In June, The Children’s Center hosted its 10th Annual Fatherhood Forum, an event aimed at helping dads and male caregivers become strong role models for their children, families, and community. This year’s virtual event touched on a broad array of topics, and attendees were able to choose which breakout room they wanted to join and listen in on what each guest speaker had to say.
The year’s event featured a keynote speaker, Shaka Senghor, author of the Best Sellers Writing my Wrongs and Letters to the Sons of Society, who was interviewed regarding his book, as well as the role he has played as a father to a black child. During the interview, Senghor shared his road to redemption and talked about his time in prison while he was away from his newborn son, who had been born six months after he was arrested. “For 19 years my dad would bring my son to the prison to see me, and I’d write letters home and do phone calls and I thought I was doing the best I could given the circumstances.,” says Senghor. “But what I discovered when I got out was that was not even close to being enough.”
After the keynote discussion, the 2022 Visionary Award winner was announced, which is an award given by the Wayne County Fatherhood Initiative to someone who not only has a vision of change, but advocates for change. This year’s winner is Calvin Mann of Encourage Me I’m Young, Inc. and Good Fathers Only, two non-profits dedicated to the support and encouragement of boys, men, husbands and fathers.
