I Am Dad

The Expectant Father w/ Armin Brott

Armin Brott - The Expectant Father
A former Marine, Armin Brott has devoted the last 15 years to providing men with the tools, support, and knowledge to help them become the fathers they want to be——and their families need them to be. His seven critically acclaimed books for fathers have sold well over a million copies. Titles include The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-to-Be and The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year. He has written on fatherhood for hundreds of newspapers and magazines and is a frequent guest on such television programs as the Today Show. He also writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column (Ask Mr. Dad), and hosts a syndicated radio show (Positive Parenting). He lives with his family in Oakland, California.

Working with Low Income Dads w/ Dr. Kathryn Edin

Dr. Kathryn Edin - Working with Low Income Dads
Edin is one of the nation’s leading poverty researchers, working in the domains of welfare and low-wage work, family life, and neighborhood contexts, through direct, in-depth observations of the lives of low-income populations. The hallmark of her research is her direct, in-depth observations of the lives of low-income women, men, and children. Dr. Edin is the William Church Osborn Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Director of the Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Princeton University, Co-Director of the Joint Degree Program in Social Policy and a Principal Investigator on the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study at Princeton University, The American Voices Project and Deepening our Understanding of Amercia's Most Vulnerable. 
Author of Doing the Best I Can: Fatherhood in the Inner City and co author of It's Not Like I'm Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet in a Post-Welfare World

Fatherhood, Brotherhood and The Johnsons w/ Derrex Brady

Derrex Brady is one of the stars of the critically acclaimed Bounce TV series, Johnson (Executive Producer: Cedric the Entertainer), Derrex who plays Jarvis is now just closing its 2nd season. The series chronicles the trials and tribulations of four life-long friends, all with the last name of "Johnson". The men, all at different places in life find their friendships tested after 25 years, threatening the unity that had always been so strong. 
 
They are forced to confront and find humor in the most controversial issues from the black man's perspective ranging from love, marriage, business, politics and religion. Drawing from real life, Brady who is married with sons knows that family is everything. This led him to build a genuine brotherhood on and off screen with his fellow cast mates. In the first season, Bounce spoke to audiences, debuting as the highest rated half-hour dramedy in Bounce TV's history.

The Realities of Working with Incarcerated Fathers w/ Bishop Darren Ferguson

Born and raised in the village of Harlem and in the Bronx, NY, Bishop Darren A. Ferguson is known as a leader for this generation – a preacher, teacher, singer, motivational speaker and social activist. Rev. Darren A. Ferguson has been called a “rising star in the ministry” by the Rev. Al Sharpton. During his nearly 2 decade career in NYC, he has served in the Fatherhood program at the Osborne Association, Coordinated Reentry Services for the Interfaith Center of New York, served as Assistant Dean of Students at SUNY College at Old Westbury and Youth Minister at the Abyssinian Baptist Church.  Now studying toward his Doctor of Ministry at New York Theological Seminary, Rev. Ferguson has had a dynamic and involved career.

Challenges and Strategies of Successful Reentry Programs w/ Tina Niadoo

Tina Naidoo, Executive Director, Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative, Dallas, TX
https://www.medc-tori.org/
Tina Naidoo has served under the leadership of Bishop T.D. Jakes for over 25 years. Among her many other accolades, Ms. Naidoo has been recognized as a White House Champion of Change in 2016. In 2021, Ms. Naidoo was asked to testify to the Canadian Parliament on behalf of a Bill that was inspired by the T.O.R.I. program, and her tireless work to forward second chance legislation. Ms. Naidoo continues to lead T.O.R.I. with a culture that emphasizes the dignity and worth of every participant, employee, and partner by forwarding the vision of a reformed criminal justice system.  In the 15+ years since inception, T.O.R.I. has witnessed the rehabilitation of over 30,000 returning citizens.

Reflecting on the 27th Anniversary of the Million Man March w/ David Miller and Shawn Dove

The Million Man March was a large gathering of African-American men in Washington, D.C., on October 16, 1995. Called by Louis Farrakhan, it was held on and around the National Mall.
For  12 years, Shawn served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA), a national membership organization committed to improving the life outcomes for Black men and boys. Under his leadership, CBMA has leveraged more than $212 million in national and local funds for Black Male Achievement and grew to include nearly 6,000 individuals and 3,000 organizational members across the U.S. Now he is the CEO of the Corporation for Black Male Achievement—Continuing the work of youth development motivating professionals, community-building, and advocating for children and families.   He is also the author of the recently released book I TOO AM AMERICA. Learn more about his work at https://dovesoars.com/
Baltimore native, David Miller, has received international acclaim for Dare to Be King: What If the Prince Lives. A Survival Workbook for African American Males, a thought-provoking, 52-week curriculum teaching adolescent males how to survive and thrive in toxic environments. Currently, a Ph.D. student in the School of Social Work at Morgan State University with a concentration on Black fathers, Miller has written several children’s books, including Khalil’s Way, The Green Family Farm, Gabe & His Green Thumb & They Look Like Me (coloring book). http://daretobeking.net/

Placing a Focus on Black Fatherhood within a Family Context w/ Dr. Latrice Rollins

Latrice Rollins is an Assistant Professor at Morehouse School of Medicine in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine and Prevention Research Center. She is also the director of the National African American Child and Family Research Center. Dr. Rollins is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader, whose work is focused on father engagement and father-inclusive practices in health and human services. She is the principal investigator for several community-based participatory research studies focused on father engagement in maternal and child health and violence prevention. She is the editor of the book, Engaging and Working with African American Fathers: Strategies and Lessons Learned.

Where is the Black Love for Black Fatherhood w/ Dr. Armon Perry

Armon R. Perry, Ph.D., MSW is a Professor and Director of the BSW Program at the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work. Dr. Perry teaches Introduction to Social Work. Dr. Perry’s research interests include fathers’ involvement in the lives of their children, leading him to co-edit, Fatherhood in America: Social Work Perspectives in a Changing Society, a comprehensive edited volume addressing the micro and macro factors shaping paternal involvement. 
Currently, Dr. Perry serves as the Principal Investigator of the 4 Your Child Program, a federally funded multi-site project that aims to increase non-resident fathers’ capacity for paternal involvement. In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Perry has professional experience in the areas of child protective services and as a parent education curriculum facilitator. 

The Importance of Research and Fatherhood w/ Dr. Jeffrey Shears

Jeffery Shears - The Importance of Research and Fatherhood
Chair; Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy
Jeffrey Shears is a Professor in the School of Social Work Departments at UNC Charlotte, where he is also the Director of the Joint Masters Social Work Program (JMSW). Dr. Shears earned his BSW and Masters in Education Administration from North Carolina A&T State University and his PhD in Social Work from the University of Denver. His research interest is men (fathering, multicultural issues, HIV and AIDS) and quantitative research with an emphasis on data sharing among social service agencies. In addition, Dr. Shears has an extensive list of academic publications on fathering featured in national and internationally refereed journals. He is co-author of the acclaimed “What all Dads Should Know” (Createaspace Publishers, 2011). 

Understanding the Work of Fatherhood and Re-Entry w/ Ron Tijerina

Ron Tijerina is the co-founder and co-executive director of The RIDGE Project, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides services through partnerships with churches, schools, and state and national agencies to serve the youth and families of Ohio. The organization also strives to inform individuals, communities, the media, and local and national policymakers of the importance of strong families. Together with his wife Catherine, Mr. Tijerina co-created the award-winning TYRO curriculum, which attacks the cultures of entitlement, incarceration, and generational cycles of poverty that fragment families and destroy legacies. His work in the Ohio prison system and across the nation has strengthened tens of thousands of families and garnered national attention.