SankofA Kings.AI: Architects of a Healthy Democracy

Bridging Ancestral Intelligence + AI to Shift Power and Build Civic Agency.

THE VISION: Why This Work Matters

In a healthy democracy, the communities most impacted by inequity must be the authors of their own solutions, not just recipients of decisions.

The Challenge: Current systems often prioritize compliance over critical thinking, stripping young people of their agency.

The Response: Kingmakers of Oakland builds the "civic muscles" democracy requires. Through the Sankofa Kings AI Residency, we equip young Black men (Ages 12–25) with the identity, critical consciousness, and technical tools to organize, research, and lead collective problem-solving in their neighborhoods.

The Strategy: From Critical Research to "Activation Toolkits"

The residency uses Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) as its engine. Kings don't just "learn AI"—they use it as a technical lever to amplify community voice. The goal of every team is to produce an Activation Toolkit: a customized, AI-enhanced digital bridge designed to solve a specific local challenge.

What is an Activation Toolkit? It is a portable, scalable digital experience created by the Kings that allows community members to interact with data, history, or solutions in real-time.

  • The Method: Kings identify a community "bug" (e.g., media bias, loss of elder history, or neighborhood safety) and build a toolkit to "patch" it.

  • The Tools: Leveraging LLMs for synthesis, Generative Media for storytelling, and low-code platforms for deployment.

  • The Goal: To move beyond passive screens and into active, intergenerational community engagement.

THE SUCCESS ROADMAP: Projected Outcomes & Metrics

  • Youth Leadership Trained

    25 Kings graduated; 80%+ Attendance; 20% increase in civic confidence.

  • YPAR Cycles Completed

    3 youth-led research cycles; 3 published issue briefs presented to decision-makers.

  • Community Activations

    6 youth-led events; 150+ intergenerational community members engaged.

  • Activation Toolkits Deployed

    3 functional, youth-designed toolkits produced (e.g., tools for oral history, narrative reclamation, or civic planning).

  • Narrative Shift & Showcase

    1 Public Showcase; 75+ attendees; 5+ formal partner commitments generated.

Partnering for Impact: The Funding Model

Total Funding Request:

$150k

This investment fuels the development of the youth cohort, the local research cycles, and the deployment of the digital toolkits.

  • Program Staffing & Facilitation ($67,500): Expert mentorship and YPAR coordination.

  • Youth Stipends & Support ($18,000): Ensuring equity and accessibility for all 25 Kings.

  • Technology & Creative Production ($15,000): Prototyping and deploying youth-led digital tools.

  • Community Activations & Showcase ($22,500): Underwriting the public-facing practice of democracy.

  • Evaluation, Learning & Documentation ($12,000): Measuring impact and packaging the model for replication.

  • Admin & Communications ($15,000): Narrative change strategy and operational support.

THE PATHWAY: Beyond the SummeR

Sankofa Kings AI is not a one-time engagement; it is a year-long civic pathway

SUMMER: Build the toolkits and the brotherhood.

FALL: Lead school-based leadership workshops and "AI Bias Labs."

SPRING: Execute city-wide community activations and the Annual Student Showcase.

We are building the Technical Architects of a more just and participatory Oakland.

View Student Artifacts

Contact Info:

Chris Chatmon, Founder/CEO chris@kingmakersofoakland.org