Start With Story: McNeely Breathes Life into Spaces Where Kids Dream Big

Strategist, leader, and bridge builder, William McNeely, is the founder and executive director of Do Greater Charlotte. His innovative nonprofit is best known for its creative hubs, which transform non-traditional spaces into community centers for youth. Here, teenagers and young adults gain access to creative technology and the support to move their budding ideas forward. 

Serving as windows of opportunity, Do Greater’s CRTVLabs (creative labs) bring resources and education to youth who would not otherwise have access and also provide high-quality instructors who want to see youth succeed. On a mission to create new pathways for upward mobility, McNeely is intentional in his advocacy for under-resourced communities and credits his mother for teaching him the value of exposure. As a champion for resource accessibility, he works diligently to expand entrepreneurship education, ensuring youth in corridor communities are exposed to creative career paths. 

Now, as he begins construction on his third space, the Charlotte native reminds supporters of Do Greater’s roots. Diagnosed with a rare lung disease, in 2019, McNeely was given two weeks to live. It was at this time he vowed to commit his life to enriching the lives of others. Starting with the transformation of a Lance cookie truck, McNeely developed his first creative lab for youth in 2019. In 2022, he would transform the first floor of a historical church into a second creative lab. In his largest pursuit to date, the visionary will transform 20,000 square feet of space into an uptown creative hub where youth, creative entrepreneurs, and corporate professionals are all welcome. As he connects Uptown’s economic power with under-resourced communities, McNeely is confident it will contribute to a more equitable future for his beloved city. 

To learn more about McNeely or join his movement to power the potential of creative youth, visit www.dogreater.org