KOO’s origin story and unapologetic commitment to Black boys starts with data. No matter where in the country they were (urban, suburban, city or rural) academic indicators point to the widest achievement gap between Black boys and all other races.…

When we consider the variety of funding streams that are present in social impact work, we understand that remaining innovative and informed is a critical aspect of philanthropy. On both the funder and recipient side, a successful relationship is built…

The Brother Hood Brunch was created by Brother Vince Hoeshen of the Kingmakers MDP program at Antioch Middle School. Brother Vince has been teaching the KOO curriculum for the past five-plus years at Antioch Middle School. This year Brother Vince…

We are proud to announce our Educator of the Month, Brother Marcus Bradford, who hails from the Emerald City of Seattle Washington and currently teaches at Aki Kurose Middle School. Brother Marcus acknowledges, “Teaching these young kings brings me great…

Our CEO Chris Chatmon was an integral part of a powerful panel presentation at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference in Chicago on April 14 presenting with other education leaders and luminaries. Dr. Vajra Watson, Professor of Educational Leadership…

Dr. K.O. Wilson, Director of Black Teacher Retention and Recruitment, traveled to Namibia in Africa this month to present at The 11th Teacher Education &  Interdisciplinary Research (TEIR) Conference .  Participating African Universities included University of South Africa, University of…

The stage was set for The Griots of Oakland 10th Anniversary event with our head of Marketing Communications, Carrie Crespo, taking the audience back to where we were as a nation a decade ago as a reminder of the time…

One of the most highly anticipated events every year at our Spring Symposium is when we  host our Student Showcase.  This highlight features  performances and presentations by youth working with Kingmakers of Oakland who have benefitted from the organization’s pedagogy…

We know “it takes a village to raise a child”.  That is why it’s critical we engage families and community members to become part of the assets-based school district ecosystem. Our Theory of Action starts by establishing Learning Collaborative MIC…

KOO Director of Family and Community Engagement Brother Adrian Henderson helped bring life to Black Star Rising event last month. The Black History Month event united a cadre of powerful Black-led organizations who gave game to Oakland’s McClymonds High School…