Our Editor-in-Chief independently selects every product and experience to meet the high standards of the global editorial she founded. If you purchase through our links, So MoTiFFated may earn a commission, which supports our independent journalism.
UPDATE - March 2025: Unfortunately the owner of this boxing gym, Dyme Boxing & Fitness in Charlotte, NC, later showed immense unprofessionalism, including making inappropriate comments about my body. I no longer train at this gym and am not recommending it to my audience. This post remains on this site because this experience positively impacted many youth in Charlotte, NC as noted in the testimonial below.
Boxing is everything. I grew up in a household that admired the greats like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and don’t even get me started on how many George Foreman grills we owned! My dad purchased every film from the Rocky franchise. He even played Rocky theme music, specifically Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, on the way to our bowling outings as a family. Experiences such as those stuck out as core memories for me and I wanted to be able to provide the kids attending a local boxing gym with a similar experience that they would remember for years to come.
All things excellence, right to your inbox. Beauty essentials • Business strategy • Style curation Everything you need to nourish your confidence.
Those kids train so hard with their passion for boxing shining through in each class and it just felt right to offer to give them an opportunity to see the film Creed III, during opening weekend, for FREE. After one of my training sessions at the beginning of February, I mentioned that I would be willing to rent out a movie theater for the kids to see the film at no cost. I knew of a local independent theater, Ayrsley Grand Cinema, that could accommodate the request and began communicating with its general manager, Josh, to find the best date and time.
We settled on March 4th at 9a! Although the theater’s first showtime that day began at 12p, Josh was kind enough to arrive at 8a and open the theater up to our group, so that we could have the theater to ourselves. Each patron, kids and adults, was able to get a snack pack that included popcorn, candy, and a drink. FREE of charge. Well, to them. Haha!
It was truly a great time. Some kids got dropped off, others arrived with their parents/guardians, and both coaches and gym members served as chaperones. Before the movie started, kids picked their seats and were smiling, joking, laughing, and even burping. Ew! I don’t know who had more fun, the coaches or the kids! This seems to be the first time this gym had a field trip to the movies to see a boxing film, but I think it was well received and allowed them to build camaraderie.
What I didn’t realize, and was informed by the coaches after the movie, is that this was a unique opportunity for the kids to be able to bond. They shared that during their training sessions, the kids are there to focus and work on getting better at boxing, so it was great to see them mingling and making friends.
I love it when a plan comes together! For a month, when I had so much going on in my personal life, I was still able to plan and make this happen for the kids in my hometown of Charlotte, NC. I didn’t count attendance on the day of the movie, but know that we planned for about 75 people. To see this diverse group of kids, made up of different races and genders, come together in this way is actually incredible.
A coach let me know following the movie, “I appreciate you for putting all that together. I’m sure [the kids] had a good time [because] I had a ball. Haha. Thank you again.” Another gym member shared with me that the kids loved it and are going to talk about it for weeks!
It takes a tribe. This digital editorial provides high-vibrancy journalism without a paywall. As an independent publication, we thrive on reader support. Whether a one-time tip or a monthly gift, pledge your support via the pink button above. Your readership is valued!
I received these messages on Instagram from parents whose children attend the gym and they warmed my heart!
I probably don’t realize the magnitude of what I did, but I just know that it felt like the kind thing to do for kids in my city. I didn’t really grab video content, because I wanted to be present and stay in the moment as much as I could. Plus, I was busy coordinating with the movie theater’s general manager to make sure things were good. I’m just grateful that I was able to fund this experience for them.
MORE FROM SO MOTIFFATED:
 Tiffany Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of So MoTiFFated. With an MBA in Digital Marketing and a background in branding, she curates excellence across beauty, business, and style with the eye of an executive and the heart of a hype woman... Read Her Story!
6 Comments
Jasmine B
3/12/2023 05:46:54 pm
You’re such an inspiration!!
Qubilah Huddleston
3/25/2023 07:57:25 am
This was inspiring to read. Those kids will definitely remember this moment! 4/30/2023 04:39:47 pm
Thank you so much!! I sure hope that they will remember this for years to come!
Alison
4/30/2023 09:53:34 am
Tiffany- This was so generous and I’m sure it was a great experience for these kids outside of the gym. Keep inspiring all of us! 4/30/2023 04:42:29 pm
Thank you so much!! This was such a fulfilling experience. God willing, I'll be able to continue to do great things like this in my community . . . and beyond! Leave a Reply. |
Support
So MoTiFFated: Whether a one-time tip or a monthly gift, this digital editorial thrives on reader support. Pledge yours via the QR Code below! 
All things excellence. Beauty • Business • Style Nourish your confidence. Contact the editor: |
