Fort Wayne UNITED, in partnership with Healthier Moms & Babies, will begin hosting online forums for dads, future dads, and those who have taken on the role of dad, Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. beginning July 14.
The “REAL Dad” forums, an acronym for Relational, Engaged, Attentive, Loving Dad, will be an opportunity for men of different backgrounds to discuss vital and relatable topics that pertain to being a dad. Guest panelists, live and prerecorded, will unpack things like family history, communication, masculinity, emotions and men’s health in an attempt to gain multiple perspectives and shed light on the fact that there is more than one way to be a “real” dad. The honest discussions will include the negative and positive sides of being a father, and offer some new techniques to build stronger relationships.
“REAL Dad” forums will be an opportunity to introduce residents to some of the great dads we have in our community, and to hear their personal stories about the joys and trials of fatherhood. The goal is to build a community of strong fathers in Fort Wayne who will support each other through the often challenging task of raising strong, responsible children.
Visit Facebook.com/FortWayneUNITED to view the forum in real time or after the live event.
Fort Wayne UNITED is a Mayoral initiative that places two national efforts, Cities United and My Brother’s Keeper, under one umbrella. It is designed to answer the call to enhance opportunities, advance youth advocacy and help create a safer city for all, but more specifically for black men and boys. By bringing together a group of passionate and committed leaders, the initiative will educate, inform and engage the community in an effort to make positive change one neighborhood at a time.
Fort Wayne UNITED’s vision is for every black male in Fort Wayne to be respected and valued with an opportunity to reach their full potential. The mission is to advocate for and implement policies, practices and procedures to ensure equity and opportunity for black fathers, brothers and sons at home, work, school, and the community through collaborative efforts.
Healthier Moms and Babies (HMB) goal is to reduce infant mortality and improve the outcome of pregnancy in Allen and Noble County by offering health education and case management services to low-income, high-risk pregnant women and their families. As a result of Healthy Start funding, HMB has implemented multiple Fatherhood Programs designed to assist and support fathers/partners in building positive relationships with their child/children and educating them to acknowledge, understand, and take control of the role they play in their family and in their community.
