OUR community values & standards

Our goal is for everyone to feel welcome and respected when they take a capoeira or jiu-jitsu class. We encourage our students to come to class with love and not hate; to focus on what they can do and not what they can’t; to try to help and not to judge; and to share their happiness and help take away others’ sadness. We seek to improve our physical and mental health as we work together to strengthen our community.

We aim to cultivate a welcoming, positive, inclusive, and diverse culture in our Salt Lake Capoeira & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu communities. We want everyone who participates in our classes and events to feel welcome, included, and respected regardless of age, cultural background or country of origin, gender, physical condition, race, religion, sexual orientation, political views, or economic condition.

We’re proud of our unique Salt Lake Capoeira and jiu-jitsu communities that welcome and attract people of all different backgrounds and ways of thinking. We invite and welcome these differences as we build a culture of mutual trust and respect.

During our classes and events, we expect all of our community members (students, instructors, parents of students, guests, and visitors) to act with respect, and we’ve outlined what that means to us. A top priority of ours is to provide a supportive learning environment for our students of all ages. In this, we strive to do our best, learn, uncover blind spots as we discover them, and continually make improvements.

RESPECT YOURSELF

  • Recognize that capoeira and jiu-jitsu are physically demanding martial arts that involve physical contact with others, and as with any martial art there’s risk of injury. If needed, consult your doctor before participating in classes or trying certain movements.

  • Take responsibility for and communicate your needs; verbally and clearly share your boundaries with others as they arise.

  • Own your mistakes and amidst giving yourself grace, work to do better.

  • Make sure our classes and community are a good fit for you. We recognize that each person has unique needs, and we encourage everyone to find classes and communities that meet those needs, even if that means it’s not with us.

RESPECT EACH OTHER

  • Offer positivity and support to others as much as you can.

  • Avoid discrimination or harassment of any kind; egregious or repeated violations will not be tolerated. This includes verbal or physical harassment, unwelcome sexual advances, or discrimination.

  • Respect the boundaries that others share with you.

  • Practice respectful, direct, and open communication.

  • Consider and be sensitive to others’ experience levels when training with, playing capoeira with, or rolling in jiu-jitsu with them.

  • Stay home if you have the flu or another viral infection that could be spread to others.

  • Always ensure that your relationship activities are consensual. Keep dating behaviors and physical intimacy outside of class and official event activities, and don’t show preferential treatment to others in class.

RESPECT YOUR TEACHERS

  • Respect the knowledge and practice that Mestre/Professor Jamaika and other affiliated or guest teachers have put into learning, preserving, and sharing their art.

  • Recognize that no teacher of any art form should be idolized or followed blindly. Share your boundaries with your teachers as necessary.

  • Do not book or participate in capoeira or jiu-jitsu teaching, performing, or project opportunities that could in any way represent Mestre/Professor Jamaika or his business, intended or not, before consulting with him.

  • Ensure that you pay for the classes and events you participate in. (When able, we work with those who can’t afford to pay full class or event fees due to job loss or other hardship, and at times we may arrange trade for services.)

RESPECT OUR ART FORMS AND COMMUNITY

  • Recognize and honor the Afro-Brazilian culture and people who experienced both joy and suffering for us to experience these art forms today.

  • Those who train capoeira or jiu jitsu exclusively with us are eligible for our discounted monthly rates; we subsidize our rates and want to invest in those who choose to invest their time, energy, and resources with us. Students who aren’t affiliated with any group or who train with other local schools and commit to upholding our community values and standards are welcome to take our classes via our drop-in rate.

  • We welcome volunteer support from our community members under the direction of Mestre/Professor Jamaika (such as performance opportunities or event planning). Community members aren’t required to participate in these ways.

  • We recognize the societal systems that create unjust disadvantages for underrepresented groups and that related issues can surface in individuals within our communities. Address specific cases of injustice directly, while continuing to build up our community and these art forms; avoid generalizing or criticizing the art of capoeira/jiu-jitsu, or our group based on things that happen in other groups or between individuals.

  • False, exaggerated, derogatory, or misleading complaints, statements, or allegations about our school or Mestre/Professor Jamaika won’t be tolerated. These destructive practices impact his ability to continue his mission of sharing Afro-Brazilian arts and positively impacting others’ lives.

RESPECT OUR PHYSICAL SPACES

  • We share our spaces with other community groups and want to keep them in great condition. Please treat our spaces well and keep them clean.

  • Please ensure that kids you bring to classes or events are either participating in the class/event or are closely supervised by an adult at all times; they may not wander freely in the space or studio.

CONSIDERATIONS IN UPHOLDING OUR COMMUNITY STANDARDS

  • Recognize that we’re all human and make mistakes. Assume the best in others and give space for these mistakes, conversations, and growth.

  • Mestre/Professor Jamaika runs a private business and will make teaching and business decisions that he feels are best in balancing the preservation of these art forms, our capoeira/jiu-jitsu communities, and the needs of his business.

  • While Mestre/Professor Jamaika is a positive mentor, remember that he is not a licensed counselor or trauma expert; we advise those experiencing complex or serious issues to consult with professional mental health experts.

  • Our diverse community brings people with different backgrounds, values, and ways of thinking and we respect these differences even if we don’t always agree. Understand that individual views of community members, instructors, or guest teachers don’t represent Salt Lake Capoeira & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Mestre/Professor Jamaika’s personal or political views.

  • If concerns with community members arise outside of our classes or events, please handle those issues personally and leave those issues outside of class.

ACTIONS WE WILL TAKE IF OUR COMMUNITY STANDARDS ARE NOT UPHELD

  1. If a concern comes up during a class or an event, address it as soon as possible, directly, and respectfully with the person (or people) involved.

  2. If a concern escalates, affects the larger community, or involves harassment, address it privately with Mestre/Professor Jamaika.

  3. We will handle most matters privately using conflict resolution strategies, aiming to improve the situation with mutual respect by:

    • Clarifying the issue

    • Bringing those involved together to talk (only if all parties are willing) with the opportunity to express their experience of the situation

    • Identifying a solution

    • Continuing to monitor the conflict

  4. Repeated or serious violations of our community standards that significantly compromise the safety of others, the health of our community, or the reputation or viability of our business will not be tolerated. Community members or guests who commit repeated or serious offenses will not be able to continue attending our classes or events.