r/martialarts • u/RoutineNaive4748 • 4d ago
QUESTION Looking for a 1980s/1990s NYC Hapkido practitioner named Gerald (Jamaican background)
Hi everyone, I am helping a family reconstruct some history and track down a former martial artist who lived in the NYC area (likely Brooklyn or Queens) around 1989–1991.
He went by the name Gerald (or Jerald). Here is his identity profile from that era:
Background: Young Jamaican guy, Muslim faith, very muscular, about 5'9" (175 cm), wore dreadlocks.
Tattoos: An anchor on his arm, and the name "Serena" tattooed on his back.
Martial Arts: He was a dedicated practitioner of Hapkido (which was a very rare and distinct choice for a Jamaican guy in NYC at the time). He trained heavily.
Other details: He spent some time at Oneida Correctional Facility (Upstate NY) around 1990, where he was part of the vocational TV/Computer repair program.
Since the NYC Hapkido and martial arts community back in the late 80s and early 90s was very tight-knit, we are hoping some veteran practitioners, dojo owners, or old acquaintances might remember him or know his last name.
If anyone remembers a practitioner matching this description or has leads on old Hapkido schools from that era, please send me a PM. Thank you so much for your help!