The Change Center
Photography, Graphic Design, Content Development
The Change Center grew out of the Save Our Sons Initiative, championed by Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. This effort focused on reducing violence-related deaths and increasing opportunities for success among teens and young adults. The Change Center operates with a mission to create a center-city space where teens and young adults are valued and safe, and creates a partnership facility that makes recreation, leadership development, and job opportunities available.
Some of the most rewarding and passionate work we have done has been with the Change Center, located in the heart of the inter city area of Knoxville, TN. In response to the shooting death of 15-year-old local football player Zaevion Dobson, who threw himself on top of his friends and saved the lives of two teenage girls, a plan was mobilized to create a place for young people to have a safe place to go with a strong police presence.
Zaevion’s death was a national news story with a response from President Obama and an Arthur Ashe courage award at the ESPYs.
But there have been many, many others who have died in gang-related shootings in Knoxville whose stories were not told on National television. Additionally, in the 3.25 miles surrounding the Change Center, an astounding 76% of all homicides in the Knoxville metropolitan area took place. Most were by young 18-24 year old black males in gang related shootings. The Change Center will provide structure and programs to help get these young men into jobs and in a healthier community.
We worked with the Change Center on a marketing and development team to create promotional materials, a feasibility study and to develop fundraising strategy in partnership with the city of Knoxville to raise the $5.1 million needed to build a skating rink, a basketball court, a restaurant, and a center for a jobs initiative for these teens to be able to learn interview skills and get jobs with major companies in Knoxville.
We worked closely with the executive director and CFO to help tell the story of this effort that has pulled together massive public support and mobilized the hearts of many to see hope in an area that had been touched by so much tragedy. The Grand Opening for the Change Center was on December 21, 2018, and we could not be more honored to have been a part of this effort.