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Source: I Is We Incorporated
Nov. 17, 2025 – I Is We, a Savannah-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved and high-risk youth through chess, is holding a youth chess tournament: the “From Pawns to Kings” Youth Chess Tournament on Nov. 24.
The tournament is open to Savannah youth ages 10–19 and is part of the nonprofit’s mission to build strategic thinking, promote positive competition, and improve patience, memory and academic achievement. Registration is $10 per player and food, drinks and snacks will be provided for all participants. Games and movies will be available for players who exit tournament rounds early.
In preparation for the event, I Is We is hosting a free practice session on Monday, Nov. 17, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at The Whitefield Center, 106 E 37th St.
About I Is We
I Is We is an innovative, community-based nonprofit organization that uses chess and other higher-level games to educate, engage and empower underserved and high-risk youth, steering them away from criminal and gang-related activities toward a brighter, self-reliant future. The organization serves youth ages 6–19 in Savannah.
After teaching its first 20 underserved and high-risk youth to play chess in 2023, I Is We nearly quadrupled participation in 2024 and continues to grow in 2025. The group teaches chess through:
- Youth Empowerment “Lunch-N-Learns” on Saturdays at Dixon Park (February–November)
- The City of Savannah’s Path Forward summer program for high-risk youth ages 17–19
- Collaborations with Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and community organizations
Beyond chess, I Is We facilitates mentor-based workshops led by “credible messengers” focused on health and hygiene, self-esteem, strengthening peer relationships, financial literacy, managing emotions, building resilience and encouraging positive decision-making. The organization also partners with food and nutrition-focused businesses and community groups to address food insecurity so youth can better focus on learning and self-improvement.
I Is We’s community initiatives include maintaining Dixon Park as a safe, clean environment, sharing surplus “Lunch-N-Learn” food with residents in need, partnering with the Forsyth Farmers Market to provide healthy food, and delivering hot lunches during inclement weather.
About Founder and Executive Director Alonzo Truitt
Founder and Executive Director Alonzo Truitt describes himself as “a regular kid from the neighborhood who had some real challenges” and developed a desire to reach back and help youth facing similar obstacles create better lives for themselves.
After moving to Savannah in 2023, Truitt combined his love of chess and youth mentoring into a movement that has helped steer high-risk youth toward positive, purposeful life decisions and away from criminal and gang-related activities. He is routinely called upon by the City of Savannah, Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and other youth-focused organizations, and his work has already impacted more than 150 high-risk youth since I Is We began.
Working closely with his wife, Natasha, Truitt aims to create a safe and inspirational space where young people with real challenges experience real-life improvements and deep personal satisfaction by challenging themselves.
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