What legacy are you leaving for your children and the children of your community?
The legacy that I intend to leave is one of loving, connected, communicative parenting with the understanding that the children are our reason. The development of their aware, empathetic and evolved hearts and minds are first.
How would you describe your fatherhood culture?
My fatherhood culture is about being ever present, accessible and supportive. The role of the African American father has been greatly damaged and I am proudly a part of a group of men who are actively engaged in healing and resurrecting that role.
Why is it important to expose children to education and valuable skills?
Education is the doorway to both gaining the understanding of what’s possible in life and then the pathway to having the life you want. Valuable skills enable self-reliance – freedom.
As a father and a life coach, describe your playbook.
Show them as much as their eyes can take in. Let them hear the world, touch the world and taste the world. Expose them to as many people from different places as possible and help them evolve a broad curious, questioning and thirsting character.
Which fatherhood experiences have taught you the most about yourself?
Wow! That’s a big question. Every moment with her teaches me or reminds me of something true about the person I am and want to be. I’m reminded constantly how much I love life, and she teaches me every day to listen deeper.
Name one life lesson that no one taught you, but should have.
One of the greatest life lessons that I wish had been taught to me early in my life would have been about love. That there are many different kinds of healthy love, and healthy self-love is most important of all.
How does following your spiritual values help you in life?
We are spiritual beings and, in many ways, your internal, spiritual life will prove to be more real and sustaining than anything in the material space. Your spiritual self is that part of you that will create all the other parts of you so, again, learn your values and take care of your spirit first.
Share one of your fondest memories you’ve experienced with your father, grandfather or father figure.
One of the best memories from my childhood is sitting on my grandfather’s lap and looking up into his smile. It was the essence of confidence and safety.
Why is writing down your fatherhood goals for life so important?
Writing down your fatherhood goals serve the same purpose as writing a business plan. This is the important step in crafting a strategic living document that you can, from time to time, look back on, edit and evolve. My most valued and treasured fatherhood goal is creating a safe place for true communication and growth for my daughter.
