Miss Trojan Pride Jayden McQueen encourages students to reflect on MLK Jr. Day.
Two Troy University alumni are honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a new technology and gaming center created to empower and build a brighter future for young minds in the community.
“We saw that society and our communities, in particular, were hurting,” said Erica Jones, family physician and cofounder of Sole Circle. “There were so many different gaps in terms of mental illness, financial wellness and digitally.
“Now, we’re taking the initiative when it comes to creating a space for our youth and enclosing some of those gaps, especially in the technology and E-sports realm.”
Dr. Erica Jones and Anthony “T.J.” Bennett serve as co-founders of the Sole Circle Foundation, a nonprofit organization started in 2020 to prioritize financial literacy, mental health and technology for underprivileged communities. This new center was just one way to progress the original purpose of the organization.
The center was opened on Jan. 15 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It offers state-of-the art technology and resources, including 25 gaming PCs, screens, gaming chairs and cameras. Children can use these resources free of charge, providing educational opportunities and access they may not otherwise get.
“Not only does it lean into gaming, streaming and content creation, but our biggest thing is just making sure our community knows the different layers to the gaming industry,” said T.J. Bennett, CEO of Sole Play and cofounder of Sole Circle. “This center will ultimately be a place where you can get the education, get that knowledge and get that access.”
“Outside of just making it fun for the kids, they’re also informing children and empowering them to be able to create their own businesses and program their own games,” Jones said. The center was a long, collaborative process involving several players, including the manager of the MLK center, Toray Hicks, another Troy graduate.
Jones said seeing the kids’ excitement and being able to make a difference is what made it all worth it.
“I think it's important for all of us to remember that people are watching us, no matter what it is that we're doing,” Jones said. “It feels really good.”
With the center opening on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, just days before MLK Day, Jones and Bennett hope to honor his memory and represent all he stood for.
“One of the statements that he would always make is, ‘The most persistent and urgent question you can ask is what are you doing for others?’” Bennett said. “I truly feel like with the center, we answer that question.”
“It’s an exhilarating feeling to know that you're able to make a difference in the world,” Jones said. “I think we are making Dr. King proud.”
The Troy alums explained how their journeys started at the university. Both served as members of the NPHC during their time there, which granted them opportunities to serve their community, something that is still valuable to them today. Now, they express their gratitude to their alma mater.
“The foundation really all started at Troy from a small sneaker store,” Bennett said. “To go from that to being able to impact as much as we are now is amazing.
“I give it all to Troy.”
They hope others can use their journey as an example that anyone can make a lasting impact.
“Even when we're long dead and gone, we know that that center will still be there, and it will still be continuously pushing our community and our culture forward,” Bennett said.
“That's something that’s hard to put monetary value to.
“It’s just amazing to be honest.”
Jones wants to encourage students not to get lost in moments of despair.
“I think it's important that we continue to relay the message of hope that Dr. King spoke about,” Jones said. “That we continue to relay the message of collaboration, working together and understanding that the more we work together with one another, the better we're going to be as a society.”
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