Meet the Young Woman on a Mission to Make the Future Fearless

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Lila Mosse. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

For many young women, the transition to college or solo living brings a mix of excitement and apprehension regarding personal safety. Lila Mosse, a Krav Maga brown belt, recognized this vulnerability and decided to meet it with strength. As the founder of Fearless Future, an initiative launched under the Key Biscayne Community Foundation Incubator for Youth Service Projects, she’s on a dedicated mission to replace anxiety with capability. Her organization empowers teenage girls through comprehensive self-defense education, designed not only to equip them with the tools to protect themselves and others but to build the unshakable confidence needed to navigate the world independently.

Lila pours 15 to 20 hours a month into the operations of her nonprofit. She personally reaches out to schools, libraries and community centers to organize and market her workshops, ensuring the environment is perfect for learning. Her curriculum is holistic, blending physical techniques with critical discussions on situational awareness, the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and smart planning for personal safety. Whether she is teaching an intimate group of 10 or holding multiple sessions for a senior class of over 100 girls, her workshops are designed to be relevant to anyone preparing for independence.

The tangible impact of Fearless Future is evident in the growing statistics and community support. Lila has successfully raised over $5,000 to sustain her mission, including significant contributions during Give Miami Day 2024. Her efforts have so far empowered over 500 young women, with her teachings reaching students locally and abroad. She encourages every student to take this newfound knowledge back to their homes and communities, hoping the message multiplies through their shared experiences. Lila is committed to continuing her work for years to come, ensuring that the next generation of women can step into their futures with their heads held high.

Tell us about your volunteer role.

When I was 7 years old, my parents started me in self-defense classes because I was eventually going to go to college and face dangerous situations on my own. As I grew older, I realized the importance of what those classes gave to me. I started to spread the message as a way to share the empowerment I received. I wanted to spread it to other people as a force for safety, confidence and independence.

We host self-defense classes in schools, gyms, community centers, homes and more. We started off with small events for 10 to 15 people, but we also do big events, such as one we did last year for a high school senior class of almost 100 girls. My Krav Maga instructor, Steve, and I teach all of these workshops. We’ve hosted workshops in Miami, Philadelphia and even in some small neighborhoods in Colombia. I’m really proud to be part of this important project. It means a lot.

Does your family have a background in Krav Maga?

My parents do not know Krav Maga at all. It started when we moved to Miami from Buenos Aires. We were somewhere so new. The reason we moved to Miami was that in Buenos Aires, we were in very, very dangerous situations many times. My parents care a lot. It was very important for them that I learned how to defend myself, especially moving to a whole new country. So they started me doing that, even though they don’t have any background in it.

Why is self-defense so important for young people to know?

At the start of our workshops, many participants find the punches and kicks very difficult. They are uncomfortable thinking about things like danger, violence and weapons. They don’t even want to think about it because it sounds very scary. I’ve heard a lot of people say, “Oh, you’re a girl that’s going to be up against a grown man. You won’t be able to defend yourself.” But as the workshops progress, they are able to familiarize themselves and become more comfortable fighting back and with the idea that they can defend themselves. This is very empowering to them, and it’s my favorite part of the work I do.

Since doing self-defense, I’ve also changed how I move through the world. I feel it makes me calmer, more situationally aware and harder to shake. Starting Fearless Future was my way to share that knowledge with my community and with people who need it most.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

Right now, I have two siblings who do self-defense classes. One is my younger brother, who is 14. I also have people from my Krav Maga Academy who are very involved in the project and who care deeply, as I do, about spreading self-defense.

I think that my brother, along with our ambassador at my Krav Maga center, are going to be the new face of Fearless Future. They are going to teach and inspire younger girls. The friends who have trained with me on the island where I live will keep running workshops, and I will come back and teach workshops as well. Miami is going to stay as our home base. I want to hand it off to my brother, who is then going to hand it off to my sister.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

I watch how participants start the workshops hesitant and scared; they don’t like to think about danger as a whole. But as the workshops move forward, I see how they become different. They become very engaged, ask so many questions and just want to learn more.

What have you learned through your experiences volunteering?

I’ve learned to be a more personable instructor and adapt to the needs of different people, because different people truly have different needs. I’ve done workshops for young girls that are 6 or 7 years old, and then also for senior citizens. You have to adapt to different people when you’re teaching.

Why is it important for others, especially youth, to get involved with causes they care about?

I think it’s important because even if a young person thinks, “Oh, I’m not ready for this,” I believe that one life changed is enough. If you care about something, you start before you’re even ready. There is never going to be a perfect moment, and the hardest step is the first one. I would say just make a plan, ask for help and get it done. Do what you need to do, because if it’s something you care about, you should want to go out there and make that change for other people.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

Start before you’re ready. There’s no perfect time. Just start. You can start small. You don’t have to do it alone; you’re never by yourself. You can ask friends or family for support. There are always going to be people who will support you and what you want to do. So just be curious, be open, ask questions and get right into it.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

I want to take away the stigma that just because you are smaller, less skilled or physically disadvantaged, that does not mean you are not able to defend yourself. I know that not everyone can participate in a Fearless Future workshop, but my encouragement is to just keep fighting.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Lila? Find local volunteer opportunities.