Activism

Knot Our Kidz: Monee Brown is on a Mission to Keep Your Children Safe

Monee Brown has dedicated her life to cyber security and keeping children safe. Through her company, Knot Our Kidz, an initiative dedicated to promoting online safety among youth, Brown has generated a movement in the community as a staunch advocate against human trafficking. A retired deputy probation officer in Alameda County, Brown lists the many ways children are vulnerable and how parents and guardians sometimes unassumingly create pathways that predators may take advantage of. Brown, who is based in Oakland, says she witnessed first-hand the alarming trend of youth being solicited and groomed through their cell phones unbeknownst to their parents.

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

Oakland Post

Author, speaker, advocate and founder of Knot Our Kidz, Monee Brown. Photo courtesy of Knot Our Kidz.

By Carla Thomas

A retired deputy probation officer in Alameda County, Brown lists the many ways children are vulnerable and how parents and guardians sometimes unassumingly create pathways that predators may take advantage of.

Brown, who is based in Oakland, says she witnessed first-hand the alarming trend of youth being solicited and groomed through their cell phones unbeknownst to their parents.

“Oftentimes parents were unaware of online predators, hadn’t informed their kids of the dos and don’ts of the internet, and weren’t actively monitoring their children’s devices,” she said. “This experience inspired me to create resources to help bridge this gap in knowledge and safety.”

With over 22 years of experience in law enforcement and a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Brown says she is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and has written three books to highlight the dangers of online predators.

Her book, “Ready, Set, Game,” highlights the dangers of online gaming. “Operation Don’t Chat Back,” exposes the risks of chatting with strangers online.

Her guide for parents on protecting their children from online predators is entitled “Cyber Pimp: What Every Parent Needs to Know.”

“It’s crucial to educate parents and anyone who has an instrumental role in a child’s life, be it an aunt, grandparents, an uncle, or godparents. These books provide practical tools and engaging narratives that empower children and parents alike to navigate the digital world safely.”

Brown says when children are given digital devices, parents typically don’t know what they are engaging in beyond schoolwork.

“Computers could also expose a child to engaging with strangers and potential predators online. For parents that don’t want their child on the computer, what are the alternatives? Are the students monitored online? What are the precautions taken to protect youth from encountering predators online?

According to Brown, although it may be innocent, sharing information about children on social media easily exposes youth to potential predators.

“When proud parents post pictures on social media of their child’s graduation from middle school, this exposes the child to thousands of people online, because each person has about 500 friends on social media, she says. “If the proud parents post a CashApp to bless a child financially, a predator could use this gift as an act to gain a child’s attention, build trust, and further entice the child.”

Brown says she welcomes organizations and individuals willing to join her in combating predators who target children away and fighting for more protections for children in the cyber world.

For more information visit: www.knotourkidz.com

@PaulCobbOakland @PostNewsGroup @NNPA_BlackPress @BlackPressUSA @knotourkidz @AlamedaCounty @CashApp

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.