Coming up later this month at Youngstown Arts Center:

SUMMER BEAT FUNDRAISER FEATURES BRAZILIAN AND AFRICAN CULTURAL LINK

Brazilian and African musicians and dancers are samba-ing and drumming their way into summer as part of a fundraiser benefiting young women and girls in Salvador, Brazil.

Bahia Street’s Summer Beat a Brazilian Festival includes dance workshops, a live performance, and food and drink as a way to share the unique blend of African and Brazilian culture in Salvador. Tickets are for a donation of 10 dollars, and the event will take place on Friday, May 29, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle.

Bahia Street is a nonprofit based in Brazil, the United States and the United Kingdom that breaks cycles of poverty through education for impoverished African-Brazilian girls and young women. Bahia Street supports a center in Salvador that educates these girls for university study, giving them access to a life outside of the relentless cycle of poverty and violence that plagues their neighborhoods.

Because of Bahia Street, six girls have gone from illiteracy to university and have become activists for their communities. Outside of Brazil, Bahia Street promotes greater understanding about collaborative international development.

The event starts at 6 p.m. with workshops offering dance lessons in the Brazilian dances samba and capoeira. While the majority of the event is for ages 21 and up, these workshops are open to all ages.

A live performance begins later on in the evening, and authentic Brazilian food will be served. The performance features Brazilian dance and music from groups Vamo La, Tudo Beleza, Bahia in Motion, Bantos Capoeira Seattle, and Jeff Busch, as well as West African dance and music groups Thione Diop and Yeke Yeke. The performance will end with DJ Darek Mazzone from KEXP’s WoPop world music show.

More information can be found at summerbeat.org. Tickets will be available at Youngstown on the day of event.