Gracie JiuJitsu Alameda

Happy 250th Birthday, America! ❤️🤍💙🥋
The best one yet. 🇺🇸

Proud to celebrate our nation’s 250th in the Alameda Fourth of July Parade with our Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Alameda family. Grateful for the freedom to do what we love and proud to call this the greatest country on earth.

“I’ve just got three things to say: God bless our troops! God bless America! And gentlemen… start your engines!” 🇺🇸

Yesterday was more than a parade. It was a celebration of 250 years of the greatest country on Earth.

It was an incredible privilege for our Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Alameda family to celebrate America’s 250th birthday right here in our hometown of Alameda.

This was our third consecutive Alameda Fourth of July Parade, and without question, our best one yet.

🇺🇸 Year 1: Float #131
🇺🇸 Year 2: Float #161
🇺🇸 Year 3: Float #105

At 3.3 miles long, Alameda is home to the longest Fourth of July parade in the nation. There truly is nothing like it.

We brought over 1,000 parade throws and ran out before we even reached the halfway point! We’ll definitely be bringing more next year.

One of my favorite moments was looking into the crowd and seeing our students, lifelong friends of my dad, and generations of Alamedans celebrating together.

As a third-generation Alamedan and third-generation judo and jiu-jitsu practitioner, days like yesterday carry a little extra meaning. My family’s story has been woven into this community for generations, and it’s an honor to continue that legacy through Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Alameda.

A heartfelt thank you to my dad, Brad Burgo, for once again building our float from the ground up and driving all 3.3 miles. I couldn’t do it without you.

Thank you to every student and family who walked beside us, handed out throws, and proudly represented Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Alameda. This is, without question, our favorite event of the year.

As we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America, I’m simply grateful for my faith, my family, my hometown, and the opportunity to serve this community.

Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸❤️🤍💙

Faith. Family. Country. In that order.

God bless our troops. God bless America.

Summer Belt Ceremony is a celebration of our students, but none of it happens without
the faces behind the magic. ❤️🥋

This photo represents decades of experience, countless hours, and a commitment to our students. My dad, Coach Mark, and our assistant instructors are the people helping celebrate victories, tie belts, answer questions, run drills, and make every student who walks through our doors feel like they belong.

GJJA is what it is because of people like them. They lead with patience, humility, and heart, giving so much of themselves to help shape not only better jiu-jitsu practitioners, but better human beings.

I couldn’t do it alone. Forever grateful for this team and the community we’re building together. 🖤🙏