In 2020 Fogo Azul, an all-woman and non-binary drumming group from New York City traveled to Salvador, Brazil to learn from Banda Dida, the first black, female samba reggae drumming troupe and participate in Carnival. Then in 2022 Adriana Portela, the charismatic leader of Dida, traveled to New York to rehearse with the 115 women of Fogo Azul to participate in the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. What follows is a portrait of empowerment, joy, inclusion, and the enduring power of the drum.

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