Restore the Seattle Capoeira Center: Urgent Repair

Dear Community, Supporters, and General Public,

A grave incident has closed our Academy and Cultural Center of 16 years, the Seattle Capoeira Center, and we desperately and immediately need help replacing the floors to keep from shutting down permanently.

On January 9th, 2024, a severe leak in the building pipes which was beyond our control destroyed our Brazilian cherry sprung floor. This floor literally grounded the foundation of our cultural and physical practice. It was maintained with care and pride and now it is a danger and unusable because of brown water damage.

The Challenge:

The building's management is not taking responsibility, and we are left with the options to abandon the center that carries our lineage's history in Seattle or rebuild the floors. I cannot afford a legal battle and the resources it takes to take on a multi-billion dollar investment firm.

The damage extends beyond the floor, necessitating a complete renovation of our space. Our entire space has been condemned by management, everything from the concrete to the walls, ceiling and our floor. We have been without our space for nearly two months now, grappling with the impact of an enrollment crisis that has now deepened.

Our insurance does not cover floods, and in the past, the building's owners looked out for us for things like this, but not this time, yet this was clearly the fault of their management company again.

Our determination is unbroken though, and we are asking the community for support. We cannot leave this space, even in the undesirable situation with the building management. I live and raise my daughter at these lofts; the Seattle Capoeira Center at Artspace Mt. Baker is a part of our home and a Center for a wider global community. Artspace Mt. Baker Lofts are supposed to be meant for low-income artist housing. I can't afford to leave and live in this city and continue my dedication to Capoeira. All I know is capoeira and my daily passion is teaching capoeira. Capoeira is my life. I need to save our school, but I cannot do it alone. My capoeira students and my daughter are depending on me.

Financial Goal:

Our goal is to raise only $20,000, a figure that falls short of the total $24,982.21 estimated for restoration but represents a crucial step toward reopening our doors. This will allow us to install a new marley sprung dance floor that is water-resistant and also make necessary renovations like painting the walls and etc., ensuring the safety and continuity of our practice. The pandemic already put our cultural center in debt, but we are still here, and we felt the tide was turning but this happened. Your donation will be put to use right away and is needed.

Community Impact:

For nearly 20 years, the SCC has been a beacon of Capoeira in Puget Sound, from the Central District to the Southend, all the way to Hilltop, and back up to North Seattle near Lynnwood and Bothell, steadily building community, culture, and resilience amid the many challenges of teaching a cultural art in an Urban American city. The floor's destruction has not only risked our physical safety but has also stunted our cultural expression and communal growth. Capoeira cannot survive here without a community and consistent practice. In these trying times, we turn to you, our extended community and the general public, to help us restore our space and art.

Urgency:

The need is immediate. Repairs must begin ASAP to avoid further displacement and ensure our survival. Every moment we remain closed, we drift further from our mission to teach Capoeira to the Seattle community. The building management is waiting on us to get started; I have been stalling for the last 2 months because I felt shame asking for help. But I got to do it now.

Call to Action:

Your support is crucial for the Seattle Capoeira Center's recovery. Please consider two impactful actions: donating and sharing. Every donation brings us closer to restoring our center. Amplify our reach by sharing our GoFundMe with 5 friends or family members and tell them why they should donate. Share it on your social media to help us get viral and extend our reach. Spreading the word is as vital as donating; it can help our campaign gain the momentum needed to succeed quickly. Your advocacy ensures our legacy thrives in Seattle for decades to come. Act now by donating and sharing: https://www.gofundme.com/f/seattlecapoeira. Together, we can rebuild stronger than ever.

Rewards, Accountability and Recognition:

Every $100 will provide one month of capoeira for a youth student. You can refer kids with your donation and I will create a new online campaign to recruit kids for this new project and will document the process on our Instagram @seattlecapoeira. Also, we'll celebrate every contribution with shoutouts on our Instagram (if you want), ensuring our supporters' generosity is recognized and appreciated. Slide us a message or leave a comment.

Closing:

Join us in this urgent campaign to reclaim our space, our safety, and our cultural legacy. Your donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to coming back home. Together, we can turn the tide and continue to teach our beautiful tradition of Capoeira Angola in Seattle.

Thanks for your consideration and donation!

-Mestre Syed Taqi

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About Mestre Syed Taqi

Born and raised in the ghettos of Chicago, Mestre Syed is the youngest child of South Asian immigrants. His childhood, spent in a community rich with Black and Mexican cultures, took a pivotal turn when he lost his father at the age of 12. This loss led Syed and his mother to relocate to Seattle, where he encountered Capoeira—a meeting that would chart the course of his life. Capoeira became his solace and his passion, a commitment cemented in the wake of a hate crime against him following 9/11, which prompted him to leave Nathan Hale High School and seek refuge and guidance in the favelas of Salvador, Brazil with his mentor, Mestre Nô.

Returning to the United States at 19, Syed embarked on a mission to teach and share the transformative power of Capoeira Angola. Over the next twenty years, he dedicated himself to nurturing and spreading this art form that had been his salvation. Through his journey from the slums of Chicago to the heart of Seattle's community as a working-class artist, Mestre Syed has become a leader of resilience, hope, and cultural preservation, touching the lives of many with the tradition that once saved his own.