I Am Dad

I Never Met My Father w/ Eugene Schneeberg

Mr. Eugene Schneeberg, President of Fathers Forward and author of “I Never Met My Father: My Journey from Fatherless to Fatherhood” is an award winning and sought after speaker and trainer. Eugene is an expert at providing trainings in the fields of fatherhood, prisoner reentry, youth violence prevention & faith based partnerships.  Eugene provided strategic advice to the White House Office and the U.S. Department of Justice after being appointed by President Barack Obama as the Director of Faith Based Partnerships for the Justice Department.
Eugene led DOJ’s efforts as part of the President Obama’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative, and the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative. This resulted in over $30 million dollars in new grants for Juvenile Justice Involved Young Fathers and an increased focus on Empowering Parents within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Eugene co-chaired the Obama Administration’s efforts to support and improve outcomes for Children of Incarcerated Parents. He helped lead the Attorney General Eric Holder’s Federal Reentry Council. He helped expand DOJ’s Youth Violence Prevention efforts helping to build the capacity of more than 30 major US Cities to combat youth violence.
Eugene has received numerous awards, authored several articles and has addressed hundreds of audiences. He has appeared on ABC, CBS and has been quoted and referenced in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Huffington Post, Christian Broadcast Network and many other news outlets.

RECOGNIZING HOW FATHERHOOD SHAPES HOW WE WORK WITH FAMILIES w/ Dr. Stacey Bouchet

Dr. Bouchet is a Senior Consultant for Fathers Incorporated.  She is
the co-author (with Kenneth Braswell) of Fathers Incorporated's
training curriculum, What About Dad, that equips health and human
service providers to more effectively engage fathers. Dr. Bouchet is
also the Principal Consultant for Bouchet and Associates--Strategic
Consulting for Social Change--where she provides expertise in public
relations and communications, outreach, coalition building, research,
evaluation, policy, practice, and program management. She has provided
technical assistance and training to individuals, non-profits,
government entities, philanthropic and mission-driven organizations.
 
Dr. Bouchet is the former Executive Director of Women In Fatherhood
where she advocated for the removal of structural barriers faced by
low-income fathers and developed the Voices of Women and Men Matter
media campaigns to increase positive images of low-income fathers and
men of color and raise the awareness of the importance of fathers from
the vantage point of women.  She was honored as a Champion of Change
for low-income men and fathers by the White House for her work with
Women In Fatherhood.  Dr. Bouchet was also the Project Director for
the Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative (HHMI) Grantee Implementation
Evaluation, which was a joint effort between the ACF Office of
Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) and the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). Dr. Bouchet
brings over 10 years of research-based advocacy on issues related to
vulnerable youth and disadvantaged, minority populations. She is also
a trained behavioral therapist who worked with children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders and provided support for their families.  Dr.
Bouchet is also the proud mother of her 16 year old daughter, Chloe.

A FATHERHOOD JOURNEY TO A DOOR OF NO RETURN w/ Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, producer, and #1 New York Times Bestselling author of 36 books, including THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, AN AMERICAN STORY, BECOMING MUHAMMAD ALI, co-authored with James Patterson, REBOUND, which was shortlisted for prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, The Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor-winning picture book, THE UNDEFEATED, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and his NEWBERY medal-winning middle grade novel, THE CROSSOVER.
A regular contributor to NPR's Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Three NAACP Image Award Nominations, and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. He is the writer and executive producer of THE CROSSOVER TV series on Disney+.

Understanding how Parental Conflict Creates Unsafe Environments for Children w/ Shari Doherty

Shari Doherty works for Child Find of America, Inc., where she serves as the Parent Help Program Director and Lead Trainer. She supervises a case work team addressing missing child matters, location efforts, legal options, family conflict, parenting skills and parenting apart.
She is a seasoned mediator and certified NYS Victim Advocate and Paralegal with expertise in child abuse, exploitation and sex trafficking, divorce, parenting apart, interpersonal violence and mediation methodologies. 
Along with direct services, Ms. Doherty conducts trainings for family service providers, legal and mental health professionals, parents, edu-carers and school staff, child welfare agencies, NGO grantees and others on issues related to family conflict, denied access and missing children, parenting skill building, domestic violence and fatherhood related issues. She specializes in crafting experiential and engaging workshops on often difficult subjects.
She has served her community as a volunteer mediator, recreation commission chair, and member of parent-teacher and youth dance theatre boards. She and her husband have raised three lovely, wise-cracking daughters and therefore both appreciate and lament their now empty nest.

What’s Funny and Not So Funny About Being a Dad w/ Griff

Co-Host of Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell
This husband and father of five has forged his career at the intersection of faith and humor. With an infectious energy and an unmistakable voice, GRIFF contributes laughter, sincerity, and a real world approach to living inspiration out loud.

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters w/ Bweela Steptoe

Bweela Steptoe is a literacy advocate and workshop presenter. Her mission is to educate and share the legacy of her father, John Lewis Steptoe, the award-winning children’s books author and illustrator, with the world
About Bweela 
Steptoe Bweela Steptoe enjoys creating the fabric as well as the garments of her self-named label “Bweela Steptoe”. Her one-of-kind designs are her own interpretation of deconstruction called, “Couture Deconstruction”. You can spot a deconstructed look by its defining characteristics, which include raw edges, fraying, revealed linings, exposed zippers, and unusually sewn seams. Garments that appear unfinished, recycled, or give the illusion that they’re coming apart. Bweela uses her artistic background and family art influences as an inspiration for her fabric and clothing designs. 
In addition to Bweela Steptoe the Fashion Designer. Bweela Steptoe is the mother of twin daughters who are currently attending private colleges out of state. Bweela Steptoe became a contributing author for an anthology in 2016 with 19 other authors; Delay But Not Denied, 20 Inspirational Stories About Life And Resiliency, A Mother’s Love And Fight For Her Daughters; dealing with life and resiliency. In her chapter, she talks about the struggle and hardships she went through having two daughters that were faced with different learning styles that are viewed as learning disabilities. Bweela Steptoe is a literacy advocate and workshop presenter.

Moving from Black Boyz to Black Men w/ Chris Broussard

Chris is an internationally known sports analyst and commentator for the FOX Sports 1 television network and FOX Sports Radio. Today, he serves as the daily Co-Host of “First Things First” on FS1, and can also be seen regularly on FS1’s “Undisputed,’’ “The Herd,’’ and “Lock It In.” He also serves as co-host, along with Rob Parker, of one of the country's most popular daily national radio shows, "The Odd Couple." Before joining FOX Sports in the Fall of 2016, Chris worked for 12 years as an NBA analyst and reporter at ESPN, ESPN The Magazine, and ESPN.com. Chris wrote for The New York Times from 1998-2004 and graduated from Oberlin College.
He is the Founder and President of a National Christian Men's organization called The K.I.N.G. Movement. K.I.N.G. stands for Knowledge, Inspiration and Nurture through God, and seeks to help boys and men reach their God-given potential in every realm of life.
Happily married for more than 25 years, Chris has twin daughters and lives with his wife Dr. Crystal Broussard in New Jersey.

FUELING THE URGENCY FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF BLACK FATHERS w/ Kenneth Braswell

As we embark on a new year; it has been the annual tradition of New Years to take a moment to reflect on the lessons of the past.    Part of that tradition is also to make resolutions that are both reflective of the things we’ve learned in the previous year — and affirming to the expectations of things we hope to accomplish in the future.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2023.  
Do me a favor this year — Don’t just watch us work — find ways to engage or encourage to stay in the fight. — Your engagement and support matters.  
I’m Kenneth Braswell, CEO of Fathers Incorporated and Host of I Am Dad Podcast. — Subscribe, follows, engage by leaving comments. — it help our algorithms and more importantly — its affirming!   So, Always be kind to others, as you are kind to yourself — or you might find yourself — by yourself. — Always shoot high for your goals — because even if you miss — you’ll be among the stars — and as my good friend Art Mitchell and John Harris would say, - It’s nice to be important — but much more important to be nice. 

Understanding Kwanzaa and Integrating Culturally Relevant Education w/ The Culture Queen

Culture Queen is an award-winning teaching artist, children’s musician, author and arts manager, who creates empowering entertainment for children!  She is the founder of Culture Kingdom Kids, LLC, where since 2010, Culture Queen has produced innovative Black History-themed children’s performances, festivals, and professional development programs at schools, libraries, restaurants, malls, theaters and museums across the country including the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture and the Reginald Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture. Her children's album, I Like the Me I See!, released in 2016 along with her 2019 children’s book by the same title, hits all the right notes for families and educators bringing up confident, culturally aware, and curious children. 
 
Official Website
https://www.culturekingdomkids.com/
 
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/imculturequeen

Exploring the Foundations of Responsible Fatherhood w/ Nigel Vann

Nigel Vann, Product Development Lead, National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse
Nigel has worked as manager, trainer, and consultant with fatherhood programs since 1988, including major projects in the US and UK. He has been with the NRFC since 2008 and Fathers Incorporated as an independent consultant since 2016.
He oversees development of NRFC products and webinars and is the main author of the Responsible Fatherhood Toolkit (www.fatherhood.gov/toolkit) and a series of tip cards for practitioners and fathers. He has visited and provided assistance to fatherhood programs in 45 states; facilitated more than 80 staff training workshops; presented at numerous conferences; worked on four major responsible fatherhood demonstration projects and four international fatherhood projects; and written 12 published articles. 
Prior to his work with the NRFC, he managed Maryland's Absent Parents Employment Program (1988-90); served as Program Officer for Public/Private Ventures' Young Unwed Fathers Pilot Project (1991-95); was Director of Partnership Development and Training for NPCL (1996 - 2004); managed a Healthy Marriage project in Florida (2004 - 2006); and served as adviser to the PAIRS Foundation Healthy Marriage project in South Florida (2006 – 2008).