Mestre Esquilo continues to inspire his students in Charlotte, North Carolina, even from afar.

A video documentary released by Mestre Esquilo’s students pays tribute to and asks for help in bringing him back to their International Capoeira School. The video details the group’s history with and without their mestre, beginning as a group of friends who enjoyed capoeira and came together to train, to needing a teacher in order to grow—they got a mestre. Mestre Esquilo and Glauciele injected positive energy into the group, changed their lives, and brought a community together.

Unfortunately, after helping his students open the Brazilian Arts Center in Charlotte, the mestre and his family were faced with a series of unfortunate legal circumstances involving his green card.

A few of his students reflect in the video:

“Things didn’t have to end up the way they did. I also know that a lot of the mistakes that were made early on continued to haunt them for the remainder of their time here and have continued to prevent them from being able to come back. I really really wish they had someone who was an advocate for them from the beginning.

“I think Mestre Esquilo coming back affects Charlotte, but really it affects everything he touches. He’s been a partner in the state of North Carolina because he hasn’t just stayed in Charlotte, but he’s gone to Carlborough and other places where he’s done workshops and people know him. What I found with Mestre is that anyone he’s touched, [edited] people who come in contact with him always have positive and good things to say about him.

“Almost in the 1st month he was here, he says, ‘We have to give back to the community.’”

The family was forced to move back to Brazil, leaving a void in the United States capoeira community. The students compiled this video out of love for their mestre and to highlight their current struggle without him. Here’s hoping Mestre Esquilo, his family, and his students can find a way to reunite and continue their great work in the Charlotte community and beyond.

Please visit Charlotte Capoeria’s official website and on Facebook. And if you know how to help the students of Charlotte Capoeira, please email charlottecapoeira@gmail.com.