When our dojo's Board of Directors and instructors gathered input from members and developed our Mission, Vision and Values, we recognized that to us, Aikido is more than the physical practice of a martial art. Its philosophy of approaching conflict with mindfulness, seeking safety for ourselves while also extending care for the aggressor, can be used to engage conflicts off the mat.

We want to make sure that the experience students have in our dojo community lives up to the standards of a just and peaceful society. This is a work in progress as we strive to be a more equitable, anti-racist, gender affirming, accessible dojo. Here is a look at what we have come up with to date.

Our Mission: Two Rivers Aikikai helps individuals on their path of well-being of mind, body and spirit through the practice of the Japanese martial arts of Aikido, Iaido and Karatedo to peacefully engage conflict.

Our Vision: Justice, equity and non-violence - on and off the mat.

Our Values:

• Continuity: We honor the legacy of our teachers and our teachers' teachers by studying martial arts and their evolution.
• Commitment: We teach, practice, and persevere, undeterred by internal and external barriers.
• Curiosity: We seek self-awareness, awareness of others, and new frames of reference.
• Courage: We embrace risks and uncertainty, even when faced with challenges to our own perspectives.
• Caring: We display kindness and concern for others and ourselves as we fall and get up to try again.
• Community: Together, we learn from, give voice to, and support each other, all while having fun.

Some of the ways we put our principles of justice, equity, and non-violence into action:

• Our payment structure invites each student to choose the rate they are able to pay.
• Our changing rooms are gender inclusive, including an all-gender restroom and a message that each person has the right to choose which changing room they will use.
• Our students, instructors and board members reflect a range of gender identities.
• We include at least two kyu-ranked students (white belts) on our board of directors.
• We insist that students and instructors use each other’s correct names and pronouns.
• When we misgender someone, say something racist, or notice another kind of harm or “ism,” we interrupt each other on or off the mat - up to and including head instructors.
• We have redistributed some of our funds to Black and Beyond the Binary Coalition, an organization chosen based on our equity values with input from our members.
• All instructors and board members have participated in at least one anti-racism training, and most joined a longer series we offered for all members that focused on interrupting racism on and off the mat.
• We keep a lending library of books on antiracism for members to borrow. We usually purchase books from Third Eye Books, a Black-owned bookstore in Portland.
• We work with instructors to actively support consent and boundaries on the mat, and we message these themes clearly in both regular classes and the beginner series.
• Instructors teach for a variety of body sizes, learning styles, and abilities.

Two Rivers in an independent Dojo

We made the choice in 2021 to leave the United States Aikido Federation and become an independent dojo. However, we remain connected to the Aikido community. We recognize ranks for transfer students; we allow students to maintain an individual membership to another dojo or federation if that is important to them; we help organize a regional Friendship Seminar each year; and we encourage students to attend seminars.

Our Facilities

Two Rivers Aikikai occupies a former futon factory on Southeast Belmont Street. It took several months of hard work to clean and renovate the space. Our Tokonoma and 1500 square foot mat were built by our students.

Everyone can access a dressing room with a shower. We have an accessible all-gender restroom with a shower. There are also women’s and men’s dressing rooms, and Two Rivers Aikikai acknowledges each person's right to choose which dressing room they will use.

We are very proud of our dojo and invite you to stop by to observe class. Our address is 2950 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97214

Two Rivers Aikikai's Board of Directors

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is run completely by volunteers. It’s important to us that the dojo is led not only by instructors but also kyu-ranked (white belt) students.

• Shaunna O'Brien (she, her), yonkyu (white belt) in Aikido, President
• Michael Boeder (he, him), sandan in Aikido and sandan in Iaido, Vice President
• Lisa Baubock (they, them), shodan in Aikido, Secretary
• Jules Partain (they, them), nikyu (white belt) in Aikido, Treasurer
• Teri Pierson (she, her), sandan in Aikido, Head of Equity Committee

Our Mural: Rising Up

We take pride in our mural painted by Portland Artist Christa Grimm. Two Rivers Aikikai chose Christa to paint the new mural called Rising Up after a considerable search for an artist who could create a mural which embodied our goals of practicing non-violence in body, mind and spirit. The mural represents perseverance and connection to meet life's challenges with the support of our environment and community. The mural's imagery of a migrating salmon, water currents, and cyclical forces resonates with the notions of blending, pliancy, giving and receiving, all of which are qualities practiced at Two Rivers Aikikai.

Portland artist Christa Grimm creates murals, paintings and large scale site-specific commissions for both public and private clients. Alive with color, movement and strong, confident brush strokes her images celebrate natural beauty and human vitality.
Click here to visit her website - www.christagrimm.com/

Two Rivers Aikikai is a 501(c)(3) federal non-profit organization with a vision for equity, justice and non-violence on and off the mat. Our mission is to help individuals on their path of well-being of mind, body and spirit through the practice of the Japanese martial arts of Aikido, Iaido and Karatedo to peacefully engage conflict.