Continued gratitude For The James Irvine Foundation

by Chris Chatmon

I'm deeply grateful for The James Irvine Foundation's continued support and honored that they recently shared more of my personal story and the journey that led to founding Kingmakers of Oakland.

Growing up as an adopted child shaped my understanding of family, mentorship, and the power of community. Those experiences taught me that every young person deserves to be seen, valued, and connected to something greater than themselves. That belief has guided my life's work—from leading Oakland Unified's African American Male Achievement initiative to building Kingmakers of Oakland alongside an incredible community of educators, families, partners, and, most importantly, our young kings. 

I'm honored that The James Irvine Foundation chose to highlight not only my journey, but also the transformational work happening every day at Kingmakers of Oakland. Our mission has always been bigger than any one individual. It's about creating culturally affirming spaces where young people can discover who they are, understand where they come from, and step confidently into who they are called to become.

 As I often say, Ubuntu means, "I am because we are." This recognition belongs to every person who has walked alongside this movement and every young person who continues to inspire us with their brilliance, resilience, and leadership. 

Thank you, The James Irvine Foundation, for believing in our vision and for helping share this story with California and beyond. The work continues, and we're just getting started.