CounterBalance L.A.

Jessica Carla de Lima-Moran and her husband, Sean, had spent 18
years building their business, teaching the Afro-Brazilian martial
art of Capoeira to students in Northeast Los Angeles. This art
form is a fusion of dance, martial arts, acrobatics, functional
fi tness and traditional music that incorporates cultural history as
inspiration for movement.

After leasing space within a community gym, the Moran’s decided
to take on the building’s lease. The neighborhood had been
developing rapidly; this decision seemed like a smart business
move. However, two weeks after signing the lease, the COVID-19
pandemic shut down all California businesses.

Despite the building being shuttered and classes postponed/
canceled, the Northeast L.A. community came to the Moran’s
with supportive ideas and a commitment to attend classes
whenever and wherever possible. Many children and families
participate in Capoeira classes and missed the experience during
social isolation.

With help from a PPP loan, the Moran’s and their team at
CounterBalance L.A. began Zoom classes within six weeks of
closing, then moved ahead with limited-participant outdoor
classes to bring their community back together again.

The Moran’s credit the simple application process, hands-on
service from CRF and the convenience of using a technology-driven
platform for securing their PPP loan. The entire process
took just 2-3 weeks and provided CounterBalance L.A. with
much-needed capital for re-opening and welcoming families back
to the gym.