Who am I?

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My name is Christopher Pollak. I’m a martial artist, a father, a husband, a tradesman, and a concerned citizen of Jackson, New Jersey.

My story begins in Brooklyn. My father was a Belgian immigrant, my mother Italian-American. My dad wasn’t around for much of my life, and like a lot of kids in that situation, I had to grow up fast. I found my way through the chaos with martial arts. It taught me discipline, confidence, and strength. It gave me something no one else could: a path to manhood.

I became a martial arts instructor. I fought in amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai matches. But my fight didn’t stop in the ring.

I always had a fire in me to help people and stand up for what’s right. I got involved in creative activism; helping the homeless, cleaning up my neighborhood, even fighting crime on the streets. I led a chapter of the Guardian Angels, patrolling some of the toughest areas. I was featured in an HBO documentary. At one point, I was close to having my own reality show. People even called me a real-life superhero. But that was never the goal. The goal was always about service. Purpose. Impact.

The most important moment of my life wasn’t any of that, it was when my son was born. Everything changed. I left the spotlight. I moved to Jackson because I wanted a safe, quiet place to raise my family. My wife, Nicole, grew up in the neighboring town of Howell. We wanted the same thing every parent wants: a place where our children could thrive.

I worked with my hands during the day and built a business at night. I opened a martial arts school, Hybrid Combat Karate, where I teach kids and adults not just how to fight, but how to live with discipline, strength, and purpose. I wanted to pass on the same life-changing lessons I had learned.

But over the years, I started noticing things: Small businesses closing down. Traffic getting worse. Overdevelopment eating up open land. Families moving away. Residents frustrated and voiceless. My own son’s school shut down. That was the final straw.

I never thought I’d find myself in this strange battle for the soul of my town; fighting not street criminals this time, but the very politicians who were elected to protect us. I didn’t ask for this fight. But I also won’t walk away from it. Someone has to take a stand against these corrupt politicians. Someone has to say, “enough.”

I started paying attention. I started connecting the dots between the money, the influence, the closed-door deals, and the steady decline of the town we love. I started writing articles, exposing the truth, and shaking the system. I didn’t set out to be a watchdog. I didn’t want to be political. But I care deeply about where I live, where my son goes to school, and where my students grow up. I care about this town because this is where I planted my roots.

Now I can’t stay quiet. I won’t sit back and watch Jackson be sold off to the highest bidder. I won’t pretend everything’s fine while our schools close, our streets fill with traffic, and our voices get drowned out by special interests.

This is my home. My family lives here. My business is here. My students are here. And if nobody else is going to stand up, then I will.

Because this isn’t just about politics. This is about people. Our kids. Our future. Our town.

Fight For Jackson