Community

Black Men Challenge Narratives About Black Fatherhood

WASHINGTON INFORMER — As Father’s Day approaches, the conversation among some Black fathers in the District has focused on how best to counter the barrage of messages that frame them as negligent, despite recent data that proves otherwise. In the spirit of meeting that goal, upcoming community gatherings will serve as celebratory platforms to examine the social and emotional hurdles that many Black men have overcome in becoming a permanent fixture in their families.

Published

7 years ago

June 13, 2019

Sam P. K. Collins

By Sam P. K. Collins

As Father’s Day approaches, the conversation among some Black fathers in the District has focused on how best to counter the barrage of messages that frame them as negligent, despite recent data that proves otherwise.

In the spirit of meeting that goal, upcoming community gatherings will serve as celebratory platforms to examine the social and emotional hurdles that many Black men have overcome in becoming a permanent fixture in their families.

For one such father, Antonio Beard, providing an example for his 5-year-old son and three older stepchildren has been his greatest achievement.

“I couldn’t allow what was happening with my son’s mother affect my situation with him,” said Beard, a Ward 7 resident and co-founder of the Lead by Example Foundation, co-sponsor of a Father’s Day Sip-and-Paint event taking place on Saturday afternoon at Fort Dupont Stoddert Community Center in Southeast, courtesy of ANC Commissioner Brittany Hughes (SMD 7F05). “Sometimes you both might not be the best fit, but your child should be your main focus.”

Beard said the pain of not having his father around compelled him to instill good values in and share special moments with his children, including morning pep talks, baseball games and trips to his job.

“One thing I learned is that you’re good as long as you spend time,” he said. ” It’s challenging, but something I like to do.”

Beard and other local fathers fit the profile of Black men highlighted in a 2013 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing members of that demographic, whether in a nuclear family or as a co-parent, having more of a presence in the lives of their young ones, compared to their racial counterparts.

On Sunday, some of these fathers, stepfathers and grandfathers plan to take over the U Street corridor in a march against negative stereotypes during an event hosted by Kristi Love Events, DCity Smokehouse and We Act Radio.

Community advocates say that fallacies about Black male parenting often stem from a misunderstanding of social structures within Black communities that have been precipitated by mass incarceration. For instance, data shows that while 1.7 million Black men don’t live with their children, nearly 2.5 million Black men share the same address as their offspring, often cohabitating with their unmarried partner in what’s been called “shotgun pregnancies.”

During the last decade, that type of living arrangement surpassed shotgun marriages, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. In many cases, co-parents don’t legally marry, often making the term “single mother” synonymous with absent father, when that might not even be the case.

Since the turn of the century, organizations in the D.C. metropolitan area such as The 100 Fathers Inc. have taken the mantle in celebrating fathers, and connecting upstanding Black men with children lacking a positive male presence.

Upcoming events such as the Fatherhood Legislative Summit at the Mayors Conference Center in Northwest on Friday, a field day at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center on Saturday, and an award ceremony at Union Temple Baptist Church on Sunday build upon The 100 Fathers Inc.’s previous collaborations with the Nation of Islam and Alliance of Concerned Men to engage fatherless youth and show new fathers how to lead their home.

“Because we often didn’t advocate for ourselves, we had to take whatever was given to us as far as the societal look on fathers and Black men,” Franklyn Malone, CEO and president of The 100 Fathers, Inc., said in his indictment of governmental and nonprofit organizations he said haven’t straightened the record about Black fathers.

“People don’t know the real facts about Black fathers, or provided spaces or them to flourish,” said Malone, a father of four. “When you go on the Department of Health website, you don’t see fathers. We are part of the families. There’s very little mention of the father and that’s the problem.

“The family unit is the most important for the Black family,” he said. “We need to work together to save our children.”

For some Black fathers, saving their children and families requires a level of emotional availability they’ve been conditioned to suppress. Relationship experts say unresolved childhood trauma and misleading messages from family members, peers and family members about how to express Black masculinity hinders some Black men’s ability to form healthy, open relationships.

During its “Men Hurt Too Conference: Celebrating Men Survivor Stories” event, scheduled to take place Saturday afternoon at the Deanwood Community Center in Northeast, local nonprofit Domestic Violence Wear Many Tags (DVWMT) will feature Black men who overcame the shame of victimhood in abusive relationships with their mothers and significant others.

DVWMT founder QueenAfi said the event, part of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, will aid in attempts to broaden the conversation about domestic violence and allow Black men to share their feelings without pushback.

“A lot of men don’t know how to show their emotions,” QueenAfi said. “When they do, it comes off in a way that the other person might not understand. We have to start providing men a place to share their feelings. It’s something they truly need to be emotionally well. They must be able to share in a safe space without feeling judged.”

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Sam P. K. Collins

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Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Activism

The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

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Activism

Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.