This Sunday, June 15, is Father’s Day. We appreciate all the dads, granddads and dad-like men who are part of Families as Allies. Thank you. We see your kindness with your children. We see your dedication to knocking down barriers for your children. We see you laughing and playing with your children. Sometimes, we see you weep, not with your children, but for what they face.
We respect and appreciate you, not just this Sunday but every day. We wish you a very happy Father’s Day.
In 2020, we did a series of “Dad blogs” about dads involved with Families as Allies (several still are). They shared their thoughts about what being a dad meant to them, and their thoughts have aged well. Please check out these blog posts and our favorite quotes from each.
“I think it’s important because oftentimes we don’t, as fathers and as men, talk about things we’re feeling or how we’re feeling. We have this tendency to just keep things inside. And so there has to be somebody who comes forward and speaks about how they’re feeling and what they’re doing and sharing his experiences.”
“You find yourself fighting back some of those stereotypes that are already out there. I know the black men in my circle are very engaged in their children’s lives, but you don’t get that in national narratives. No dad willingly wants not to be engaged with their children.”
“Look, when (my son) came into my life, that was the most blessed thing. Just that life, holding him in my hands and talking to him and carrying him around, that part of life is so precious.”
“My thing is, when you are born into this world, the world is one way and when you leave it, you should feel comfortable knowing that you’ve done everything possible to leave the world in a better position than when you got here. As an individual, I can’t affect change on every level across the planet, but I can do my little part in my little portion of the world.”
“It’s important to me that people hear us talk about us,” he said. “What I see at my kid’s schools or at public events or protests is black fathers coming out and saying they care about their children and their future.”
