Since Danya’s passing last October, our local community and the chess world at large have felt an incredible void. In an effort to bring us together, we launched the Naroditsky Memorial Fund under the Charlotte Chess Center Foundation, promising two key initiatives: a world class tournament and a legacy fellowship. This past weekend, that promise became a reality. The inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz was a beautiful representation of what chess could and should be, a unification of top grandmasters, creators, amateurs, and fans. With more than 300 players and hundreds of spectators joining us, we sent a clear message: this community stands behind Danya, his family, and everyone who loved him. We choose to honor him through the principles he lived by, positivity over vengefulness, and kindness over retribution. A massive congratulations to Javokhir Sindarov for winning both the Rapid and Blitz championships, and to John Bartholomew for an incredible 9 0 sweep in the Creator Invitational! During the event, we were also proud to officially announce the Naroditsky Fellowship, a support fund for America’s top junior players. We will be distributing $50,000 in its first year come January 2027, with applications and criteria opening this August. We hope this serves as a lasting, vital supplement to the support that already exists for the next generation. An endeavor of this magnitude requires an unimaginable amount of work. For the last six months, this project has been a full time job for a core group of CCC staff. My deepest gratitude goes to Grant Oen, Kelly Centrelli, and Dr. Walter High. Without your tireless, relentless dedication, none of this would have been possible. Thank you as well to every single staff member and volunteer who ensured the event ran flawlessly, keeping the atmosphere positive and seamless for players and fans alike. We are incredibly grateful to our community business sponsors, New In Chess, AAU, House of Staunton, Crown Trophy, USCF, DGT, Dunstan Group, and The Social Rook. Your contributions offset major organizational costs, directly allowing us to allocate more funds toward the junior fellowship. Thank you to all the players and creators who gave their time to attend; your presence provided immense value and proved that chess can be a force for unity. Our broadcast partner, Chess.com, specifically Danny Rensch, Sam Copeland, and Mike Klein acted as our megaphone to the world. The production team, alongside the fantastic broadcast support from Menno Pals and his crew, delivered a seamless online experience. Hearing David Howell, Peter Leko, and Judit Polgar on commentary was spectacular; Danya would have absolutely loved the team we assembled. An event of this scale has an immense number of moving parts, so if I have inadvertently missed thanking anyone by name, please excuse me. Your support did not go unnoticed. Most importantly, thank you to Danya’s family for trusting and supporting us to lead these efforts in his name. It has been an incredibly difficult time, but your trust has allowed us to channel our shared grief into a lasting, positive contribution to the game he loved. A Personal Reflection: For the past seven to eight months, I have woken up every single morning working for Danya. This project has been my grieving process. For those who attended the dinner prior to the tournament, you may have seen me break down, something I rarely do. I poured myself into this event to devote myself to a lost friend. But grief brings complicated emotions. I have always lived for achievement; I take great pride in earning things through hard work and dedication, and I never want anything handed to me. Because of that, I battle a strange feeling that I did not truly earn this success, because it was born out of Danya's passing. That is a paradox that will never fully fulfill me personally. Instead, I look for fulfillment in the value this brings to the chess community. My hope is that the joy, unity, and support felt through this Memorial Event and Fellowship will carry on for years to come. Even as time passes and memories inevitably fade, I want the world to always remember Danya’s name as one that contributed beautifully to the game, both in life, and long after.