On Saturday, October 3rd, Kingmakers of Oakland transformed MetWest High School into an intergenerational innovation hub for our latest Kings in the Making (KITM) event: Architects of the Arcade. As part of the broader Oakland Tech Week, we were deeply proud to host one of the few city-wide events specifically dedicated to empowering youth to shape the digital future.
With over 40 participants, volunteers, and facilitators in the building, this KITM was uniquely energized by our youngest scholars. While we had Kings ranging from six years old all the way up through high school, our second and third graders showed out in massive numbers, bringing unmatched curiosity and brilliance to the space.
Our village of facilitators ensured every age group had a hands-on, culturally grounded experience, transitioning our Kings from tech consumers to tech creators:
Bro Obasi and Bro Kev led our youngest innovators through hands-on game design basics, character crafting, and paper playtesting.
Bro Yap, Bro Gregg guided 4th and 5th graders to code their own playable community kingdoms and solve neighborhood challenges using AI tools.
Bro Leandrew and Bro William guided middle schoolers through personal identity journaling, using a custom AI tool to generate custom characters and play with them live in a Unity sandbox world.
Bro Damien and Bro Calvin showed our high schoolers how to use augmented reality and smart prompts to turn static artwork into moving, interactive experiences.
Bro Tam and Bro Staphon equipped older scholars with iPads to master digital sculpting, 3D character design, and virtual lighting.
The day culminated in a highly engaged live demo session where parents and youth alike gathered around to play the very games our Kings had just built.
We host Kings in the Making twice a year, so be on the lookout for our next convening this coming February for Black History Month, which will feature a special focus on digital storytelling!
Step Into the Arcade: