“My brother Omar, now living in Los Angeles, coined the phrase on social media after he became a father nine years ago,” said Jamal Dawkins, who graduated from Colonel White in 1998. “It wasn’t really relevant to Tony and me until we had sons. I had mine two years ago, he had his five days later.
“Tony and I were elated about being fathers, and made a facebook page where guys could post pictures and share their concerns about fatherhood. It’s still active, and we have about 1,000 followers/members who have to be fathers. After positive feedback, we made a website, and it took off.”
With the idea that they could further help fathers, the friends decided to start an organization that now also includes single mothers and fathers not living with their families.
“We thought of community events geared toward fathers and their children, and emphasized the significant role of fathers. The events – Father Bowl, Father-to-Father dinners, a charity basketball game, and others — are free, but we hold raffles and have fundraisers.”
Just started in May 2016 the organization held five events last year and planned five more for this year. The only event that hasn’t gone over well was a Cops and Fathers Day in Dayton. “I think the community just wasn’t ready, but we want to try it again. The community needs it, whether they know it or not,” said Jamal, who lives in Clayton.
Tony, an Englewood resident and 2001 Colonel White grad, said, “I didn’t become a father until I was 30, and that made me get involved. My own father wasn’t around much when I was growing up, and he realized that he’d missed out a lot and was happy to be a grandfather.”
Fatherhood also brought Jamal back to his father. “It caused me to rekindle a relationship with my father, who I hadn’t had contact with in more than 20 years,” he said.
Omar, who graduated from Colonel White in 2000, may live in Los Angeles but still plays an active role in the organization. “I do a lot of social media networking and promotion for their events, and we have monthly video chat meetings. We’re trying to create groups in different states.
“When I had my son, I always said ‘Fatherhood Is Power,’ and Jamal and Tony picked it up when they had kids. We’re all trying to be great fathers and want others to be, too.”
The local organization’s latest event was a Father-Que on Father’s Day at Triangle Park in Dayton. The next event will be a FatherBowl in late August at Capri Lanes.
“Fatherhood Initiative, another group that acts as our big brother and helped us get going, had an event on Saturday the 17th at Island Park, when the weather was good,” Tony said. “Sunday, it rained in the morning and was windy. We only had about 100 this year, and think that number, down from 200 last year, was because of the weather.
“But it was still good. We had plenty of food, games, lots of folks were in the shelter mingling, and we had an arts and crafts table for the kids to make Father’s Day gifts.
“I just love it when everyone comes out, and like seeing the kids make gifts for their dads. One of our goals is to make Father’s Day as important as Mother’s Day to the kids.”
Contact this contributing writer at virgburroughs@gmail.com.
Learn more
Online: For more information and to keep up with upcoming events, go to the organization's website at www.fatherhoodispower.com.
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