KINGS IN THE MAKING: The AI² Lab — Ancestral × Artificial Intelligence

A Creative Lab for High School–Aged Black Boys in Oakland

Our boys are creators. Innovators. Historians in motion. And this January, they’re getting a space built just for them to tap into all of that brilliance — past, present, and future.

On Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Kingmakers of Oakland is hosting KINGS IN THE MAKING: The AI² Lab — Ancestral × Artificial Intelligence, a hands-on creative experience for Black boys ages 14–18. This isn’t your typical tech workshop. It’s a cultural laboratory where our youth get to explore identity, creativity, and storytelling using next-generation AI tools — always grounded in the wisdom of our ancestors.

RSVP here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kings-in-the-making-ancestral-intelligence-ai-lab-tickets-1975349190604?aff=oddtdtcreator

What Makes This Lab Different

The AI² Lab centers Black boys — their voices, their humor, their imagination, their rhythm. We’re bringing together Black creatives, educators, and technologists to guide youth through a series of interactive, high-energy sessions that honor who they are and who they’re becoming.

Participants will explore:

  • AI storytelling tools like ChatGPT to build characters, worlds, and narratives rooted in African diasporic traditions

  • Generative art platforms to remix memory, culture, and imagination into bold visual pieces

  • Music-making and sound-design tools to craft beats that speak their truth

  • Identity-centered prompts and discussions that connect their lived experience with ancestral knowledge

At the end of the day, every young king walks out holding something they created — a digital artifact infused with their voice, their vision, and their genius.

Why This Matters

Our boys deserve spaces where they don’t have to shrink, translate, or negotiate who they are. Spaces where creativity is power, culture is technology, and being a Black boy is not a limitation — it’s the launchpad.

The AI² Lab is that space.

A place to experiment.

A place to find community.

A place to see the future and know they belong in it.

Who Should Attend

If your son loves music, design, writing, gaming, tech, or simply loves creating — this lab is for him. No experience required. Just curiosity, openness, and that spark our boys carry naturally.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: To be announced (Oakland area)

Ages: Black boys 14–18

RSVP:

RSVP

Call to Community

Oakland — let’s show up for our young kings. Spots are limited, and this lab is designed with intention, love, and cultural pride. If you’re raising a high school-aged Black boy, or know someone who is, make sure they claim their seat in this transformative space.

Their stories matter. Their creativity matters. Their future matters.

RSVP today.


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The Wisdom of the Elders and the Energy of the Young: A Cross Generational Dialogue