Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns began her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey at white belt alongside her mother, Judy, training under head professor James Weed at Newborn Cascao in Spokane, Washington. A graduate of Reardan High School in the Spokane area, Burns built her foundation within an academy that James Weed has operated for approximately 15 years as of 2025-09-12 (circa 2010).

Throughout her development, Burns credited two factors as central to her growth: the rigorous standards maintained at Newborn Cascao and the experience forged through competition. That combination — high expectations in training and tested performance under pressure — shaped her progression through every belt level.

On 2024-10-26, James Weed promoted Burns to black belt. Weed was deliberate in framing the promotion as merit-based rather than ceremonial, a distinction that speaks directly to the integrity of the milestone and the standards the academy upholds.

Burns's black belt promotion drew wider attention when BJJDoc, in a report published on 2025-09-12, identified her as the first person with Down syndrome to earn a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. The report acknowledged complexity in that claim, noting that other coverage had previously credited a different athlete with the distinction. BJJDoc framed the milestone as a reported claim rather than an unchallenged fact, reflecting the nuance present in the broader conversation surrounding the record.

Beyond the historical significance, Burns maintains a consistent and active presence at Newborn Cascao, training at the academy at least once a week as of 2025-09-12. Within the gym community, she is recognized for her welcoming approach toward newcomers — regularly volunteering to partner with beginners and modeling the kind of mentorship that defines a practitioner as invested in the growth of others as in their own.