Mission

MAES is grounded in the belief that martial arts is not only a physical discipline, but a structured system for developing attention, self-regulation, and responsibility toward others.

As a nonprofit organization, MAES works to bring these principles into contemporary educational and community settings, supporting the development of resilience, awareness, and ethical engagement in everyday life.

Why MAES Exists

MAES was founded to preserve and renew the educational value of martial arts in a changing world. While martial arts are often seen as physical training, they also provide a practical framework for cultivating discipline, focus, and responsible interaction with others.

In a time shaped by distraction, social fragmentation, and growing concerns around safety and well-being, MAES seeks to reposition martial arts as an accessible and relevant pathway for personal development and community engagement.

Our Approach

MAES takes an interdisciplinary and community-based approach to martial arts education. Its work integrates traditional training principles with insights from education, movement science, and contemporary social practice.

Programs, workshops, and cultural initiatives are designed to translate martial arts into formats that are relevant to schools, community organizations, and public audiences. Through collaboration with educators, community leaders, and partner institutions, MAES expands how martial arts can contribute to learning, resilience, and civic life.

Founder

William Kwok, Ed.D., is a martial arts educator, nonprofit founder, and community safety advocate whose work connects martial arts practice with education and community life. As founder and president of the Martial Arts Education Society (MAES), he focuses on how martial arts training can support self-regulation, character development, and stronger communities.

Through MAES, Dr. Kwok has led educational programs and community safety workshops focused on awareness, de-escalation, bystander responsibility, and practical resilience. His public service efforts have been recognized with honors including the Community Leadership Award from the U.S. President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

Drawing on decades of training in Traditional Taekwon-Do and Practical Wing Chun, he integrates martial arts principles with contemporary educational thinking to explore new approaches to embodied learning and civic responsibility. He has also expanded his work into cultural storytelling as executive producer of the short film *BRUCE*, produced in collaboration with the Bruce Lee Foundation, which explores immigrant identity and cultural memory. Dr. Kwok holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University and previously served as Co-Chair of Harvard Alumni for Education in New York City.