About
Who Is I ? (They/He)
I. Buenaventura (a.k.a Patrick) is a poet and writer. They have been creatively writing since around the age of 12, and began drawing in earnest before that. In 2021, they self-published a book on self-defense for women called “Your Body is Your Weapon: The Little Self-Defense Handbook,” which they illustrated and wrote in free verse poetry. In October 2023, the book was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Inspirational/Self-Help Category of the 31st Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards.
Self-Defense & Martial Arts
For some 30 years, Patrick has practiced and/or taught self-defense and martial arts, earning a 2nd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and 3rd degree Black Belt in Hwa Rang Do. They competed in tournaments on the local, state, and national levels, including once at the National Tae Kwon Do championships in Colorado Springs, CO. Not as impressive as it might sound at first, but maybe it got your attention.
Another notable national event that they cannot recall the name of took place in Atlantic City, NJ. Qualifying for the weapons final after winning their division, they competed on an elevated stage with spotlights galore alongside younger, nationally ranked players who were very impressive. Grateful to just be there, Patrick managed to hit his head with his own staff/long stick, while listening to one of the commentators (Black Belt Hall of Famer John Chung) explain what Hwa Rang Do was to his colleague.
In addition, they have studied various combat sports at one time or another, including American Kickboxing, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Krav Maga, Kali, Brazilian Jiujitsu, and Hapkido. They were certified as an instructor in “Fight Like a Girl,” and have been a student of Prepare, Inc., along with other personal protection courses. They have taught self-defense to a variety of people from girl scouts to high school teen-agers, other Gen-Xers, Baby Boomers, and senior citizens.
Creative Work
Patrick has studied art, literature, filmmaking, communications, and has an MFA in Design & Technology from Parsons School of Design. Their thesis, originally written in 2006 as an epic poem, was called “Autonomy 2.0.” They turned it into a short film and standalone audio work, designed for mobile devices such as the iPod. It is an ongoing project comprised of three books.
In 2023, Patrick began performing spoken word poetry, and has been a featured reader at several events, including the Poetry Society of New York’s There’s A Lot To Unpack Here.
LGBTQ+ & Activism
A feminist and an activist for LGBTQ+ rights, they participated in The National Pride March, also known as the Equality March for Unity and Pride and LGBT Resist March, on June 11, 2017. They have also marched in Equality Walks hosted by Garden State Equality. In 2013, Patrick fought for marriage equality in New Jersey, which led to their own marriage being the first same-sex union in their hometown in 2014.
Patrick had a second coming out later in life, and identifies as transmasculine & non-binary. They are currently documenting their transition through a series of poems (see IG @ibpen). They recently participated in a NPR interview for a piece on people age 50 and over who are transitioning – “Transitioning for older adults can be more isolating. A social group can change that.“