Support Capoeira in the Black Belt

We know that CAPOEIRA IS FOR ALL, but questions must be asked:

+ Why are predominantly Black capoeira schools more likely to be under- resourced?

+ What are the legacies of Black resistance in the U.S. that are also a part of capoeira history?

+ What is capoeira without Black People?

+ What is capoeira without Africa?

+ What IS capoeira fundamentally?

Our invitation is for capoeiristas everywhere, and particularly non-Black capoeiristas and folks outside of the U.S. South, to donate in support of our upcoming historical event Cintura Preta.

Cintura Preta will be held in Atlanta, GA from September 23-25, 2022 and will bring in over a hundred guests from groups across the country. We are hosting three days of incredible workshops, panels, performances, a batizado, and more, centering the African influence and the Black experience within contemporary capoeira practice.

“Cintura Preta” is a Portuguese phrase meaning “Black Belt,” the nickname for the region across the Southeastern US states known for its fertile black soils, and eventually known for its high concentration of Black people.

Additionally, we acknowledge that until now, non-Black folks have participated in and benefitted from capoeira without having to confront how we benefit from the legacies of injustice and violence that form the foundation of capoeira as an art born out of resistance to white supremacy and colonial domination.

We intend to begin having these conversations at this historical event and offer ongoing space to the broader capoeira community for reflection and transformative action.

WHY CENTER BLACKNESS?

Over the past hundred years or so, capoeira has experienced a sort of gentrification that has resulted in the loss of much of the African wisdom, context, and people from regular practice.

Schools often “follow the money” and focus on capoeira as an exercise or hobby–teaching movement, instrumentation, even music… without engaging with the deeper African material necessary to deeply understand and appreciate modern-day capoeira, and to fully connect the struggle of our capoeira ancestors with the very real struggles of marginalized peoples today. This is especially clear in the Black Belt region of the Southeastern USA.

Capoeira schools with predominantly Black students, as is often the case, are more likely to be:

+ under-funded

+ under-supported

+ under-resourced

+ and overlooked.

We are proud to be the first capoeira organization in Atlanta to offer capoeira classes and events that center African tradition and values in our approach and leadership while being inclusive to our whole community.

FUNDRAISING GOALS

As an underfunded group in an underfunded region in a widely underfunded capoeira community, we are inviting resource flow from our wider community to be able to host guests in a true Quilombola experience.

We will use these funds to provide spaces for all attendees to train safely, bring in various teachers to impart a broad mosaic of Afro-Brazilian knowledge, and to offer scholarship opportunities to keep the three-day event affordable to our community members, especially during this challenging time. We also intend to support our mestres and professors’ work through this season so that they can continue to share their art.

We believe there can be great personal, interpersonal and community healing that comes from wealth redistribution, especially in returning wealth to Black communities.

For folks who have benefitted from wealth extraction, we see this as an opportunity to consider your donation a gesture of good axé to the capoeira ancestors and a step towards being in good relation with the lineage of this rich Afro-Brasilian lifeway.

Obrigado e axézao!!

Quilombolas de Luz Atlanta

@quilombomasdeluzatl