My name is Vernon Lindsay or Professor Leão Preto in Capoeira circles.

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In 2006, a friend gave me a flyer for a Capoeira class offered at a park in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois (USA). When I attended my first class and saw what resembled breakdancing and martial arts, I wanted to learn capoeira. After studying the history of Capoeira's origins among enslaved Africans in Brazil, I became convinced of its purpose in my life.

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The United Capoeira Association (UCA), founded by Mestre Acordeon, Mestra Suelly, and Mestre Rá, has chapters in the US and Brazil. My teacher and respected UCA leader, Mestre Calango, is a native of Recife, Brazil, with over thirty years in Capoeira. Before moving abroad in 2016, I led UCA Chicago with Mestre Calango and taught classes at Village Leadership Academy.

 

Due to my years of experience, which include teaching adults and children in the United States, training trips to Brazil, and hosting classes in Mexico, I am a certified UCA teacher. 

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On May 22, 2019, I published my second book, Capoeira, Black Males, and Social Justice: A Gym Class Transformed with Peter Lang Press. This book documents my work with Capoeira in Chicago to encourage positive self-awareness, inspire academic achievement, and support community engagement among Black boys. My passion for capoeira and community engagement, which inspired my second book, drives me to continue offering classes for adults and children.

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Today, I teach classes at gyms and schools. 

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To learn more about my history in capoeira, buy my book. For more information about my academic background, visit this link.