OAKLAND — The city of Oakland remains perpetually susceptible to transformation. Change isn’t just common, but expected. To Josh Johnson and Marcus Peters, the beauty of the Fam 1st Family Foundation, then, lies in its consistency.
The city has changed. It will continue to change. But their commitment to the community will remain intact.
“We walk our streets. We eat in our community. We spread love. We shed tears in our community,” said Peters, a vice president of the Fam1st Family Foundation. “We just have to be present. Right now, we’re going through a rough time in the Bay Area. These kids need consistency. These kids need a shoulder to lean on. They need somebody who they know will be able to listen.”
Led by Johnson, Peters and Marshawn Lynch, a trio of Oakland-raised NFL players, the Fam 1st Family Foundation held its latest summer football camp Saturday at Oakland Technical High School. By Johnson’s estimation, this marks the 18th camp the foundation has put on, the first coming during Lynch’s rookie season in the NFL.
“We’ve been blessed to be able to do this,” Johnson said, “to be able to do the things necessary to keep it going, to be able to provide so many smiles to all these different kids and allow them to break bread through the game of football.”
Added rapper Mistah F.A.B.: “This is what should be the prerequisite for any individual that reaches a certain level of success or public status as an influencer — to come in and show kids that if you do get to that next level, come back and pour into your community. Marshawn, Josh and many of the other brothers that go here are showing that. They’re reflections of people who have dedicated themselves to their community.”
Several notable names have attended these camps over the years, a list that includes the Steelers’ Najee Harris, the Texans’ Joe Mixon; former 49ers receiver DiAndre Campbell; and former Giants safety Ryan Murphy. Peters, now a Las Vegas Raiders cornerback, was part of the very first camp.
According to Johnson, the 38-year-old Baltimore Ravens quarterback, there was an uptick in Oakland-area kids who attended college in the first four years of the camp’s existence. Johnson attributes that phenomenon to, again, consistency. Along with the camp, Fam 1st Family Foundation also operates the West Oakland Youth Center, which provides programs such as architecture, coding music and more.
“That’s a small part of how we make sure the community knows there’s life over here,” Peters said. “We have different types of programs to let the kids know that you don’t have to just be an athlete. … It’s just making sure that the kids know they have access to be able to do something different.”
“This is my family, and with family, you can pretend to care, but you can’t pretend to show up. Your presence is needed, it’s wanted and it’s appreciated,” Mistah F.A.B. said. “It adds to the power of kids going back and telling their friends, ‘Oh, you missed it. Marshawn was there. Andre Ward was there. Josh Johnson was there. Mistah F.A.B. was there.’ We just add to that. What that does is that continues to keep blowing you up so more kids come. When more kids attend, with strength in numbers, we’re able to amplify that, and that ensures the longevity and continuance of what we’re doing.”
The foundation’s latest camp comes at a time when Oakland is just months away from losing its third major professional sports team in a six-year span. The Warriors moved to San Francisco. The Raiders left for Las Vegas. In several months, the A’s will play their final game at the Oakland Coliseum before departing for Sacramento.
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“These moments are going to stick out a little bit more because all these kids have aspirations to play the game of football,” Johnson said. “I remember when I was younger, being able to make that connection. ‘The 49ers are here. The Raiders are here.’ It gave you something to keep watering that seed in your mind. Right now, that’s not the case.”
To Johnson and Peters, the A’s, Raiders and Warriors weren’t just sports teams but vessels of community. While Fam 1st may not be able to solely replace the presence of Oakland’s big three, Johnson and Peters hope their foundation can continue inspiring the next generation in Oakland — a generation they hope will give back in its own way.
“We don’t have a lot left,” said boxer Andre Ward. “Marshawn could do this anywhere in the world and it would be successful, but he always comes back home. It’s a powerful reminder for these kids and people like myself to make sure that we’re constantly giving back.”
