Out in Force by Ryan Pitkin

NEWS & OPINION FEATURE OUT IN FORCE

Potions & Pixels workforce development program wraps in Grier Heights

BY RYAN PITKIN

Standing in front of a table display featuring light fixtures and wiring in the Billingsville Elementary School gym in southeast Charlotte’s Grier Heights neighborhood on a December night, 24-year-old Tiaunjalae “Tee” Chancley beamed as she showed what she had learned during a 13-week workforce development program that had just wrapped up.

Even as she prepared to graduate from the program that night, she was still in a state of disbelief about the experience. The skeptical feelings she originally had about the program when she learned about it over the summer had gone away, but that didn’t make the experience any more believable, per se. In fact, if there was one word Chancley repeated most often during our conversation, it was “unbelievable.”

She told me she had come across flyers for the program — a partnership between the Charlotte Hornets, Lowe’s and local tech nonprofit Potions & Pixels — while working at the Food Lion in Grier Heights. The idea that someone would pay her to take part in workforce development was hard to believe.

“I seen it at first and I could not believe it,” she recalled on graduation night. “I left it alone for two weeks and then my girlfriend came to me with it like, ‘Let’s try to figure out if this is real.’ I applied and still when I did the interviews I was like, ‘Are you serious? You’re going to give us tools and pay us money to come to class?’ Just each day within the program over three months it’s still been unbelievable. Still now, unbelievable. All these people here now to see us? It’s unbelievable.”

The 13-week program is perhaps the most ambitious of all those that have made up the Legacy Project, a campaign originally launched by the Charlotte Hornets in 2016 that began with renovating neighborhood basketball courts and has now evolved into more in-depth community initiatives.

During the 13 weeks, students from the Grier Heights community learned fundamental, highdemand electrical skills in order to pursue careers in electrical construction via hands-on training led by EIG Electrical Systems.

When first approached by the Hornets and Lowe’s to help run the program, Potions & Pixels cofounder Michael Zytkow had a reaction not unlike Chancley’s: skepticism.

“At first, I kind of wanted to pump the brakes because I was like, ‘Man, that’s so much work and, my style, I want to be really in-depth and be really intentional about how I put it all together.’ I’m like, ‘Hey, if we’re going to go forward with this, I’d really love to make this the dream project.’”

Zytkow met with representatives from Lowe’s and the Hornets Foundation, and brought with him a list of goals he’d like to see implemented to make that dream a reality: evening classes, tools supplied to students, free meals during classes, and a $15-anhour stipend for anyone who goes through the program. They agreed to all.

“I was like, ‘Well, damn, they’re definitely serious about this. They want to support it.”

Zytkow hit the streets of Grier Heights, setting a goal to visit every house and apartment in the neighborhood to let folks know about the opportunity, plus churches and other community hubs. He spent several hours each day for multiple weeks traversing the neighborhood over the summer, hitting the Food Lion, Grier Heights Presbyterian Church, the Grier Heights Community Center and anywhere else he thought he could reach residents.

The canvassing work came naturally to the former activist and Charlotte City Council candidate.

“It took me a long-ass time,” he said, laughing, “and it reminded me of running for office again. I lost some weight doing it and a lot of sweat for sure, but I literally knocked on every house and left thousands of flyers.”

By summer’s end, Zytkow had more than 100 applicants. He put them through a series of interviews — a phone interview followed by an inperson followed by a tour of Camp North End — just to gauge each applicant’s seriousness. In the end, he ended up with a class of 22.

Brittany Jordan, a 31-year-old Grier Heights resident and care connections specialist with Atrium Health, was the first person to sign up. By the time Zytkow made it to her door, she told him she had already signed up on the first day after receiving an email and walking to the community center for an application. She was one of 19 class members who graduated on Dec. 15.

“It actually exceeded my expectations,” she told Queen City Nerve on graduation night. “I didn’t know what to expect, but from day one we just jumped right into it. From day one we did metal conduits, bending and cutting metal pipes, and it’s just been up from there.”

Jordan said she joined up because she wanted to learn to be a jack of all trades, but is now interested in a career using what she’s learned.

“I saw it as an opportunity to learn something new,” she said. “I didn’t really think much of it or think I would get this much out of it, but I’m glad I did. This was such a blessing for me, I love it, and I’m ready to start a career as a helper in the electrical industry.”

Most of the class members have already applied for jobs with EIG, which has committed to hiring at least five students from the program, as well as DPS Construction, a local contractor company that also lent its expertise to the workforce development program.

After a short break for the holidays, management at those two companies will begin to survey the job applicants and make decisions around hiring, though Zytkow said he’s confident that each one of the graduating students can get a job in the industry using the new skills they’ve learned.

He said he’s been in constant contact with each student since gradation. While he has plans for a six-month follow-up, the way that the team came together throughout the program has convinced him that they will remain close long after that.

“We know we’re going to be in each other’s lives … I wanted to have a commitment to at least six months of structured follow up just to make sure that the job placement — the feedback that people will give from having work, and the challenges, the ups and downs of the whole process — that they have an opportunity to share that, but I think that camaraderie is going to be the thing that sticks with me the most,” he said.

“Just seeing people’s eyes light up when they put a light bulb together from scratch or wire something, and that feeling of empowerment where we really wanted to start the program off, where from the very first class, you have the tools in your hand and you’re doing things that let you know you can do all of this. It might seem like magic, but you can be that magician. You really can be the person that’s bringing these buildings and this infrastructure to life.”

Chancley said she has already applied to both EIG and DPS and hopes to hear back from both in January.

“Hopefully they can pick everybody [from the program],” she said. “Hopefully everybody can come together and everybody who was in the program can be an asset to them. I don’t know about everybody else, but I’m willing.”

And that’s how skepticism turns to belief.

STUDENTS WORK WITH LIGHT FIXTURES DURING THE PROGRAM.

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN

ARTS FEATURE A GUIDE TO NEW YEAR’S EVE 2022

Hop right into the Year of the Rabbit

We’ve made it through another 12 months, and most everyone’s already checked out of work until 2023. There’s only one thing left to do. Well, scratch that, there are plenty of things to do. *All events take place on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2022.

NEW YEAR’S EVE BRUNCH + BOTTLES

Fill up before New Year’s festivities with a hearty brunch from Katsu Kart and the release of two hefty imperial stouts to pair with it: Sins So Sweet Imperial Stout and Killing Moon Imperial Stout. More: Free; 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; HopFly Brewing Co., 1327 S. Mint St.; tinyurl.com/HopFlyBrunch

NEW YEAR’S EVE PREGAME

Kickoff your NYE celebrations with a mimosa bar with fresh-pressed fruit juices, purees, and unique garnishes to go with $15 champagne bottles all day and free Krispy Kreme doughnuts for the first 200 guests. More: Free; 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S. Tryon St.; tinyurl.com/LennyBoyPregame

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT WINTERFEST

All the festivities offered at Carowinds Winterfest, but also throw in multiple countdowns through the night and a main countdown at midnight with fireworks. Plus live performances from Night Years and The Parks Brothers. More: $33; 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd.; carowinds.com

’70S/’80S/’90S NYE PARTY

Two options. One building. Downstairs: The Belfast Beggars acoustic band and Irish New Year countdown to 7 p.m. Upstairs: A DJ plays ’70s/’80s/’90s hits and counts down to midnight with a complimentary champagne toast. More: Free; 6 p.m.; Rí Rá Charlotte, 208 N. Tryon St.; tinyurl.com/RiRaDecades

BLACK GIRL AESTHETIC ARTIST SHOWCASE

In acknowledging Black woman artists and their unique approaches to art, the Black Girl Aesthetic Artist Showcase highlights and celebrates radical emerging female Black arts-and-culture practitioners while generating an internetwork of Black woman artists and curating a space to unite the greater Charlotte community to these artists and their art. Event includes live performances, live art, dinner, drinks, vendors and giveaways. More: $15 and up; 7-10 p.m.; Midwood International & Cultural Center, 1817 Central Ave., #215; tinyurl.com/BlackGirlAesthetic

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT COYOTE JOE’S

There shall be $1,200 in prizes, party favors, a champagne toast and Out of the Blue onstage. More: $12; 7 p.m.; Coyote Joe’s, 4621 Wilkinson Blvd.; coyote-joes.com

SOMEWHAT RISQUE: A BURLESQUE TRIBUTE TO NINE INCH NAILS

Presented by The Flamingo Revue, this show features classic acts that you’ve enjoyed over the years and brand new performances created just for NYE ‘22. More: $20-$30; 7 p.m.; The Milestone Club, 3400 Tuckaseegee Road ; tinyurl.com/SomewhatRisque

CLTNYE

Watch the crown drop at the city of Charlotte’s official celebration, with food trucks, a DJ, holiday activations and local band Mo’ Money. More: Free; 8 p.m.; Levine Avenue of the Arts; uptowncharlotte.com

THE AVETT BROTHERS

The hometown heroes from Concord return for their annual N.C. New Year’s Eve show after performing in a virtual broadcast in 2020 and delaying last year’s show in Greensboro due to COVID concerns. More: $60 and up; 8 p.m.; Bojangles Coliseum, 2700 E. Independence Blvd.; boplex.com Uptown Charlotte’s ’80s and ’90s throwback bar includes two levels, multiple dance floors, four bars, a large outdoor patio and a retro arcade. More: $30; 8 p.m.; Roxbury Nightclub, 116 W. 5th St.; freshtix.com/events/roxburynye22

NEW YEAR’S OH MY BASH

Live auction, a wrestling show, and drink specials through the night, all of which benefit the Greater Enrichment Program, which provides after-school programming to at-risk youth. More: $20; 8 p.m.; Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S. Tryon St.; tinyurl.com/LennyBoyOhMy

CLTNYE 2021

COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE CENTER CITY PARTNERS

THE JAM COOPERATIVE NEW YEARS EVE JAM

Grateful Dead cover band The Jam Cooperative plays us out of 2022, with some special guests and other festivities planned throughout the evening. More: Free; 8 p.m.; Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar, 510 Briar Creek Road; facebook.com/sjc.bar.on.briarcreek

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT PETRA’S

This genre-defying lineup includes Sinners & Saints, Indigo Jo, Probably Will and Cosmic Collective, whom you can read more about on page 8.

NEW YEAR’S EVE BLACK & GOLD AFFAIR

Dress in your sexiest black-and-gold get-up while 105.3’s DJ HukHer and Olympia D host a live broadcast from the booth. More: $40 and up; 9 p.m.; Vibrations Night Lounge, 5237 Albemarle Road; tinyurl.com/BlackGoldNYE

SU CASA’S NYE FÊTE

Charlotte’s longest running oasis for the culturally starved, Su Casa, hosts New Year’s Eve with DJ Bloc and Steelwheel playing your favorite Afrobeat, soca, reggae and more. More: $20, 9 p.m.; Studio 229 at Brooklyn Collective, 229 S. Brevard St.; tinyurl.com/SuCasaNYE22

VICE

For the first 364 days of the year, we strive to keep our vices in check until, for one night, we let it all hang out and escape to a world of unbridled optimism and excess. More: $30; 9 p.m.; Taboo Lounge, 710 W. Trade St., Suite H; VICENYEatTaboo.eventbrite.com

NYE HOUSE VIBRATIONS TAKEOVER

Sugar Society and Disco Donnie present this NYE House Vibrations takeover event featuring Chris Lorenzo and Lucati. More: $55 and up; 9 p.m.; Black Box Theater, 421 E. Sugar Creek Road; tinyurl.com/SugarSociety

PEEKABOO

Dance your way into the new year with Peekaboo, a dubstep producer best known for launching his own style, known as freeform bass or space bass. That’s what Wikipedia says anyway, we don’t really know. More: $33 and up; 9 p.m.; The Fillmore, 820 Hamilton St.; fillmorenc.com

CBA NEW YEAR PARTY

The Charlotte Bluegrass Allstars play through the night with a champagne toast at midnight. More: Free; 9:30 p.m.; Thomas Street Tavern, 1218 Thomas Ave.; tinyurl.com/CBANewYear

DEEP FRIED DISCO

Dance into the new year with vibes from your hosts That Guy Smitty and VonFunkHauser with special guests Charles Gatling, Steve Howerton and Oba Shanti. More: $10; 10 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com