Brooklyn built. Chess raised.
ChessNeverCheckers was founded in 2018 in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, by Lasana Williams and Noah Woods alongside their friend group (CNC) — a crew of lifelong Brooklynites who never left the borough in spirit. Both co-founders launched the company while finishing their undergraduate degrees: Lasana at Long Island University, studying science, and Noah at Hofstra University, studying finance.
What started as an idea between friends became a creative agency built around chess, clothing, entertainment, and education — with a mission to rebrand the game of chess itself. Instead of treating chess as a quiet, old-world pastime, ChessNeverCheckers turns it into culture: creative workshops, live events, and programming designed for kids who don't usually see themselves in the game — inner-city kids, kids of color, and kids facing financial hardship.
From that foundation, the company grew into what it is today: a full-service creative company offering uniform apparel, event planning, and community-driven programming — all rooted in the same idea that Lasana, Noah, and their friends started with. Every move is intentional.