By Theo Hollingsworth | Photos: Theo Hollingsworth
Theo Hollingsworth, the Director of KOO Animation, had the privilege of escorting two of our MetWest High School interns, Jaden and Samir, to the AfroAnimation Summit 2025 in Burbank, CA in April. This multi-day event is the leading gathering for Black professionals and emerging talent across the animation and gaming industries—and it did not disappoint.
Their time at the summit was packed with incredible learning moments and real-world inspiration. They sat in on an AI panel and reconnected with fellow Oaklander Damien McDuffie, the founder of Black Terminus AR, who spoke about the future of augmented reality (AR) and Black cultural preservation. They also had the chance to prescreen Cartoon Network’s highly anticipated new series Iyanu and hear directly from its creators about bringing authentic African storytelling to global audiences.
Throughout the event, they attended panels on everything from voice acting, to creative development, and breaking into the industry, including powerful insights from veteran animation professionals at Disney. The students also got the chance to network with major professionals, like Omar Sancristobal, a character modeler at Pixar Animation Studios, who shared his journey and encouraged the next generation of Black animators.
We were also proud to share that KOO’s animated music video, Ubuntu, was preselected as a finalist for AfroAnimation’s Indie Short Film Festival, which added an extra layer of excitement and pride to the trip.
More than anything, it was a deeply affirming experience for Jaden and Samir—to see Black creators and professionals thriving in this space and to feel like they belong in the room. That’s the heart of what we do at Kingmakers of Oakland; making sure our students not only dream big but see those dreams reflected back in the world around them.
