If you are registered for this weekend’s events, please search your email inbox for the latest Eventbrite emails entitled “Spring Symposium” and follow the prompts for login instructions. For additional support, please email support@kingmakersofoakland.org
If you are registered for this weekend’s events, please search your email inbox for the latest Eventbrite emails entitled “Spring Symposium” and follow the prompts for login instructions. For additional support, please email support@kingmakersofoakland.org
Founder, CEO & Board Member
Christopher Chatmon is the Director and CEO of Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO). Chatmon founded KOO and served as the first Executive Director of the African American Male Achievement (“AAMA”) for the Oakland Unified School District (“OUSD”).
Curriculum Designer
Uma Joshi-Garcia is a social justice educator in the Bay Area who is passionate about activism, ethnic studies and creating a holistic educational experience for youth, specifically students of color. Uma graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in Political Science and then received her Masters in Education from UC Davis. Since then, she has been teaching and growing the Ethnic Studies program at Oakland School for the Arts by creating her own curriculum through the lens of Afro-centrism, equity, justice and youth activism. Currently, Uma is a curriculum designer for Kingmakers of Oakland and will be working to build a culturally responsive and Black youth centered curriculum. Outside of education, Uma is also an advisory board member for the Youth Uproar Theatre Company, which is an all BIPOC led organization focused on inclusion within the arts. She enjoys spending quality time with family and friends and being outdoors.
Co-Board Secretary
Director of Black Teacher Recruitment, Training & Retention
Dr. Kenderick O. Wilson (K.O.) manages the development and implementation of the KOO Department of Black Male Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Certification.
K.O. is the founding Program Manager of the Academy for Rising Educators (ARE) program – Seattle Public Schools' "homegrown" teacher talent initiative focused on assisting SPS high school students, Instructional Assistants and community members in entering the field of education as certificated teachers, with an emphasis on Black Males teachers.
Dr. K.O. has earned a Doctoral of Educational Leadership from the University of Washington, Tacoma. K.O. is a first-generation college graduate and master's recipient who graduated from Birmingham Southern College with a B.S. in Economics and Math and earned an M.S. in Educational Policy from University of Washington, Seattle. K.O.'s identity and experiences influence his commitment to behavioral economics and critical race research.
During the past couple years, K.O. has worked in the Seattle community in non-profits, Seattle Public Schools, King County Housing Authority, and an Academic Counselor at University of Washington, Seattle-Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D).
Co-Board Chair
Romero Wesson grew up in Oakland,California. He graduated from Castlemont High School as Student Body President Class of 2019. He is the Vice-President of Castlemont’s Alumni Association and currently attending Los Medanos Community College majoring in Kinesiology. Romero serves as a Spiritual Advisor to many families, organizations, and community leaders across the bay area. Romero is also a product of the African American Male Achievement Program(AAMA). Romero was apart of AAMA Student Leadership Council from 2014-2019 where he travelled and spoke at many different national and local convenings. He is also the founder of the Chosen Generation Community Foundation which he officially launched in June of 2018, where their bible based curriculum is building youth of today to be the leaders of tomorrow. Wesson is also a Humanitarian, working with churches across the globe to promote human welfare. Romero has done projects in Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti, and the Philippines. Romero’s goal to reach and inspire youth that it doesn’t matter where you come from, all that matters is where you end up.
Contractor: Media Productions
James C. Earl-Rockefeller, III is a videographer and production specialist for Kingmakers of Oakland Communications Department. “Rocke” began his career in entertainment as a professional stand-up comic in 1986. Moving to Oakland, CA in 1992 presented him the opportunity to appear on BET's Comic View (1st Season) and work for The Soulbeat Television Network, a 24 hour "black owned" network, broadcasting music videos, entertainment and community programming. Rocke is a sports Public Address Announcer for Stanford University, Laney and Merritt Community Colleges and the Oakland Athletic League.
TFI Oakland Program Manager
An Oakland Native and advocate/activist for the lives and education of youth and people of color. Majoring in Anthropology at Sac State, coordinating Media for Kingmakers of Oakland, and teaching transitional kindergarten are the ways in which my passion aligned with purpose.
Co-Board Chair
By the age of 16 George had found his passion, combining social justice and technology. George then decided to start a tech company at 16 years old, in hopes to help other kids of color gain entry into the world of technology as innovators not just consumers.
Since then George has developed a mix of mobile apps and web-platforms, lectured at multiple universities, worked with Colin Kaepernick, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf, and Megan Smith, the ex-United States chief technology officer and assistant to President Obama.
George Hofstetter Technologies Inc. encourages people to help change the world’s perspective on race through technology.
George's most projects/events include Up to Code Vol. 1, a computer science and entrepreneurship curriculum sponsored by Capital One Dev Exchange, Head of Technology and Experience at TedxMenlo College “This is America”, a TedxTalk at the Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, and travelling to Johannesburg, South Africa with The Hidden Genius Project to teach computer science and design thinking at 5 LEAP Science and Math schools.
Media & Technology Manager
Damari is a stagehand, audiovisual specialist, video editor, and aspiring creative thinker. He considers himself a conduit through which stories are told – stories that present struggle and endearment; a quest for self-understanding & systems relationships. Damari is here to document transformations of the self, community and beyond.
MDP Services Coordinator
My name is Shedrick L. Johnson Ill
I am a productive person who is mastering
leading but not afraid to follow. In my life, I
have realized in order to be a great leader, you
have to be a great follower. I enjoy public
speaking, serving, and inspiring people. Giving
people, something to believe in is a passion of
mine. I have made many connections and
concrete relationships along my journey, but
my main goal is never to stop learning as I
elevate in life and build my community, along
with influencing positive change in this world
with God leading me!
TFI Co-Facilitator & Music Production Coordinator
Our team and experts will lead d ynamic action-driven presentations and classes that will give you tools on how to engage, encourage, and empower Black Youth.
Connect with like-minded people from all over the world and feel supported in your professional journey!
Get refreshed through a fun Virtual event and learning space!
Proven techniques to adopt in your practice as we share effective strategies and model our drivers for systems change, when activated, improves educational outcomes for Black boys.
You will leave inspired, invigorated, and prepared with an action plan to install in your community by building with colleagues to implement collaboratively as regular practice which forms leaders.
