Get Up and Fight: The Memoir of Rena ""Rusty"" Kanokogi, the Mother of Women's Judo

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Rena Rusty Kanokogi Jean Kanokogi

Get Up and Fight

The Memoir of Rena ""Rusty"" Kanokogi, the Mother of Women's Judo

Rena Rusty Kanokogi, Jean Kanokogi, Billie Jean King

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Hardback

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English

Project Rusty, LLC
19 August 2025

Biography: general; Social & cultural history; Gender studies: women; Oriental martial arts

""Rusty had that special quality that made you feel like you could fly... that you could do anything, because she was right there with you."" - BILLIE JEAN KING, TENNIS CHAMPION & ACTIVIST

In 1959 Rusty's well-earned first place medal was ripped away from her because she was a woman. She fought in a judo championship against a man and won, but when the judges discovered her gender, they stripped her of her title. Women were not allowed. From that point on, Rusty had a new goal: to ensure that no woman would ever suffer such an indignity ever again!

This vow sparked a fifty-year career fighting for equality-a tireless battle she would take all the way to the Olympics. In her uniquely raw, unfiltered, humorous voice, Rusty recounts the tales of her remarkable life and journey from the rough streets of Coney Island, Brooklyn, to the offices of the political, powerful and persuasive, where she established herself as a major force in the world of women's rights and the sport of judo, securing women's inclusion on the international stage. Rusty's memoir is a love story filled with passion and righteousness-for her sport, her family, and her way of life as a judoka. Often called a pioneer, Rusty was an unsung hero in the fight to give women voice and agency, in life and in sports. She did not see human limitations, only possibilities. The establishment told her ""no,"" but ""no"" was not a part of her vocabulary. Instead, Rusty fought like hell, and won.

In her own words, Rusty decided to ""be the hammer,"" not the nail.

By: Rena Rusty Kanokogi, Jean Kanokogi
Foreword by: Billie Jean King
Imprint: Project Rusty, LLC
Edition: 2nd ed.
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 721g
ISBN: 9781736089071
ISBN 10: 1736089072
Pages: 414
Publication Date: 19 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Rena ""Rusty"" Kanokogi is recognized around the world as ""the mother of women's judo"" for her immense contribution to the sport and her work ensuring inclusion for female competitors at the international level. In her more than fifty-year career, she became the first woman to attain the rank of seventh-degree black belt. She is interred in the Kanokogi Samurai family burial site in Kumamoto, Japan, with the inscription ""American Samurai.""WWW.RUSTYKANOKOGI.COM

Reviews for Get Up and Fight: The Memoir of Rena ""Rusty"" Kanokogi, the Mother of Women's Judo

""Rusty is proof that your dreams can come true if you fight for them and never give up.""- MAUREEN BRAZIEL, RETIRED DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF NYU & FORMER INTERNATIONAL JUDO CHAMPION ""Rusty was a warrior with a heart of gold and a fierce sense of humor. She led the battle for equality in judo by immersing herself in the sport and inviting everyone else to participate. Rusty had a very clear vision of what inclusion looked like and the tenacity to make it happen.""- LYDIA MURPHY-STEPHANS, FORMER PRESIDENT, PAC-12 NETWORKS, U.S. OLYMPIC SPEED SKATING TEAM MEMBER""Everyone has a purpose in life but not everyone is blessed to discover what that is. At an early age, Rusty Kanokogi's purpose was extremely clear. Rusty boldly lived her purpose by not only changing the world of Judo, but the sexist inequalities of the world. Rusty Kanokogi is the true meaning of GIRL POWER!!!""- KYM HAMPTON, WNBA LEGEND, GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, MODEL, SINGER AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER