Hoodline Feature: Charlotte Boys Pack JCSU Camp As Cops Sound Teen Takeover Alarm
Source: Hoodline
Coverage: July 21, 2026
As Charlotte leaders consider how to respond to unsanctioned youth gatherings and so-called "teen takeovers," Hoodline highlighted Impact Camp as part of the other side of that conversation: prevention, mentorship and creating constructive opportunities for young people.
The publication covered hundreds of boys gathering at Johnson C. Smith University for the 11th annual Impact Camp, where participants spent the week engaged in mentorship, recreation and workshops covering areas including financial literacy, entrepreneurship and college readiness.
During the camp, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson spoke with participants while discussing the city's concerns surrounding recent teen gatherings and potential changes to Charlotte's juvenile curfew.
Impact Camp's approach begins years before many participants reach their later teenage years. By connecting boys ages 8 to 13 with mentors, practical skills, career possibilities and consistent adult guidance, the program focuses on early exposure and positive decision-making.
For co-founder Shawn Kennedy, that work is part of a commitment that has continued for more than a decade: giving young people opportunities to discover what is possible before negative influences have the opportunity to define their paths.
The coverage comes as Kennedy Properties & Development continues advocating for a broader understanding of community development, one that includes investment in housing and neighborhoods alongside investment in the young people growing up within them.
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