Mestre Esquilo continues to inspire his students in Charlotte, North Carolina, even from afar.

August 3 is Dia do Capoeirista in Brazil, or Capoeirista Day!

With the 2016 Olympic Games fast approaching, the culture of Brazil—and especially of Rio de Janeiro—is getting lots of attention. Rocinha’s Acorda-Capoeira, led by Mestre Manel, was recently featured in a Reuters article detailing the mestre’s extraordinary efforts in building a successful capoeira community in one of Rio’s most notorious favelas.

Mestre Foca and CapoeiraVida Brooklyn are hosting a roda tonight at the Grand Army Plaza, Flatbush Ave. at Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY. The roda is “dedicated to the struggle for equality by people of color in the United States, Brazil, and around the world.” If you are able to attend, be sure to RSVP on the Facebook event page and spread the word to support this important community effort. More information can also be found at the event posting on the CBS New York website.

Capoeiristas all over the world are grieving from the loss of another legend, Mestre Ananias. He died on July 20 at age 92 in São Paulo, Brazil. Ananias was known for being well-rounded and a complete embodiment of the art of capoeira, and one of the few remaining members of capoeira’s honored past. Born in São Felix, Bahia, Mestre Ananias went on to be who many consider the father of the capoeira scene in São Paulo, bringing with him the full breadth of Afro-Brazilian culture from Bahia.