Everyday Self-Defense: Building Confidence Through Boundaries & De-escalation
2026-08-13 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Third Ward Jiu-Jitsu, 2016 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX, 77003, United States
In this self-defense session, the instructor, Sarah Degar, Jiu Jitsu black belt, and architect at GSMA, will share her unique approach to personal safety, focusing on two key objectives: setting boundaries and de-escalating potential uncomfortable situations. After demonstrating key techniques, attendees will partner up to practice, with the instructor offering guidance to each group.
The first part of the session will teach participants how to navigate unwanted physical contact in everyday situations, particularly with people they know. In professional and social contexts, it can be challenging to assert boundaries—especially for many women who already worry about being perceived as “unreasonable.” The instructor will address simple strategies to divert this contact to maintain comfort and autonomy. For example, a colleague approaches for a hug or puts an arm around the waist to pose for a photo. Attendees will be empowered to practice subtle yet effective ways to establish personal space without confrontation.
The second part of the session will address more serious scenarios, where the potential for physical harm exists. Whether the concern comes from someone familiar or not, de-escalation is crucial. Participants will learn techniques to create and maintain a safe distance, keep a steady stance to avoid being easily pushed or pulled, and how to break free from various types of holds. The session will wrap up with interactive games designed to reinforce the skills learned, making it fun and memorable while encouraging participants to continue practicing on their own.

Concrete Cosmos: Composing Skate Architecture
2026-08-19 12:00 - 13:00 | TX
In Concrete Cosmos: Composing Skate Architecture, Shane Yee presents skate architecture qua architecture, framing the skatepark as a paradigmatic yet unacknowledged achievement of the contemporary moment, characterized by adaptive reuse, the blurring of public and private space, an emphasis on lifestyle recreation, and the ascent of subcultural practices into mainstream culture. Skate spaces manifest in fluid, naturalistic configurations, converging with land art and anticipating parametric/ digital aesthetics; yet despite this sophistication, the language and principles of the discipline remain largely unarticulated.
Drawing on a half-century history of skatepark design (1976-2026) and his own work at Skate Ecosystems, Yee offers a chronological series of architectural close readings, examining design intentions, ordering logics, and formal arrangements. The lecture establishes skate architecture as an emergent field with significant cultural, spatial, and spiritual implications, capable of producing elevated human experiences.

About Shane Yee
Shane Yee earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego, California. Mr. Yee has a broad range of experiences and capabilities in all phases of project planning, design and construction- from acquisition through operations and maintenance. He has designed award-winning projects including residential, multifamily, civic, religious, master planning, and of course, skate spaces. As an officer in the United States Navy Civil Engineer Corps, Mr. Yee expertly designed & managed DOD projects with a total value of 100+ million to include Design-Build, DBB, and MILCON construction. Mr. Yee is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Society of American Military Engineers, and US Green Building Council.

This program is in conjunction with Kinetics of Urban Movement, on view at the Architecture Center Houston from June 18-September 26.
Exhibition Sponsors and Community Partners
Kinetics of Urban Movement is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance

Cherries Wheels
Honey Skate Club
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Houston Skate Academy
Select
Skate ECOSYSTEMS
Southside Skatepark

The Architectural History of Houston Street Skating
2026-09-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Tranquility Park, 400 Rusk, Houston, Texas, 77002
Join lifelong skateboarder and architectural historian Ted Barrow on a walking tour of the highlights of Houston’s Modernist and Late-Modernist architecture through a skateboarder’s perspective. The tour will cover key plazas and buildings which became local, state-wide, and eventually global skateboarding destinations from the late 1980’s to today.

About Ted Barrow
Theodore (Ted) Barrow is an art historian, writer, curator, and lecturer whose work bridges academic scholarship and contemporary currents. Born in Bolinas, California, he holds a Ph.D. in art history from the Graduate Center, CUNY, where he explored the Florida paintings of Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent through an ecocritical lens. Barrow has taught at Barnard College, Baruch College, City College of New York, and the University of San Francisco. Outside of art and academia, he is a distinctive voice in skateboarding culture, known for This Old Ledge, a video series that investigates the cultural and architectural significance of global skate spots.”

This program is in conjunction with The Kinetics of Urban Movement, on view at the Architecture Center Houston from June 18-September 26.

Exhibition Sponsors and Community Partners
Kinetics of Urban Movement is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance

Cherries Wheels
Honey Skate Club
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Houston Skate Academy
Select
Skate ECOSYSTEMS
Southside Skatepark
