Ken Williams remembers being a 9-year-old growing up in California when his father taught him how to shoot a gun.
His godfather, Olympic sprinter John Carlos, was subjected to hatred after raising his fist in a black power salute during the 1968 Games in Mexico City. His father, Jerry Williams, received death threats after suing the city of San Jose to become a firefighter.
On a fishing trip with his father, Ken Williamswas handed a .22-caliber gun and told he would need to learn how to defend his family if necessary.
“That was the first time I felt that the color of my skin made me different somehow,” he said.