The University Board, the Women’s Resource Center and the Panhellenic Council are hosting a self-defense lecture and demonstration at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The speaker will be Eastern alumna Erin Weed who has trained with many well-known professional self-defense instructors in the country.

Weed formed the organization called Girls Fight Back! The organization is designed to provide knowledge to the average girl or woman who wants to feel safe and be able to protect herself from an attacker or any other event that could pose a threat.

“I founded the program after Shannon McNamara was murdered and that was my initial motivation,” Weed said.

Weed will be doing a 90-minute seminar to teach the basics of self-defense and hope to encourage people to keep learning more.

Her training includes car jacking situations, multiple assailant attacks, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga, knife and firearm training and criminal psychology. Weed also is certified by the American Women’s Self Defense Association and is a certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is also a trained Confined Area Survival Tactics instructor through the Modern Warrior Academy.

“I am constantly training with people who are very knowledgeable,” Weed said. “I train with the New York Police Department.”

Weed speaks to colleges, high schools, churches, women’s groups and other groups all over the country about protecting themselves.

“Last year I did 65 programs for Girls Fight Back,” Weed said.

Since graduating from Eastern, Weed found herself in the area of New York City trying to pursue the dream of a job in the entertainment business. She has since turned her focus to Girls Fight Back! and her writing on similar topics.

For more information,visit www.girlsfightback.com.