Our communities are facing real challenges: rising youth violence, social isolation, depression, anxiety, limited positive outlets, and a growing lack of mentorship. Many teens and young adults feel invisible, misunderstood, or stuck in cycles that prevent them from growing. Capoeira for Resilience™ was created to break those cycles.

Capoeira has survived oppression, displacement, and hardship for over 500 years—making it the perfect tool for teaching resilience today. In this program, students don’t just learn a African martial art…
They learn how to stand tall, think clearly, and choose a better future.

Many young people in Nashville, Clarksville, and the surrounding areas are dealing with:

• Trauma from unstable home environments
   
• Lack of positive male and female role models
   
• Anxiety, depression, and emotional shutdown
   
• Exposure to violence, bullying, and peer pressure
   
• Few safe after-school activities and physical outlets
   
• Low motivation, low self-esteem, and hopelessness
   

 These challenges slowly wear down confidence, identity, and the ability to make healthy choices—affecting families, neighborhoods, and the long-term health of the entire community. 

Capoeira for Resilience™ blends movement, rhythm, storytelling, discipline, and cultural connection with modern life skills to support the whole person.

Through consistent mentorship and training, youth learn to transform their struggles into strength.

Our program helps participants:

• Build confidence through physical mastery
   
• Strengthen emotional resilience and self-control
   
• Improve decision-making and conflict resolution
   
• Develop trust, teamwork, and healthy friendships
   
• Gain cultural awareness and personal identity
   
• Learn respect, discipline, and accountability
   
• Discover a positive space away from negative influences
   

 We focus on practical life skills—leadership, responsibility, communication, and problem-solving—while giving each participant a supportive community where they can be seen, supported, and valued. 

To create a deeper, more holistic impact, our program now includes:

Youth learn essential skills that build confidence, responsibility, and self-reliance, such as:

• basic first aid
   
• situational awareness
   
• safety skills
   
• stress management strategies
   
• Understanding the real consequences of risky situations
   

This teaches them independence, preparedness, and how to stay calm under pressure.

Poetry becomes a powerful tool for healing and identity-building.
Students learn to express their emotions through:

• spoken word
   
• reflective writing
   
• Rhythm and storytelling are connected to Capoeira music
   

This helps reduce emotional shutdown, builds communication skills, and encourages self-worth.

Gardening reconnects young people to the land, patience, and responsibility. They learn:

• how to plant and grow food
   
• care, consistency, and follow-through
   
• how nature reduces stress and anxiety
   
• teamwork and community-building
   

It’s a peaceful way to teach discipline, nourishment, and mental clarity.

At a time when many young people feel lost, judged, or disconnected, capoeira provides a home.
It teaches them they are strong enough to rise.
It gives them tools to navigate stress, trauma, and emotional challenges.
And now, through survival skills, poetry, and gardening, it gives them practical and creative ways to build their future.

Most importantly, it reminds them that their life has purpose.

Capoeira for Resilience™ exists to help teens and young adults become healthier, wiser, more confident, disciplined, and compassionate leaders in their families and communities.

We are not just building better capoeiristas —
We are building better people.