Dear Family,
As our nation shifts once again, we are called to clarity.
We see it everywhere: rising costs, deepening divides, and a retreat from commitments to justice and equity. Programs built to uplift the most vulnerable are being dismantled under false pretenses. Our young people—especially Black and Brown boys—are being pushed further to the margins.
But at Kingmakers of Oakland, we are not surprised. We are prepared.
We know that in every age of progress, there is resistance. And we know that when you center Black boys in love, possibility, and power—some will call that dangerous. Some will call that racist.
We call it necessary.
We call it healing.
We call it the work of liberation.
This spring, we put that vision into action:
🔥 Our 2025 Spring Symposium convened students, educators, and community leaders across generations and cultures to reclaim identity, share wisdom, and envision new futures.
✊🏾 Through The Fellowship Initiative (TFI), we guided our Kings on an HBCU college tour across Louisiana and Alabama—opening eyes, igniting dreams, expanding what’s possible.
🌍 Our Jegna Interns traveled to Panama, teaching literacy, building cultural bridges, and embodying Sankofa: reaching back, while moving forward.
These are not moments of charity. They are acts of justice. They are blueprints for transformation.
At Kingmakers, we refuse to be distracted by the noise. We know that equity is not a zero-sum game—when we lift those furthest from opportunity, we lift us all. When the floor rises, the ceiling does too.
And make no mistake:
We are facing coordinated attacks not because our work has failed, but because it has succeeded.
We are reshaping systems. We are remaking our futures. We are restoring hope, resilience and possibility.
Now is the time to stay grounded. Stay focused. Stay fierce.
The prize is clear: healed communities, liberated youth, and a world built on love, truth, and justice.
Family, let’s rise together.
Keep building. Keep believing. Keep your eyes on the prize.
In solidarity and purpose,
🖤
Chris Chatmon
Founder & CEO, Kingmakers of Oakland
