Since 1999, almost 10,000 females (and a growing number of males) have attended classes conducted by Helicon, Inc. They are Asian-American, Black, Latina, and White from all over New York City; most who attend are Black (50%) and Latina (27%). Their ages range from 18 to 74 years. Most are from the more economically-challenged strata of our society; almost all are products of the New York City Public School System.