Karen Eden Herdman is a rare 7th degree female martial arts master (7 black belts.) She is the highest ranked female master in her art form of hand-to-hand combat that we are aware of. Grandmaster Karen engages in aiming high with high achievements in spite of difficulties. She also speaks about persisting as a female martial artist for 30 years in an arena that often overlooks women. It starts with her less fortunate childhood, where she grew up in a broken and abusive home. After two years of training in martial arts, she was handed a “Bo staff.” This almost caused a personal meltdown because it looked so similar to the stick she used to get punished with. But Karen made it her intent to master the Bo staff and considers it one of her greatest martial arts performing passions today. Grandmaster Karen will perform with the Bo staff after every talk! (or something similar depending on travel restrictions.) Today Karen finds healing in helping other less fortunate young people around the country and the world. She has written 4 books and is a columnist for 2 monthly magazines. Grandmaster Karen still teaches in the Denver, Colorado area.

National Tournament winner and 2 time World Championship competitor: Pittsburgh Pa., Philadelphia Pa., Washington D.C., Boston Ma., and the International Tang Soo Do World Championships.)

Five time Hall of Famer: Bruce Lee Hall of Fame, Columbus, Oh., Legends of Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Scranton, Pa., Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame, Atlantic City N.J., Korean Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame, Atlanta, Ga., AFKA Hall of Fame, Lynchburg,Va.

Recipient of the “Joe Lewis Memorial Fighter Award, Greenville S.C. 2020.

Inducted into the Sport Karate Museum, Houston, Tx. 2018.

Inducted into the “Who’s Who in Martial Arts” Book inclusion Wash. D.C. 2018.

Listed in “ The Worlds Greatest Martial Artists Vol. 9.”

On June 16, 2012, Mayor Michael Hancock of the City and County of Denver, Co. declared a proclamation awarding Karen “Her Own Day” on June the 16th for “providing hope and instilling self-confidence in those who might not otherwise have the opportunity in the inner-city of Denver, Colorado.”

In 2016, Karen was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the Office of the White House, for “building a stronger nation through her volunteer services.”

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Martial Arts, Sexual Abuse/Rape Authors, Inspirational, Child Abuse, Activists, Children,