I Am Dad

Surviving the Mental Health Tank w/ Tamu Lewis

Tamu Lewis, MBA, Author, Speaker is the Co-Founder and Board President of the LTY Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to mental health education. She is also a Human Resources Leader with over 24 years of experience in corporate and consulting positions.  She founded the LTY Foundation as a living legacy to her brother, actor Lee Thompson Young, whom she lost to suicide in 2013.  Knowing that her brother struggled with bipolar disorder and suffered in silence, Tamu is passionate about promoting mental wellness in schools, communities, and organizations.  Her personal experience in helping families cope with mental illness includes her relationship with her mother-in-law and her oldest daughter, both of whom live with diagnosed mental illnesses. Tamu is excited to share invaluable life lessons and practical solutions to help others cultivate emotional well-being.
Tamu is the author of “Surviving the Mental Health Tank” 5 Keys to cultivating emotional well-being for yourself and your love ones.
With a background of 24 years in human resources consulting and corporate positions, she understands the importance of mental health in our work and personal lives. Tamu is sharing her experience to help others.
Tamu earned a BS in Finance from the University of South Carolina and a MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She has earned the following certifications: Mental Health First Aider, Positive Discipline Parent Educator, Life Coach, Crisis Text Line Counselor, Breath Worker, Compensation Professional (CCP), Benefits Professional (CBP), and Professional in Human Resources 

The Importance of Healing in Fatherhood w/ Jerry Tello

Jerry Tello is a father, grandfather, son, brother and relative of many. He is from a family of Mexican, Texan and Coahuiltecan roots, and was raised in the South Central/Compton areas of Los Angeles.
Over the last 40 years, he has dedicated himself to the service of individuals, families, communities. He has done so by speaking to over half of a million people, and training thousands of service providers across the nation.
Mr. Tello is considered an international expert in the areas of: transformational healing, men and boys of color, racial justice, and community peace and mobilization. 
He is co-founder of the National Compadres Network and is currently Director of Training and Capacity Building. He has authored numerous articles, videos, and curricula addressing fatherhood, youth “rites of passage,” culturally-based family strengthening, and healing the healer. He is the author of Recovering Your Sacredness, A Father’s Love, a series of children’s books, co-editor of Family Violence and Men of Color, has served as a principal consultant for Scholastic Books on International Bilingual Literacy curriculum, and has published a series of motivational health and healing CDs.

Managing Holiday Grief and Depression w/ Dr. Jeff Gardere

For almost 30 years, known as America’s Psychologist, Dr. Jeff Gardere has been one of the most widely sought-after experts in the field of mental health. In addition to having a private practice in Manhattan, he has garnered a reputation as being a top motivational and keynote speaker, relationship expert, and empowerment and media coach.
Dr. Gardere is an Assistant Professor and Course Director at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York City, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Touro Graduate School of Psychology, NYC.
In addition to appearing as a frequent contributor to MSNBC, NBC Today Show, CNN, FOX, CBS and ABC World News; he has guest starred on the 8th season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta," the first season of “For My Man,” and the 6th season of “Love and Hip Hop New York.”
Dr. Jeff is the author of three books Smart Parenting For African Americans, Practical Parenting (which he co-authored with Montel Williams) and Love Prescription Ending the War Between Black Men and Women.

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.