What was once a dream, can be a reality. Charlotte FC partnered with local designer/photographer Mike Jones to create a celebration of Black Excellence in the Carolinas. This vision and design is manifested in special edition jersey numbers that will be worn by Charlotte FC in their match the week of Juneteenth to celebrate the black culture and community of the Carolinas.
In addition to the jersey numbers, the design "Excellence Was Once A Dream" will be featured on the June Scarf of the Month as well as exclusive merchandise coming soon to the Team Store at Bank of America Stadium.
Scroll to learn about and hear from Mike himself as he discusses the inspiration for his design, what Black Excellence means to him and how you can get involved.
Mike Jones is an artist that specializes in Photography, Design, & Storytelling; whose creativity is immersed within community and passion for the arts. From Raleigh, North Carolina but currently resides in Charlotte, NC, he has his own freelance company named VIOLET, which offers creative services such as Photography, Videography, Creative Direction & Design Work, while also serving as a Community Initiative that immerses in Uplift & Engagement.
This pattern/art piece represents the music and art community in the Carolinas. Every type of success or measure of Black Excellence all started with a dream. This design consists of faded handwritten quotes within the sky and the clouds from individuals in the Carolinas that I have been inspired by.
There isn’t only one measure of “Black Excellence”; I feel like a lot of people have the misconception of you either hitting a certain stature, having a certain job, or having to be a public figure or celebrity to achieve Black Excellence, but that’s not the case at all. As long as you are doing what you love, embracing it, and using it to reach new heights for yourself, that to me is what it’s all about. I look at my family and friends and all of the things they have accomplished while striving for more in their passions is a pure direct example for me of what achieving Black Excellence is.
“Excellence Was Once A Dream '' was born from the perspective of every type of success or measure of Excellence, first started with a dream. If I could attach a scenario to it, visualize a kid being asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and the kid's response was to be an astronaut. So every night, that kid would sit in their yard with an astronaut helmet on, looking up at the stars, and fantasizing about the day they go to the moon. That dream was the first step of achieving their own type of Excellence. I reflect on that scenario every time there is something I want to strive for in life. The lyric from J.Cole’s song The Autograph, “They say anything’s possible, you gotta dream like you never seen obstacles” is something I continuously live by. Music is my passion and my first love. I consider myself a musician before anything because that was the first form of creativity that I was introduced to. The skill and appreciation were passed down to my siblings and me from my parents, especially my dad. In my early childhood, he would sit me beside him while he played his piano and that is where I discovered the harmony of my life, and music. From then on I saw life so differently; my heartbeat became my tempo and my steps became my metronome. I wanted to figure out a way to really honor the beauty of music and what it has done in my life.
On the artistic side, this design is also an Ode to the Charlotte Creative Community. The inspirational energy here is so infectious and rich, which makes it hard not be motivated to create in any capacity. One staple here in the city, that I’ve drawn the most inspiration from since I’ve been here, is BLKMRKTCLT and the insanely skilled artists that it consists of. They are always non stop creating, curating the culture, and displaying what true love for the art is while continuing to bring the community together. This design and opportunity to me is not only big for Charlotte, but for the Raleigh Creative Community which is the garden of where MY DREAMS began, and the whole state of North Carolina and every artist, musician, and creative whose DREAMS of Excellence were born here.
Thank you to Mike Jones for his vision, creation and partnership.
Excellence Was Once A Dream
© 2026 Charlotte FC
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