Teen chess club aims to divert young people from crime

RANDY FATH | UNSPLASH

Gaining Freedom Chess Initiative, which teaches chess and life skills to teenagers in addition to mentoring, opens on Feb. 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Life isn’t a game, but Paul Gaines Sr. believes the age-old game of chess can be a profound parallel.

In partnership with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, the Gaining Freedom Chess Initiative will begin on Feb. 1. The initiative will teach chess and life skills to teenagers while providing mentorship. Anyone interested can drop by the Sugar Creek Recreation Center on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to learn or practice for free.

Gaines founded Gaining Freedom Inc. in 2020 to address challenges faced by the formerly incarcerated when integrating into society. While there are programs in the Charlotte area geared toward children of the incarcerated, Gaines noticed there was a need for programs directed at teenagers.

“Those are the ones who are the closest to risk,” he said.

As a teenager in New York, Gaines was no stranger to illicit activity. At 18, a close friend was shot and killed at point-blank range right next to him in broad daylight. Trying to stay on the straight and narrow, Gaines enlisted in the military and developed a love of chess while working on naval ships.

“Out there, there’s only so much you can do,” the self-described “professional amateur” said. As player, Gaines describes himself as “aggressive, but cautious.”

“I go for what I want, but if a certain strategy isn’t working, I redirect,” he added.

It was Gaines’ son, Paul Jr., who changed the trajectory of his life. After the junior Gaines was incarcerated, Gaines watched his son prepare himself to integrate seamlessly into society. Paul Jr. learned stormwater management and strengthened his barber skills. However, he still struggled to find stable and steady employment once released.

Additionally, the elder Gaines noticed the impact incarceration had on his son’s growing family. It was difficult watching his grandchildren try to form strong, healthy bonds with their parents.

Challenges facing the formerly incarcerated range from barriers to housing, employment, and family support networks. These all pose a high risk for recidivism amongst the formerly incarcerated. But those who are justice-involved are not the only ones impacted. There are many “hidden victims.” Incarceration can have generational effects.

A 2019 article published by the American Psychological Association reports that children with a parent in jail suffer consequences that put them at higher risk for delinquency. Research published by the National Council on Family Relations in 2007 suggested a higher risk of incarceration for children with incarcerated mothers than fathers.

A 2016 paper from the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality also stated that, compared to children who never had a parent that was incarcerated, children with an incarcerated parent were at greater risk of incarceration themselves.

In 2024, North Carolina Health News reported that over 20,000 children in North Carolina have a parent who’s incarcerated. NC Child, a non-profit advocacy organization for child welfare, estimated that around 5,000 children in Mecklenburg County have a parent in prison.

Gaines Sr. believes in the efficacy of chess for teaching youth essential life skills.

“Just as with life, we can make quick choices and fast moves, without thinking about the next move, or the consequences of that move, but the likelihood for success is not great,” he wrote in an email.

Research suggests that learning chess can have a positive impact on students’ resilience, self-efficacy, self-esteem, cognitive ability, and confidence. However, much of those studies has been conducted primarily on small groups of men and boys in Europe.

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