She Built This City Launches “IgKnight” Skilled Trades Program at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte

The mission of Charlotte-based She Built This City’s (SBTC) is to provide industry disruptive programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to lucrative careers in the skilled trades for youth, women and marginalized communities. As She Built This City approached its second birthday near the end of 2021, the non-profit launched its first club at Charlotte’s Ardrey Kell High School with the IgKnight program. Named after the school’s mascot (home of the Knights), IgKnight is a leadership development and success collaborative designed to support female students, particularly African American and Latina, as they navigate and advance through high school.

SBTC Executive Director LaToya Faustin explained, “We believe in real-world, hands-on learning experiences. With the girls from IgKnight, we have an amazing opportunity to do a real-world project with the local Humane Society.  We will be creating prototypes of bike racks shaped like animals using our 3D printing technology.  Our bike racks will to be installed in early 2022.”

IgKnight strives to develop a sisterhood amongst participants to support and cultivate an experience of academic, social, and developmental excellence. The mission of IgKnight is to provide a space for females of color to develop personally and professionally, in a majority of space, while learning how to impact their younger sisters and the greater community.

This program introduces the students to concepts in landscape architecture, public art and project management.  SBTC is considering a visit to Virginia Tech to learn about their Landscape Architecture Degree program. 

She Built this City’s vision is to dismantle barriers and stigmas in traditionally male-dominated industries through innovative, sustainable practices that prepare us for a future of jobs that have yet to be created. You can help us celebrate our birthday with a donation to support our mission and vision.