Giving Back: Fall River man turns tragedy into positive change

“In times of tragedy, of war, of necessity, people do amazing things.” -Isabel Allende

Fall River’s James Medeiros is no stranger to tragedy. As a youth, he spent much of his time in Section 8 housing and was surrounded by violence, drugs and abuse. At thirteen years old, he found his father hanging in an apparent suicide. These kinds of experiences can break a man and inspire a chain of negative events that would likely be passed on for generations. Despite struggling with drug and alcohol abuse throughout his youth, however, Medeiros has found his way through the darkness and discovered a healing passion in the form of helping others in need.

That passion has taken the unlikely form of handcrafted concrete chess tables which Medeiros builds and donates to various locations in Fall River. As the sole proprieter of Paleolithic Chess Tables, James has found a way to spread a positive message throughout the city he loves by donating these permanent, interactive fixtures to areas where youth and adults can benefit from learning a game he describes as “the most intellectual game on the planet” and “profound”. How, then, does a former addict who struggled to survive become so fascinated by a 1500-year old game of skill and patience?

“I’ve worked with troubled youth for over a decade now. At St. Vincent’s Home, Swansea Wood, Whitney Academy. I’ve spent the last decade at Corrigan Mental Health Center working with those suffering from acute mental illness. Coincidentally, I learned how to play chess from a patient there ten years ago and fell in love with the game,” says Medeiros, who quickly learned the rehabilitative benefits of the game. While researching, James recalled that his own grandfather had worked with concrete and as a longtime lover of art, Medeiros claims that quite naturally, “one idea led to another” and with the help of friends, Jeff Levrault and Todd Phipps, he began work on his first table.

James credits his time at BMC Durfee and Bristol Community College for keeping him out of prison and giving him the knowledge and wisdom to succeed. (James has Associates Degrees in both Liberal Arts and Thanatology from BCC) Mentors at both schools and several Summer youth work programs also kept him on track but there is one thing that drives him more than everything else. “My daughter is my inspiration. I want her to grow up around positive things, helping others and being creative.”

As of the writing of this article, James has donated at least seven chess tables to locations all around the city. While he has sold some tables to paying customers as high end yard decorations, his focus is to get his tables into areas where lost and troubled citizens may benefit from learning the game. His tables currently reside in Corrigan Mental Health Hospital, SSTAR Resource Center, Bristol Community College, Bennie Costa Housing Project, Pleasant View Housing Projects and Heritage State Park, among others. He has donated over 100 chess sets as well.

Though his passion for this project knows no bounds, the cost to support a project like this is considerable. The process of building a table takes about three weeks and consists of over fifty steps utilizing various materials including concrete, marble, terrazzo glass and epoxy. James is currently seeking corporate business sponsors to help get his tables into more local areas and eventually, to spread his message to other states. He hopes to see his tables function as positive, permanant architectural additions to his hometown and says his “end game” is to eventually use a percentage of his profits to launch a strong chess program in the Fall River community. In time, he hopes locals who are struggling and in recovery may find some redemption, just as he has, by helping him to build the tables. “I was a troubled youth myself. That’s why I’m doing this.”

To purchase or donate a Paleolithic Chess Table, email jmed12@icloud.com or call James Medeiros at (774) 888-7009.