OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
DECEMBER 6, 2025
When Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab launched Know Your Rights Camp in late 2016, it was only fitting that our very first Camp took place in Oakland, a city deeply rooted in resistance and community care. That day, we welcomed 95 Black and Brown youth into a space filled with knowledge, protection, laughter, and love because love is the root of our resistance. That first gathering was more than an event; it was a promise. A promise that would become the blueprint for more than a dozen Camps across the country and around the world, each committed to nurturing the next generation of Black and Brown leaders. As KYRC approaches its 10th anniversary in 2026, it felt right to return this year to where it all began.
In collaboration with the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries, our 16th Camp was hosted at the Sephora Performance Center, where our programming reached new heights. The day opened with a powerful fireside chat featuring KYRC founders Colin and Nessa alongside legendary activist Angela Davis. This historic conversation set the tone for the entire day and delivered a clear message to our youth: their time to lead, to resist, and to transform the world is now.
What followed were four heart-shifting, transformative sessions. Returning activist, educator, and storyteller Ernest Crim III guided youth through Black history, showing them living proof of their resilience and brilliance. KYRC Autopsy Initiative Program Director Nicole Martin joined civil rights attorney Adanté Pointer to break down legal rights, turning fear into preparation and preparation into power. Artist Brandan “BMike” Odums illuminated how creativity itself can be a weapon for truth, healing, and liberation.
To close the day, Cayden Brown, once a youth legal rights presenter at our Detroit Camp and now a college student, returned full circle to pour into the next generation. He reminded them that organizing, leadership, and change don’t begin someday; they begin right now, in their own communities. Between sessions, youth were nourished with three healthy meals, meaningful giveaways, and vital resources provided by local organizations. We were also blessed with the presence of Mario Wood's mother Gwen Woods and Oscar Grant's mother Wanda Johnson as well.
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None of this would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our staff and volunteers who showed up in every way, planning, holding space, and standing beside our youth from start to finish. We are deeply grateful to each of them, and to the Golden State Valkyries organization, whose R.I.S.E. youth initiative aligns powerfully with KYRC’s mission. Together, this partnership represents a shared commitment to protecting, educating, and uplifting Black and Brown communities.
