'Mother of Judo' Who'd Take You Down Lifted Womens Sports Up
Release Date: 05/14/2021
More Parts Than a Chicken Nugget—and Still Rocking Life
The Debbie Nigro Show
Some conversations stop you in your tracks—in the very best way. This Wellness Wednesday on The Debbie Nigro Show, I met a man whose story is the definition of still in the game. Meet B.J. Odom—radio veteran, comedian, podcaster, author, and a living, breathing miracle. B.J. has survived two transplants (a heart and a kidney), multiple surgeries, radiation treatments, and a lifetime of medical curveballs that started before he was even two years old. Doctors once told his parents he likely wouldn’t live past his teens. He’s now 70 years young… and funnier than ever. His...
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“Leave It to Norwegians in Florida to Convince Me Cold Weather Is Good for Me”
The Debbie Nigro Show
Some of the best radio & podcast conversations start exactly where you don’t expect them to…like poolside in Florida—in bathing suits, no makeup, and not a business card in sight. That’s how I met Kari Berit—in what I call a “Random Run-In.” Kari and her hubby were on two lounge chairs in the sun at a hotel pool in Florida. The only other slice of sun not being blocked by our mutual hotel building was hitting a lounge chair right next to them. This cold, pale New Yorker wanted that only other sunny spot, but I didn’t want to be a too-close lounger (kinda the same as a...
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Time to Spread Joy (and Maybe Some Deductible Dollars): Who You Givin’ To?
The Debbie Nigro Show
Year-End Giving Reminder: The last few weeks of the year are when most charitable giving happens — people feel more generous, tax benefits kick in for those who itemize, and many folks use year-end bonuses or appreciated stock to support causes they believe in. It’s the perfect moment to make a meaningful impact, especially with an organization that stretches every donor dollar farther than you ever could on your own. Why United Way Might Be One of the Smartest Ways to Give Back To Business Monday You know how I like to start a Monday: a little caffeine, a little...
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Fun, Fast “Wellness Wednesday” highlights from The Debbie Nigro Show aka 'Keeping the Live in Alive!'
The Debbie Nigro Show
Once a week I do my best to share information that I come across that might benefit others like me trying harder at "Keeping the Live in Alive!" I've posted the entire live Wellness Wednesday radio show here but in case youre in a hurry, I've summed up this week’s show highlights. #CrepeConfession: My only use of the word 'crepe' used to be in combination with the word 'paper' as in 'crepe paper' until father time starting beating the tar out of my good looks. I didn't realize what a big problem crepe had become for the world. Now I'm doing my part to try and correct...
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Fun, fast “Wellness Wednesday” highlights from The Debbie Nigro Show—aka 'Keeping the Live in Alive!'
The Debbie Nigro Show
Once a week I do my best to share information that I come across that might benefit others like me trying harder at "Keeping the Live in Alive!" I've posted the entire live Wellness Wednesday radio show here but in case youre in a hurry, I've summed up this weeks show highlights. #CrepeConfession: My only use of the word 'crepe' used to be in combination with the word 'paper' as in 'crepe paper' until father time starting beating the tar out of my good looks. I didn't realize what a big problem crepe had become for the world. Now I'm doing my part to try and...
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Human Connection Is Medicine. Celebrate “Talk to a Stranger Week” with Pete Bombaci of GenWell
The Debbie Nigro Show
Every once in a while, the universe taps you on the shoulder and says, “Here ya go … this one’s one of yours.” That’s exactly what happened when I discovered Pete Bombaci, Founder & CEO of GenWell, Canada’s Human Connection Movement — and the man behind Talk To A Stranger Week, happening November 24–30 in Canada. As many of you know, I’m the author of How To Talk To Strangers: Advice From a Professional Stranger Talker, so when I found out about Pete’s work, I thought, “Yup. This is my kinda guy. He won't be a stranger for long! "...
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Human Connection Is Medicine. Celebrate “Talk to a Stranger Week” with Pete Bombaci of GenWell.
The Debbie Nigro Show
Every once in a while, the universe taps you on the shoulder and says, “Here ya go … this one’s one of yours.” That’s exactly what happened when I discovered Pete Bombaci, Founder & CEO of GenWell, Canada’s Human Connection Movement — and the man behind Talk To A Stranger Week, happening November 24–30 in Canada. As many of you know, I’m the author of How To Talk To Strangers: Advice From a Professional Stranger Talker, so when I found out about Pete’s work, I thought, “Yup. This is my kinda guy. He won't be a stranger for long! " LOL Pete and I are...
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Why a Virtual Assistant Might Be the Best Business Decision You Haven’t Made Yet
The Debbie Nigro Show
Are you overwhelmed, overextended, and still thinking “Eh, I’ll just do it myself—it’s faster”? Yes? Well the right answer should be NO. That’s entrepreneur delusion talking. I know I am one and I'm not the best dekgator and yes I too try and do far too many things myself. On The Debbie Nigro Show, I linked up with the fabulous Jenna Eichholtz, partner at VA Growth Solutions, who popped in from Pennsylvania to drop some serious wisdom about delegating like a boss—without actually becoming a bossy boss. Here’s the big takeaway: You don’t need a full team… you...
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From Courtroom to Bagel Boss: How Beth George Is Training a New Wave of Bagel Entrepreneurs
The Debbie Nigro Show
I always try and bring the sunshine and some good energy and often I like to bring some good bagels. Today if you use your 'smellavision' link ( only kidding there is none - yet lol ) it smells like fresh bagels! I want you to meet Beth George, former attorney turned bagel whisperer and owner of Bagel-ish in Beacon, NY, and wow… this woman is rising dough and raising entrepreneurs. Beth’s origin story is pure heart: in 2006 she started baking to help her son manage health and behavioral issues—researching the gut–brain connection long before it was trendy. That journey led her...
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Sometimes a Simple Act of Kindness Is the Miracle Someone Needs to Move Forward
The Debbie Nigro Show
On this week’s Keeping the “Live” in Alive segment of The Debbie Nigro Show, I was joined by my longtime gal pal (though we’ve never actually met in person!) Linda Arroz, who’s on an inspiring new mission in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Linda is helping raise funds for a short social impact film called Awakening Georgie — a powerful narrative about the hidden struggles of traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and the miracles that can come from compassion. “Thirty percent of injury-related deaths in the U.S. are caused by a traumatic brain injury. That’s a lot. We need to...
info_outlineI would not have wanted to mess with Rena 'Rusty' Kanakogi, the Mother Of Judo if I met her along the way but I do sure wish I had met her. She defied the rules and shattered the glass ceiling for women to be taken seriously in sports. I love stories of pioneers and triumph over adversity and thought you would enjoy this story too.
Raised mostly by members of a boardwalk 'freak show' family on Coney Island in the 50's, this young jewish gal from Brooklyn was the leader of a girl gang who just wanted to fight. 'Rusty' had a lot of pent up energy and that was the way she released it. Until...
As a young married woman while accompanying her first husband to an AA meeting to support his battle with alcoholism, 'Rusty' met a friend there who was in unbelievable shape. She asked him what he did to get into that shape. He said 'Judo". She said. "What the heck is Judo"? So he picks up this big strong woman like a piece of paper onto his hip and she says, "That's it! Whatever it is you're doing I'm going to learn it. "
So next... this young Jewish woman walks into the Utica, NY Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) a move unheard of at the time. and asks to take the class but they say, sorry women not allowed. Grrr. She persisted. It was 1959. They agreed to let her take a class some days if she also agreed to teach YMCA classes to other women other days. Ads for the YMCA classes in the newspaper read something like this. 'Come learn to be a good wife and serve your husband and press his pants but also come take a Judo class with Rusty'. LOL
Then... The Utica YMCA Male Judo Team was competing in The Championships and was about to win, when a teammate got hurt. To save the day, the coach asked 'Rusty' to just go in and substitute so they didn't have to forfeit but said don't call attention to yourself. Just call a draw. Well that didn't happen.
'Rusty' who looked kind of androgynous with her short hair, wrapped her chest with an ace bandage and went in and beat the heck out of her opponent and won the Gold Medal. When they they found out she was a woman they asked her to give it back. She was soooo angry. She gave it back so her team didn't have to forfeit but that anger set her off on a 50 year quest to make sure no other woman in sport would ever suffer that injustice.
Rena 'Rusty' Kanakogi founded, organized and financed the first Women’s World Judo Championships, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 29 and 30, 1980, putting women’s judo on the map and earning the United States the international women’s level competition status required to qualify for inclusion in the Olympic Games. She has been recognized as “the mother of women’s judo” for her inarguable contribution to the sport. She was the first woman to rise to the rank of seventh–degree black belt. In 2008 she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette from the Emperor’s Order of Japan for her lifelong contribution to the promotion of judo. Her ashes are interred in the Kanokogi Samurai family grave site in Kumamoto, Japan, marked with the epitaph “American Samurai.”
A street in Brooklyn has been named Rena “Rusty” Kanokogi Way.
Jean Kanogi considered "the daughter of judo" joins me today. Jean spent her years on the mats with her Mom and these days is a Senior Special Agent for the U.S. Government, a fifth degree black belt and highly respected sensei (teacher) of judo. Most notably, Jean was one of the original signers of the American Civil Liberty Union suit to fight for women’s rights in the sport of judo. She mentors high-risk youth, earned her PhD (a promise to Rusty!) and serves on the evaluation committee for the Rusty Kanokogi Fund for the Advancement of US Judo, a scholarship program managed by the Women’s Sports Foundation.
"Rusty' passed 12 years ago and her daughterJean finally finished the book they started writing together which comes out June 1st.
Get Up & Fight: The Memoir of Rena “Rusty” Kanokogi, The Mother of Women’s Judo
By Rena “Rusty” Kanokogi & Jean Kanokogi, PhD
Foreword by Billie Jean King
Second Foreword by the late Dick Schaap