>>> IN 1965, U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABELED DENIER PATRICK PUBLISHED A REPORT CLAIMING THAT INCREASING RATES OF, QUOTE, OUT OF WEDLOCK BIRTH AMONG BLACK FAMILIES WERE TO BLAME FOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN BLACK COMMUNITIES.

THAT REPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF SIGNIFICANT CRITICISM, GAVE RISE TO PERSISTENT NEGATIVE PORTRAYAL OF BLACK FATHERS AS ABSENT AND UNINVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES.

THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT STUDIES IN RECENT YEARS HAVE FOUND THAT BLACK FATHERS ARE ACTUALLY MORE LIKELY THAN FATHERS OF OTHER RACES TO PROVIDE DAILY CARE FOR THEIR KIDS.

THAT'S WHY OUR NEXT GUEST SAY THAT SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP, AND RECOGNITION FOR THE FATHERS IN OUR LIVES IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR THE CHILDREN THEY'RE RAISING.

PLEASE WELCOME SHELDON SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MR. DADS FATHERS CLUB.

AND RYLE JACKSON, PRESIDENT AND PROGRAM MANAGER OF REAL MEN COOK.

WELCOME, GENTLEMEN.

HAPPY EARLY FATHER'S DAY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I SAW ALL OF YOU NODDING YOUR HEADS, TOO, DURING THAT INTRO.

SHELDON, LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE.

THE DOVETAIL PROJECT OFFERS A 12 WEEK MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR FATHERS AGES 17 TO 24.

TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU MENTOR THESE YOUNG DADS.

>> SO THE DOVETAIL PROJECT HAS AN INITIATIVE ACROSS THE CITY OF CHICAGO WITH OUR OUTREACH TEAM TO RECRUIT THESE FATHERS, AND WE TEACH THEM THREE CRITICAL THINGS.

PARENTING SKILLS, LIFE SKILLS, AND SOMETHING THAT WE CALL STREET LAW.

I'M GOING TO FILE A COMPLETE THE PROGRAM THEY RECEIVE A CHILD ACHIEVEMENT OR TRADE, ALONG WITH THE $500 STIPEND.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR 25th GRADUATION CEREMONY WITH 32 YOUNG MEN WHO HAD A CHANCE TO WALK ACROSS THE STATE.

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

QUICKLY, FELONY STREET LAW, WANT TO TOUCH ON WHY THAT SUPPORT A QUICK DISCONNECT FROM ANY STREET LAW IS IMPORTANT TO US AS A DAD, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FAMILY LAW SYSTEM AS WELL.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO PATERNITY RIGHTS AND FATHERS WANTED TO HAVE CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILDREN, OR EVEN AVOIDING CHILD SUPPORT, THEY HAVE TO KNOW THOSE RIGHTS, BECAUSE THEY CAN LOSE THEIR LICENSE OR BE INCARCERATED TOO AS WELL.

>> JOSEPH, YOU SAW A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR DADS TO BE MORE PRESENT IN THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE PARTY?

>> IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I GREW UP AND I DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MY FATHER INVOLVED MY LIFE.

SO NOW BEING WHERE I'M AT NOW WITH A WIFE AND SIX BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN , I THOUGHT IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, WHEN A FATHER IS INVOLVED, CHILDREN NOT ONLY ARE LESS LIKELY TO GO TO JAIL AND LESS LIKELY TO PROBABLY DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, BUT WE ENCOURAGE THE MORE TO NOT BECOME SOMETHING AND REALLY BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE.

SO EVEN WITH OUR PROGRAM, WE'RE HAVING FATHERS COME IN ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO READ BOOKS TO CHILDREN TO BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM.

WE WORK WITH OUR YOUTH AND MENTOR THEM WITH A ONE-ON-ONE GROUP SUPPORT, TEACH THEM ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, BULLYING, AND ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS.

AND RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE NOW HOST FATHER SESSIONS, WHERE WE ACTUALLY MENTOR FATHERS AND HELP BUILD THEM AS THEY BECOME GREAT LEADERS.

>> RYLE, TODAY ORGANIZATION, REAL MEN CHARITIES, IS A BROAD MISSION OF COMMUNITY WELLNESS, FOOD WELLNESS IS WHERE YOU STARTED.

HAVE YOU USE FOOD AND COOKING TO REACH THE NUDITY?

>> IT STARTED OFF AS REAL MEN COOK, CELEBRATING 34 YEARS AS A FATHER'S DAY TRADITION .

AND BEFORE REAL MEN COOK, MOST FATHER'S DAY THINGS WERE ABOUT JOKES, JOKES , DAD JOKES, YOU KNOW?

BUT WE HAVE MADE FATHER'S DAY MEANINGFUL, WHERE ALL OVER CHICAGO, YOU SEE PEOPLE COOKING , BARBECUING, PICNIC , PEOPLE ARE COMING TOGETHER ON FATHER'S DAY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO IS UPLIFT THE MEN THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

NOT JUST THE FATHERS, THE FATHER FIGURES, THE COACHES, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THEIR LIVES.

SO FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE HOOK, BECAUSE FOOD, WHEN MEN COOK, IT'S MORE OUT OF LOVE AS OPPOSED TO UTILITARIAN, AND SO THAT LOVE IS SHOWN TO THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGH THE COMMUNITY BY UPLIFTING THESE MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> SHELDON, MOMS OFTEN GET A LOT OF THE ATTENTION, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BOOKS AND GROUPS AND PODCASTS AND ALL SORTS OF WAYS WE TALK ABOUT MOTHERHOOD, BUT WHY DO YOU THINK DADS AND BLACK DAD IN PARTICULAR HISTORICALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT SAME KIND OF SUPPORT AND TREATMENT?

>> I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FATHERS IN GENERAL, IT'S NOT THE SOFT AND FUZZY THING, RIGHT?

AND WITH THAT, WHEN YOU ARE A MAN AND A FATHER, YOU HAVE NO ROOM TO MAKE EXCUSES OR BLAMES .

AND SO, TO THAT, WHEN DADS AND FATHERS ARE STRUGGLING , WE, WE CALL IT FAILURE, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S A PARENT THAT'S STRUGGLING LIKE A MOM IF SHE WAS STRUGGLING.

SHE WOULD JUST BE A STRUGGLING MOM.

AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S THE WAY THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT DADS, FATHERS, AND MEN IN GENERAL WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONSIBILITY.

>> JOSEPH, FOR THE YOUNG FATHERS LET YOU WORK WITH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY TOLD YOU THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING?

>> I THINK A LOT OF OUR FATHERS JUST DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE RESOURCES .

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO TO THE ZOO FOR FREE SOMETIME, OR THEY CAN GO TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY, PICK UP A WI-FI PASS AND GET OUT.

A LOT OF THESE FATHERS REALLY ARE INVOLVED, BUT THEY NEED TO KNOW, HOW CAN THEY CONNECT?

WHEN THEY GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS, HOW ARE THOSE DOORS LOOKING BEING OPEN AND ACTUALLY LED FATHERS THAT HAVE TO DO THE FATHER ENDORSEMENT THINGS LIKE THAT?

ALSO, I WOULD SAY ON THE LEGAL ASPECT OF IT, FATHERS REALLY NEED HELP WITH THEIR COACHING, HOW DO YOU GO AND GET VISITATION?

HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR CHILDREN?

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK SCHOOLS CAN DO TO BETTER SUPPORT AND WELCOME DADS YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE INVOLVED?

>> I THINK SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE MORE EVENTS THAT ARE MORE FATHERLY EVENTS?

WE CAN DO A FATHERS CARNIVAL AT BEASLEY.

WE NEED TO HAVE MORE EVENTS THAT EMBRACE FATHERS TO COME INTO THE SPACES, NO MATTER IF IT'S A MOVIE NIGHT, A FATHER AND DAUGHTER DANCE, EVEN INVITING THEM MORE TO BE A PART OF THE LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL AND THE PACK.

REALLY HAVING FATHERS BE INVOLVED IN THE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

>> RYLE, WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR INSPIRATIONS FOR FATHERHOOD?

>> WELL, MY BONUS FATHER, WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF REAL MEN COOK, HE WAS A RENAISSANCE MAN , AND HE WANTS TO TAKE, HE HAD EIGHT CHILDREN.

AND MOST OF THEM WERE IN CINCINNATI.

HE WOULD GO VISIT THE CHILDREN EVERY, YOU KNOW, TWICE A MONTH.

SO HE WOULD TAKE THAT CAR TRIP TO CINCINNATI TWICE A MONTH, WHICH IS A FIVE HOUR RIDE ONE WAY AND FIVE HOUR RIDE BACK.

AND SO HE PROVED THAT MEN REALLY WANT TO BE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND HE STOOD UP.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, HE READS BOOKS , AND THAT ENCOURAGED ME TO READ.

I FEEL LIKE LITERACY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AS PEOPLE.

>> BONUS FATHER.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

WE TALK ABOUT THE FAMILY THAT WE MAKE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT SEGMENT AS WELL.

>> AS FAR AS WHAT IT REPRESENTS, BONUS, HE'S A BONUS IN MY LIFE, JUST BECAUSE HE CAME IN AT 12, WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

HE BECAME A BONUS.

AND I ALSO HAVE MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER IN MY LIFE, WHO I SAW, YOU KNOW, VERY OFTEN, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THEY SAID, MEN ARE MORE INVOLVED IN THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN.

SO I WAS ALWAYS WITH MY FATHER.

I ALSO HAD A BONUS FATHER TO SHOW ME SOME OTHER ASPECTS.

>> SHELDON, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF, YOU KNOW, IN THAT INTRO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE REPORT THAT DANIEL PATRICK WROTE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS AND THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DADS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR KIDS?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION IS THAT FATHERS DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES.

WHAT WE SEE FROM ANY OF OUR YOUNG MEN WHO VOLUNTEERED TO SIGN UP FOR OUR PROGRAM TO GET THAT HELP AND SUPPORT, THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE SUPPORT FOR DADS IS, LIKE, A UNICORN.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS THE, THE MAIN PART.

>> JOSEPH ON THE SAME QUESTION THAT I ASKED TO RYLE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INSPIRATIONS FOR FATHERHOOD?

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

>> WELL, OF COURSE, I WILL ALWAYS SAY MY GRANDFATHER, BECAUSE HE REALLY INSTILLED IN ME THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK.

BUT HONESTLY, I HAD TO GIVE IT BACK OVER TO MY FAMILY AND MY WIFE AND CHILDREN, BECAUSE MY CHILDREN HELP ME BE A BETTER FATHER, A BETTER MAN.

JUST LOOKING AT THEM EVERY DAY MADE ME WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE, BUT ALSO OTHERS.

>> KIDS REALLY DO TELL YOU WHAT KIND OF PARENT THEY NEED, RIGHT?

YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

HAPPY EARLY