Survival is at the heart of August Wilson’s King Hedley II—a powerful story of a man fighting to rebuild his life amid poverty, violence, and the lasting impact of incarceration.

BNS Productions, in partnership with Levine Museum, invites the community to experience selected scenes from the play followed by a community conversation with representatives from Freedom Fighting Missionaries and the Center for Community Transitions. Together, artists and community leaders will explore how best to support formally incarcerated individuals as they establish their place in community, and how the idea of second chances resonate beyond the stage and into real lives.

This community conversation uses storytelling as a bridge to dialogue, offering space to reflect, learn, and connect around justice, resilience, and the paths forward for individuals and families impacted by incarceration.

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Panelists

Arkevious Armstrong is a Charlotte, NC-based inspirational speaker, author and transformative mindset coach dedicated to youth advocacy, behavioral health and community mentorship. Formerly justice-involved, he transformed his life after prison to focus on guiding at-risk youth, fostering emotional resilience and reducing local crime.

Delilah Montalvo serves with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and is a reentry expert with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and criminal justice fields, including leadership roles supporting justice-involved individuals and survivors of human trafficking. She is a social justice advocate, grant evaluator and creator of the podcast Not My Stories to Tell—which helped secure a 20-year early release and pardon—currently developing a Social Justice Theater project that uses storytelling and the arts to advance healing, equity and systemic change.

Evelyn Hill is a community advocate, life coach and lived-experience leader who transformed a 7-year prison sentence into a foundation for service and impact. A 2022 Central Piedmont Community College Commencement Speaker, she holds an AAS in Human Service Technology & Recovery Studies and is a CPSS-certified Community Health Worker dedicated to supporting healing, recovery and community empowerment.

Freedom Fighting Missionaries (FFM) is a Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated and justice-involved individuals achieve self-sufficiency through reentry services like housing, employment and healthcare, using lived experience as a guide. Founded by Kenny Robinson, the organization provides support for obtaining identification, financial literacy, and technology and is developing housing projects to address homelessness among this population.

Toi Reynolds-Johnson is currently the Program Director at The Center for Community Transitions – Center for Women in Charlotte, North Carolina, a 30-bed, all-female residential work release and reentry program. The Center supports women who are in the final years of their state prison sentence and preparing to reenter the community through structured residential programming. Residents participate in work release, employment readiness, behavioral health supports, education, life skills training, and family reunification planning. With over 15 years of experience in criminal justice, reentry programming, case management, and healthcare administration, Toi has led multidisciplinary teams, implemented compliance and accreditation standards, and helped developed innovative programs that help justice-involved women achieve stability, employment, and long-term success.

Calvin Phelps is the Vice President of Lock-N-Key Prison Wives Aftermath #101, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to trauma-informed care, reentry stabilization, and restoring families impacted by incarceration. With more than 18 years of experience in rehabilitation, community advocacy, and freight logistics operations, Calvin brings both lived experience and executive leadership to the table. Formerly incarcerated himself, he transformed his life through discipline, accountability, and faith. Today, he mentors returning citizens, helping them navigate reentry with structure, workforce readiness, and sustainable opportunity. He understands the emotional and systemic barriers individuals face — because he has lived them.

Professionally, Calvin holds a Class A Commercial Driver’s License, is a Certified Transportation Professional, and maintains federal contracting clearance. His expertise spans logistics coordination, DOT and OSHA compliance, team development, and operational policy. Calvin stands at the intersection of structure and second chances — combining operational excellence with compassionate leadership to help rebuild lives with dignity and purpose.

Experience August Wilson’s KING HEDLEY II by BNS Productions March 27th to April 5th at JSCU Arts Factory (1545 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28216). More details HERE.