Capoeira was originally developed by African slaves as a system of defense when they were taken to Brazil. It has since evolved and today it combines things like martial arts and dance to represents history, community, and resistance.

Beto and Huu met in January of 2002, where Beto was teaching capoeira. Huu walked in and saw a capoeira roda for the first time and knew right away that she wanted to begin training with the school. By 2004, they were married. Huu finished up her doctoral degree in ethnobotany and Beto continued working in the mortgage industry, solely to support his love of capoeira. Eventually, they both decided that what they really wanted was to commit their lives to capoeira as more than just a hobby, but a way of life. Today, they run the Quilombo Cultural Center in Chicago, where they do more than just teach capoeira. The center hosts workshops and forums dealing with social issues related to public education, gentrification & displacement, immigration, and more. Day after day, Beto and Huu work to consciously teach compassion and the importance of communal relationships as they evolve as parents and as leaders in their community.

"We can open peoples minds to the fact that if it's not good for everybody, it's not good for anybody."