A shooting club for black women wants to give them back their power
As crimes against black women and girls in her community increased, Arewa Karen Winters came to the conclusion that she needed protection.
Although the 15th After the county police commissioner had her FOID card for 20 years, she decided it was time to apply for her license to carry a concealed weapon. Owning a firearm was not an easy decision for Winters, but she felt it was necessary.
Now she works with other women in a club to learn how to better protect themselves and safely use and handle firearms. The club consists of the Soul Sista Shooting Club, a nationally recognized shooting sports club for black women with members in Illinois, Mississippi and Texas.
The Soul Sista Shooting Club was founded last September with confusing member Erisene Jefferson, a brand ambassador and aspiring instructor.
Winters talked about what it is like for her to own a firearm.
“I struggle with this because I’m terrified of guns, but at the same time I’m terrified of what could happen to me if I’m out in my community without a gun,” Winters said. “We’re single women moving through the South and West Side communities, so it’s just a matter of safety,” Winters explained.
For Black women, protecting their own lives is essential. Research shows that West Side communities reported the highest number of robberies in the city last year. A CBS2 analysis of police data also showed that in 2022, Black women were victims in 35% of assaults, 38% of battery cases, and 50% of human trafficking cases in the city, despite only making up 16% of the city’s population. When asked why these women are victims, Geneva Brown, a professor of criminology at DePaul University, pointed out in an article published by The Root that in some cases, Black women must work night shifts and are out at times when there is not a large police presence, such as at bus stops or on the L.
Jefferson, who received her license to carry a concealed weapon in 2020, said she has gained a sense of empowerment and security.
“Some people think of guns as a bad thing, but the gun itself is not the problem, it’s the people who have them,” Jefferson said. “As concealed carry permit holders, we hope we never have to use it, but when we do, we’re ready to use it. I was afraid of guns at first, but as you get older and develop, you become more comfortable with them.”
Winters and Jefferson received their shooting instruction from Aban Advantage Consulting, a consulting firm founded by Chief Instructor Eric Becton that focuses primarily on firearms safety and training, individual and institutional safety development, and emergency preparedness.
Becton, who has nearly 30 years of experience handling firearms and holds several nationally recognized instructor certifications, said firearms training is really about self-defense.
“You do not need a FOID card to take the concealed carry course. However, you should make sure you are in compliance with the law and that you do not have anything that would disqualify you from being issued a FOID card. Because if you are not eligible for a FOID card, you would not be eligible for a concealed carry license under the current structure of the State of Illinois,” Becton explained.
Soul Sista Shooting Club aims to create an environment of sisterhood, but it also aims to help women learn the art of handgun handling. Aban’s services that club members receive as part of Aban include comprehensive wraparound services such as additional online courses, image-based training, medical training, emergency preparedness, and comprehensive exposure to critical self-defense.
Pamela Jenkins of Oak Park said she obtained a concealed carry license and joined the club because she wanted to overcome her fear of guns and be prepared if she ever needed to use one.
Both Becton and Winters warned that it is not enough to just go out and buy a firearm. They stressed that one must undergo proper training and learn the basic things one should know, even how to carry the weapon and how to interact with police if one is stopped with a firearm, so that one can get out of the police operation safely.
For course pricing and other information, contact Becton at Aban Advantage.com or call 804-453-2226.
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