NEW ORLEANS — Capoeira New Orleans (CNO), a Mid-City cultural arts academy offering Afro-Brazilian martial arts, music, movement, and Portuguese language classes for children and adults of all backgrounds and abilities, has been selected as a recipient of a $20,000 Amex Shop Small® Grant from American Express® and Main Street America. The funding will support facility improvements, technology upgrades, a community-based fundraising event in August, and a cultural exchange event this Fall, all aimed at expanding access to Capoeira and Afro-Brazilian cultural arts programming in New Orleans.
Upon receiving the Amex Shop Small Grant, Director Porsche Jackson said, “Being awarded this grant means we can make much-needed upgrades to our academy while continuing to expand access to the surrounding community. Community is central to everything we do, and this funding will help us strengthen our programming, improve our space, and create more opportunities for cultural exchange and connection through Capoeira. We are grateful to American Express and Main Street America for supporting small businesses that are deeply rooted in their communities.”
The program was initially launched with a $5 million contribution to support 250 small businesses in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Through a Small Business Saturday giving pledge, an additional $1 was given to the grant program for eligible transactions made on Small Business Saturday, and American Express contributed an additional $5.1 million—expanding the program’s reach and impact to small businesses and the communities they serve.
The 505 recipients reflect the vitality of U.S. small businesses, spanning industries from retail and food service to healthcare and professional services. Grant funding will enable recipients to grow and innovate by expanding operations, investing in critical upgrades, and introducing new offerings.
“Small businesses play a vital role in our communities,” said Jennifer Skyler, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, American Express. “The Shop Small Grants Program builds on our longstanding commitment to small businesses, which began with Small Business Saturday, by putting meaningful investment behind the people and places that drive local impact.”
“At Main Street America, we believe that supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses builds community wealth and a culture of innovation – yet, far too often, this vision isn’t realized due to a variety of factors, including lack of access to resources and funding,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO, Main Street America. “This is why we are so proud to partner with American Express on a program that provides meaningful support to small business owners working to strengthen their livelihoods and their communities.”
For more information about the grant program, visit https://mainstreet.org/about/partner-collaborations/amex-shop-small-grant-program
A full list of this year’s recipients is available at
https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/more-than-500-small-business-owners-awarded-2
0-000-amex-shop-small-grants.
About Capoeira New Orleans
Since 2006, Capoeira New Orleans (CNO) has offered classes to people of all backgrounds and abilities, starting at age four, in the art and culture of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. Through exposure to Capoeira, CNO aims to instill confidence in those who study Capoeira, encourage knowledge of the Afro-Brazilian culture, develop musical and physical abilities, and improve the quality of life of those in the greater New Orleans area. Learn more at www.nolacapoeira.com or @NOLAcapoeira on all social media platforms.
ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by
technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products,
services, and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.
Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our
customers. We seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad
range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations, and we build
and manage relationships with millions of merchants across our global network.
For more information about American Express, visit americanexpress.com, americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/, and ir.americanexpress.com.
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a collaborative movement with partners and grassroots leaders that advances shared prosperity, creates resilient economies, and improves quality of life through place-based economic development and community preservation in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts across the country.
For more than 40 years, Main Street America has helped to build economic power in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through our signature Main Street ApproachTM framework. Founded as the National Main Street Center® in 1980, Main Street America has helped to generate over $115.27 billion in local reinvestment, rehab 345,801 buildings, create 815,894 new jobs, and start 181,647 new businesses in over 2,000 communities.
For more information about Main Street America, visit mainstreet.org.