Sifu Jesalyn Mae Harper was introduced to Kenpo karate when she was 9 years old through an anti-Drug and Gang program called DARE. For the next three years, Jesalyn trained with JR Diaz, 8th Degree Black Belt in the Parker/Planas Lineage, and she made it to the rank of purple belt. Then, the school district cancelled the funding for the DARE program.
It was later in life when she returned to train with Sifu Diaz at his dojo. In 2015 she tested for blue belt and began managing the Double Dragon Kenpo Karate Dojo. In 2016 Jesalyn tested for green belt. That same year she also started her Kenpo Girl blog which discusses various systems of martial arts, as well as the effects and experiences that martial arts has on people. Kenpo Girl features articles and interviews from various martial artists and discusses current issues in the Martial Arts world.
In 2018 she became the Co-owner of Double Dragon Kenpo Karate and was promoted to black belt. Jesalyn is a 1st Degree Black Belt under the Parker/Planas Lineage. She currently trains out of Double Dragon Kenpo Karate in Sanger, CA. She is a former student of the late Grand Master Frank Trejo. Her weapons training focus with JR Diaz is Karbaroan Eskrima, and she specializes in Mano Largo, Mano Corta, and Spada y Daga under Guru Ed Planas. Jesalyn also crosstrains with 9th Degree Black Belt Sifu Marty Zaninovich in Kenpo, Jeet Kune Do, Silat, and Kali.