Health, Healing and Prosperity

Educate, Empower, and Elevate Black Men’s Health

In honor of Father’s Day, I want to recognize a Facebook group that is focused on bettering and educating fathers. So often we only hear and see negative images of men. This Facebook group created by Danny Woods seeks to embrace men and empower them to be better Dads.

Danny Woods is an African American father and grandfather. He is also a retired judge and currently practices law in the State of Louisiana. After retiring as a judge, Danny has taken on many roles such as an aspiring author, an advocate for fathers, and a professional Christian Life Coach with a niche

of helping fathers to be better fathers. Danny describes himself as a revolutionary opposing the culprit of fatherlessness. Danny views fatherlessness as the greatest social ill that is present today.

In his fight against fatherlessness, Danny created the Facebook group Fathers Across 50 States to provide information on being a better father. This group seeks to challenge while at the same time empower men in their most significant role, that of father. Being a father is not easy. Many men were fatherless and may not know how to be a father. Parenthood can be a hit or miss situation. We parent the way we are taught through role models in our homes, family, and community. Through coaching, teaching, and interacting with other fathers in this group, Danny hopes that these members will become an active member on the group, a role model for fatherhood in their family and community, and act as a voice against fatherlessness. Danny is writing a book that tells the stories of three fathers living in each of the fifty states of the United States who chose to meet the challenges and overcome the adversities they experienced as a father. Any man can join this group by simply requesting to join the group on their Facebook webpage. The role of “father” is vital to the success and well-being of the family and community.

Father’s Day

A tribute to my Dad

— — BEVERLY BARNETT, RN, MSN

Father’s Day is June 20th. This is a date that we celebrate the first man

in our lives, our father. Many of us are blessed to have a father that is

living and active in our lives. For many people, the role of the father is

that of protector, guider, disciplinarian, counselor, and supporter. All of

that is good but what do we really want from our father. We want love.

Simply love.

Fathers demonstrate love to their family by being with their family and engaging in their family life. Each child in the family has a different relationship with their father than the others. We also have different memories of interactions with their father.

One of the memories I have of my father is helping him fix his car. He

had to make do with me because he had not had a boy. I remember

talking to him as he worked and passing him different tools as he

requested. The outcome of those interactions is that I can put things

together and repair simple things around the house.

For example, one rainy day my daughter told me that there was water dropping on her bed from the ceiling. I did not believe it at first, but she

came back again with the same story. So, I went to check and yes, there

was a leak. My husband was at work and by the time he came home, it

would be dark. I asked myself, “What can I do? Who can I call?”

I thought about Daddy. I said to myself “Daddy had rent houses at one

time. I am sure he knows what to do.” I decided to call him and ask him

what to do.

After all, I am his daughter. If he can fix, I can fix it too. That is what I

did. He told me what to do. I climbed upon the roof with the aid of my children, draped a tarp over the area, and secured it with bricks. Walla,

no more leaking!