Kingmakers of Oakland

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Kingmakers of Oakland Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO) works with school districts and organizations committed to improving educational outcomes for Black Boys from preK - 12th grade

10/20/2026

"Schedule your mindfulness first... all of this other stuff is unsustainable." 🧘🏾‍♂️

👑Our Founder & CEO Chris Chatmon () sat down with Ashanti Branch () on the latest episode of the unMASKing with Male Educators podcast for a raw, deeply vulnerable conversation on leadership, vulnerability, and wellness.

In this clip, Chris opens up about his heart attack 11 months ago and the hard-learned lesson that our bodies hold stress, even when our minds are built to push through. As leaders, educators, and protectors, true strength means taking off the mask, prioritizing daily practice for spirit, mind, and body, and modeling sustainable wellness for the next generation.

👉 Tap the link in our bio to listen to the full episode! Youtube - https://youtu.be/F3Bwix6liTU

We are proud to announce the Golden State Music & Technology Program, presented by . We built it with the Golden State W...
10/19/2026

We are proud to announce the Golden State Music & Technology Program, presented by . We built it with the Golden State Warriors, Golden State Entertainment and NBA 2K to develop the next generation of creative leaders in Oakland. 🎤🎧

We’re looking for 30 young creatives from Oakland, ages [14–24], who love music and technology and have a story to tell. Over 12 weeks they’ll learn Song Writing & Performance, Music Production and DJing from experienced music instructors, guest artists and specialized facilitators, working in professional recording studios with industry-standard equipment. The curriculum is grounded in youth development and narrative change, and the cohort ends with live showcases for the community.

Sessions run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at KOO Labs Design Center & Production house.
Space is limited. If you know a young person who is ready to elevate their craft, share this post. Apply now: [https://bit.ly/4zzwzsS]

Oakland Style Week was an absolute movie! 🎬✨On Thursday, October 8th at The Atrium at Uptown Station, we had the honor o...
10/17/2026

Oakland Style Week was an absolute movie! 🎬✨

On Thursday, October 8th at The Atrium at Uptown Station, we had the honor of celebrating local designers at the beautifully produced "Inspired on the Runway" fashion show—and our young Kings absolutely showed out!

Big props to King Senay for his incredible leadership, and a massive shout-out to our young Black designers who officially debuted original, upcycled looks from their fashion academy! Let's give it up for our Runway Fashion Designers and their lines:

👕 Xavier Harris | Xplicit
👕 Elijah-Amir Richardson | Life Before Death
👕 Ronald Singleton | Ronald Archive

🌺This extraordinary convening wouldn't have been possible without the brilliant leadership behind the scenes. Huge thank you to the event producers, Visit Oakland for your vision and support.

🔥📸 Swipe through to see our Kings shining!

👑 Join us in giving a massive shoutout to our Student of the Month, Jamir Brown-Anderson!A senior majoring in Economics ...
10/16/2026

👑 Join us in giving a massive shoutout to our Student of the Month, Jamir Brown-Anderson!

A senior majoring in Economics at San Francisco State University, Jamir is a powerful example of what it means to grow into leadership. His journey with us started in TFI Cohort 1, and he has since stepped up as a Tribe Chief for our Sankofa Kings program.

One thing about Jamir: if he sees a need, he jumps in. Whether he’s leading a team, starring in a promotional video, or dropping knowledge on markets and the economy, Jamir consistently pours into his community with genuine encouragement, confidence, and care.

Congratulations, Jamir! Thank you for showing us what a true King in the making looks like. ✊🏾

Know a King we should honor as our Next Student of the Month? Drop their name in the comments below to nominate them!

10/15/2026

A new episode of SCRIBE just dropped on our YouTube! 🎙️👑

This week, host Jordon Chatmon sits down with the legendary Dr. Grace Carroll (Mama Grace) for a powerful, intergenerational build on Black literacy.

They get into the vital need for Black male mentors in our classrooms, the power of seeing brown skin in early reading books, and how we protect our children's critical thinking in a digital world.

The ultimate takeaway? Our children are already born with inherent genius. Reading is just the tool to unlock it.

👉 Tap in and watch the full build now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MyI1VHpTDs

10/09/2026

The wait is over! Our young Kings are hitting the runway TONIGHT for Oakland Style Week! 👑🧵

✨Take a look inside the KOO Fashion Academy and hear directly from our brilliant student designers as they talk about their original, upcycled looks for tonight's "Inspired on the Runway" show.

These young men (ages 14–21) have been putting in the work at our design incubator, and now they are ready to show The Town what they’ve built. Come out to The Atrium at Uptown Station tonight to celebrate Black boy joy, creativity, and the future of Oakland fashion!

📅 When: TONIGHT, Oct 8 | VIP entry at 5:30 PM, General Admission at 6:30 PM
🎟️ Grab last-minute tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inspired-on-the-runway-oakland-style-2026-tickets-1994910594289

10/07/2026

Did you catch us on the morning news? 📺

This morning, our CEO and Founder, Chatmon, joined to discuss Kingmakers of Oakland's impact during Tech Week.

This past weekend, we hosted a design lab and hackathon where young Black scholars (from Pre-K through opportunity age) got hands-on experience building the future. Instead of just consuming technology, they spent the weekend coding, animating, and designing their own video games and augmented reality experiences.

As Chris shared on the broadcast, our approach is different: we empower our youth to root their tech skills in Ancestral Intelligence first, ensuring they know who they are before navigating these new tools. Silicon Valley might get the national spotlight, but the true soul of tech innovation resides right here in the East Bay.

If you know a young King who is ready to transition from playing games to building them, we are still accepting applications for our fall KOO Labs Academies!

👉 Learn more and apply for KOO Labs Academies here: https://www.kingmakersofoakland.org/koo-labs-academies

The Town is taking over the runway THIS Thursday, and our young Kings are front and center! 👑🧵We are incredibly proud to...
10/07/2026

The Town is taking over the runway THIS Thursday, and our young Kings are front and center! 👑🧵

We are incredibly proud to see the brilliant young designers from our KOO Fashion Academy (ages 14–21) step into the spotlight for the "Inspired on the Runway" fashion show as part of Oakland Style Week.

They’ve been putting in the work at our design incubator, upcycling and creating original visions. Now, they are showcasing their collections alongside other amazing local creatives from Oakland School for the Arts, Creative Growth, Oakland Style Lab, and the White Elephant Sale.

When we give Black youth the tools to create, they don't just follow trends—they set them. Come witness the future of Oakland fashion and support our young visionaries!

📅 When: THIS Thursday, Oct 8
🎟️ Tickets: Standing Room ($25) | Premier Seating ($45) | VIP ($75)

👉 Grab your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inspired-on-the-runway-oakland-style-2026-tickets-1994910594289

This past Saturday at MetWest High School, our young Kings took center stage for Kings in the Making: Architects of the ...
10/05/2026

This past Saturday at MetWest High School, our young Kings took center stage for Kings in the Making: Architects of the Arcade in partnership with Oakland Tech Week !

Our scholars stepped into the driver’s seat of digital equity,moving from technology consumers to technology creators. From coding original 8-bit mechanics and building 3D character models to designing their own playable arcade games, the brilliance, focus, and innovation in the room were unmatched.

Swipe through to catch the energy, the big smiles, and the future game architects at work! 📸➡️️
💬 Parents & Scholars: What was your favorite game built on Saturday? Drop a comment below!
🚀 What’s Next? Applications for KOO Labs—our year-long creative arts and after-school program—are now OPEN! Tap the link in our bio to apply today! 📲

Address

Oakland, CA
94612

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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