In 2014, following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Anya Owensbrown found herself grappling with a fear that had gripped her two young sons.
“They were afraid to go to school, to go outside and play,” she said. “They were also afraid for anyone they knew — their father, grandpa, uncle — anyone with Black skin to be outdoors.”
Searching for a space to help her boys navigate their feelings, forget harmful stereotypes and simply play, Owensbrown found nothing. So, she created her own.
That first gathering became “Queens of Kings,” a meetup group for mothers of Black boys. What made it unique, Owensbrown shared, was that it brought together mothers from diverse backgrounds, including women who had become mothers of Black boys through adoption or interracial marriage, who came seeking guidance.
“They had questions such as how do I navigate this lifestyle for my son because I know he’s a good kid, but the world sees him totally different, and this is what’s happening to our boys,” Owensbrown said.
What began as peer support grew into something larger: a village, a movement and eventually, a nonprofit. Now known as Our Kings, the San Diego-based organization officially became a 501(c)(3) in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in 2020.
“We protested together and we had our boys with us,” Owensbrown said, “But I knew the momentum of a protest doesn’t last. I wanted something more substantial.”
Around the same time, Owensbrown learned she was expecting twins — two more boys — further fueling her passion. She and her brother Jordan, father of a young son himself, formalized the organization and began expanding it into neighborhoods and schools.
Today, Our Kings runs programs across three school districts — San Diego Unified, Lemon Grove and Santee — each with tailored focuses, from working with teachers and parents on supporting Black boys in the school system to monthly gatherings with students. Their flagship school-based initiative is called KINGS: Kind, Intelligent, Noble, Gifted Sons of Queens and Kings, an acronym created by Owensbrown’s brother.
“It’s an affirmation,” Owensbrown said. “The world calls Black boys aggressive, unintelligent, a threat. We tell them they are everything but that.
“You are a gift to the world. You’re not just someone who doesn’t matter and can go to jail or be killed on the street,” she said.
Outside the classroom, Our Kings provides enrichment activities such as swimming lessons, horseback riding and surfing alongside three cohort-based programs tailored by age. Mommy and King (ages 0–6) focuses on storytelling centered on Black boys, along with music and art, to support developmental skills and help guide parents through early childhood. K.I.N.G.S Keepers (ages 7–13) is a program where boys learn trades, receive tutoring and participate in community events.
The newest initiative, Kings to Kings (ages 14–18), connects teens with mentors and helps them learn essential life skills such as car maintenance, financial literacy and job interviewing.
“We always say it’s something you wish you had before you became an adult,” Owensbrown said.
Our Kings aims to give Black boys a safe, affirming space to grow up with confidence and joy, free from the pressure to “man up” too soon. By partnering with organizations including the police and fire departments, the nonprofit fosters mutual understanding, helping boys see authority figures as real people, and vice versa.
One of the group’s many standout stories involves a young man who entered the cohort because he felt like he didn’t have a voice.
“At our most recent brunch, he had the confidence to deliver a speech in front of over 200 people,” Owensbrown said. “That is a really big accomplishment!”
The annual Our Kings Hats & Bow-Ties Brunch, which started with 25 attendees in 2021, has become both a fundraiser and a celebration. This year, it raised $10,000 to support programs, supplies and activities for the boys. Families, community partners and honorees attended, including the very first Kings to Kings cohort, which Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe’s office recognized.
As Our Kings continues to grow, its next major event is an August 2 open house at KIPP Academy for families to explore programs in advance of its next cohort cycle in September.
Owensbrown said she feels honored that the boys, from the youngest to the oldest, form a strong sense of brotherhood through the program. Whether in their neighborhoods or out in the community, they recognize each other with a special handshake and call each other “king.”
“Something very powerful is knowing they’re not alone,” Owensbrown said.
For more information about Our Kings, go to www.ourkings.org.
