Riverside, CA. On January 17 the nation celebrated the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but a nightmare loomed in neighborhoods across America. Absent fathers.
With nearly seventy percent of black children born into single mother households, the absence of fathers is believed to be the leading reason African Americans face the highest poverty rate (24.7%) in the nation; forty-one percent of single black mothers live in poverty.
Confronted with significantly high incarceration (4777 per 100,000) and unemployment rates (17.3%), black men and fathers face challenges that will impact generations and communities for years to come; black male teen unemployment exceeds 50% – a leading contributor of violence.
On January 19, Street Positive founder and CEO, Terry Boykins, has accepted and invitation to be a guest speaker at the University of California Riverside campus to discuss the impact of fatherhood on black infant health . Additionally, Boykins will address key paradigms shifts, relationship misconceptions, as well as, mental health affects experienced by men in their roles as fathers. His upcoming book is entitled “I Said, Should He Be Your Baby’s Daddy?”
He is also collaborating with fathers of special needs children for a release due out summer 2011. And, is currently in the early planning stages for the Million Father March taking place August through September. On February 12, Boykins will participate with Delta Sigma Theta’s Embodi program to address the “Absent Father Syndrome” facing young boys. Details are also forthcoming regarding other significant fatherhood and mentoring collaborations. Of which, can be tracked at www.streetpositive.com.
The UCR event is being hosted by Dr. Carolyn Murray. It will take place from 6pm – 8pm in 1501 Humanities and Social Science Building. Non students wishing to attend need to submit their name to carolyn.murray@ucr.edu. Seating is limited.