alumni Feature Video

In this latest video by YGB alumni Nia Lundkvist, released by Youth Speaks in partnership with the Bigger Picture Project, she speaks to the tensions Black youth feel about getting vaccinated, and social determinants that have contributed to vaccine hesitancy. She also encourages people in the midst of these tensions to still get vaccinated. In the end the poem itself is not political beyond the reality that all art is political. This poem is testimony and perspective often not heard in the constant public chatter about the virus.

Kingmakers of Oakland is an organization based in Oakland that supports and develops initiative in the service of Black boys around the United States. Part of their emblem includes a company of performers, many of whom are alumni of YGB. For more information on the work of Kingmakers, check out kingmakersofoakland.com

Obasi Davis is a founding member of Young Gifted and Black of Oakland.  He began is time with YGB when he was in 7th grade and continued to attend in various capacities including participating in the first YGB International Tour to London and France.  Over the next three years Obasi won the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam twice, and attended Brave New Voices representing the Bay Area.  He was named the 2013 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate, and he received a full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin at Madison in the First Wave Program for Hip Hop Arts.  Obasi graduated from UW in 2019, with a major in Fashion Design. He currently works as a mentor and teacher for the African American Male Achievement Initiative in Oakland, and as a Marketing Associate for Kingmakers of Oakland. Obasi produces and performs Hip Hop music under the name Basi, and works in graphic design.  

Jahsiri “Daemon” Shakir was one of the first members of YGB to serve as an ambassador on our first international trip to London and France with Black Historical icon and Olympic Gold Medalist Tommy Smith. Jahsiri has been connected to YGB since 2010, and performed extensively throughout Europe. Jahsiri is the older brother of one of the founders of Young Gifted and Black, Black Gold and The Black Sheroes. As Daemon, he is an Oakland based rapper who travels extensively around the world, and produces exceptionally well received hip hop music.

 Amari Chatmon is a founding member of Young Gifted and Black. He joined when he was in 5th grade and traveled to Ghana as a member of YGB in 2012.  Amari was a founding member of YGB Gold.  Amari also has had success as a writer and performer.  He is the three time defending Bay Area MC Olympic Champion and attended and competed in National MC competitions.  He is the 2016 Brave New Voices National MC Olympic Champion, and was the National Runner Up  in 2015.  His music has been featured in "King Makers" a film that highlights the African American Male Achievement Initiative in Oakland.  He has been amazing audiences throughout the Bay Area having opened for PE2.0, STIC of Dead Prez, and others.

Ikera Davis served as the inaugural Youth Director of YGB in 2016 and has served as a YGB Director for 5 years.  Her extensive performance experience inside and outside of YGB made her equipped to move into a position of leadership in the organization. She began her journey as a 5th grader in 2010 and has been involved in every iteration of YGB since. She is a founder of Young Gifted and Black of Oakland, The Black Sheroes and YGB Gold. She has performed in more been involved and performed in more YGB shows than anyone in the history of the organization. She was involved in three YGB international tours during her time as a performer, presenting twice at Emancipation Day Ceremonies in Ghana (2012, 2014), and once in Trinidad (2018). She served as a lead and youth director on the trip to Trinidad, leading rehearsals, coordinating performances and performing on stage alongside the group.  She is currently serving as the Director of YGB Berkeley and the YGB Performance Ensemble.

Nia Leilani Lundkvist is a former member of YGB Gold and also the first Youth Director of the Black Sheroes.  Nia is an accomplished actress, having starred and received awards for her performances in several plays at her alma mater Oakland School for the Arts.  As a poet she has competed for years in the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam, and last year competed in Atlanta Word Works Teen Slam.  Nia won a spot on the Atlanta Youth Poetry Slam Team and competed at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam in 2016.  Team Atlanta made it to the Finals, taking second in the country in youth poetry, after stellar performances in a highly competitive final round in the historic John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.  

Nia is recently graduated from Spellman College in Atlanta, and has returned to the Bay Area to pursue her career.

Justin Carter Walton, Best known as Jwalt is a 17 year old Rapper, Poet, and activist from Oakland California. Jwalt began writing poetry at 8 years old, later finding his passion for hip-hop when he was 11 years old. He joined YGB in the 5th grade, was a member for 5 years, and traveled with YGB to Ghana West Africa in 2016. He also appeared on Sways Universe as a member of the Black Kings in 2016. Since then, Jwalt has shared stages with world renowned artist such as T-pain, Metro Boomin, Common, E-40, saweetie, Black thought, Talib Kweli, Jerimih, Kamaiyah, and Daveed diggs. He has been recognized as one of the next Bay Area artist to take off, doing collaborations with bay legends such as Dj Toure from the Hieroglyphics and one of the pioneers of the hyphy movement Mistah F.A.B. In 2018 Jwalt was featured on the “Best of Thizzler Cypher” gaining a lot of attention and recognition for his bars and lyrical talent. At 15 years old, Jwalt made his national debut appearance on Sway in the Mornings "Doomsday cypher" becoming the youngest MC to ever be apart of the Cypher on Sirius XM.

Imani Love was a founding member of the first all girls High School YGB Ensemble, The Black Sheroes.  She spent two years in YGB until she embarked on a more serious career as a poet, song writer and artist.  She since won the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam, competed at Brave New Voices, was a finalist in for the 2014 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate Program and received a scholarship to attend School of The Art Institute of Chicago.  For her freshman project she recently won National acclaim for a photo series examining appropriation of the bodies of Black Women. Her expose was featured in media around the country including AfroPunk, Huffington Post, Unworthy and other platforms.