to Jakarta, Indonesia to bring the Shape Your Life program there.  In 10 days they taught 10 women who had never boxed before to become boxing coaches.  "It was more successful than we could ever have imagined. The coaches-to-be were like sponges to our information, and all through an interpreter! The day after we left they taught their first class to 10 women and two of their funders who observed the class were so impressed that they vowed to find them more funding."  The Newsgirls have a new Indonesian sister gym, Kartini Sejati, where the waiting list of potential fighters continues to grow, and 2 of the coaches will travel to Toronto this June to continue their boxing studies.

This Sunday April 25 will see the Newsgirls' gym filled 300+ supporters and friends for Fight Factory X, the tenth-ever all-female boxing card in Toronto.  We'll be there!  For the past 6 Fight Factory events, BBJ has been supplying custom buckles that are given to each fighter.  Savoy tells us they are coveted by the boxers (and by a thief who stole one - booo!).  This time around, they're royal purple:
Not only are we proud to contribute to the club's events with "trophy buckles" but we're especially thrilled to help these strong women make some history.  For the first time, women's boxing will part of the 2012 Summer Olympics, and BBJ's special edition "2012 or bust" buckle is available from Savoy to raise funds to get some Newsgirls in the ring.  We'll be cheering so loud, they'll hear us in London!