The Black Fatherhood Podcast

The myth of the “Absent Black Father” permeates American culture and adversely affects the mental health of Black men and their families. The Black Fatherhood Podcast serves to break that myth. Hosted by Dr. Alvin Thomas, clinical psychologist and Dir. of the TRYLab at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, the show offers engaging conversations with Black authors, artists, and academics on the issues (past and present) affecting Black fathers, and serves to celebrate and strengthen Black Fatherhood.

Fathers and Family Court 04/29/2024

Fathers and Family Court Judge Mitchell, presiding Judge of the Juvenile Division in Dane County, oversees a myriad of juvenile and child welfare, family and civil cases. Judge Mitchell joins us today to talk about what fathers need to know about identifying and securing their parental rights, and the challenges many men face once 'in the system'. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30993548

Black Fathers Need Stronger Support Systems 04/15/2024

Black Fathers Need Stronger Support Systems Black dads can too easily be excluded from the social welfare system, challenging their ability to be gainfully employed, engage with their children, and sustain a good quality of life. Dr. David Pate, Associate Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Social Work department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, joins us to talk about the effects of social welfare policy on the lives of Black men and their children. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30772573

Fathers and Feathers: BIPOC Birding for All 04/01/2024

Fathers and Feathers: BIPOC Birding for All On a mission to "spread as much joy as possible", Dexter Patterson, aka The Wisco Birder, is dedicated to making birdwatching welcoming for all birders around the state of Wisconsin. As founding member of The BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, Dexter joins us to share in a “community of people of color who love the outdoors and the birds and beauty of natural Wisconsin and wish to connect with others who share the same passion." /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30573103

Challenges of Being a Father 03/18/2024

Challenges of Being a Father As our next guest writes, “Fatherhood, while immensely rewarding, comes with its own set of challenges. As a black father, these challenges are often compounded by societal pressures and stereotypes that can weigh heavily on your shoulders.” And we agree. Kenneth Braswell, a life long advocate for responsible fatherhood and mental health, joins us to talk about the challenges - and joys - of Black fatherhood. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30394873

Jacob Blake on Fatherhood and Life After Kenosha 03/04/2024

Jacob Blake on Fatherhood and Life After Kenosha Exclusive Interview: In August 2020, Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a white officer outside an apartment complex in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The shooting, which happened in front of Jacob's children, prompted national outrage with riots and protests breaking out across the country. But despite his new identity as a contemporary civil rights icon, the first word Jacob uses to describe himself is “father.” Today we’re speaking with Jacob Blake about Black Fatherhood, and how that fateful summer night shaped his role as father, then and now. After the episode, for more information on Jacob and the work he's doing to "plug power to purpose", go to www.edifye.org. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30213623

The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health 02/26/2024

The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health Mental health is too often overlooked and under appreciated in the Black community. Dr. Rheeda Walker, an award-winning professor, psychologist, and author of The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, join us to talk about the mental health crisis in our community today, and how "in order to reclaim a life worth living, you must first reclaim your mind.” /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/30013573

Alex Wheatle: Sufferah 02/12/2024

Alex Wheatle: Sufferah Abandoned as a baby to the British foster care system, best-sellling author Alex Wheatle grew up without any knowledge of his Jamaican parentage or family history. Alex joins us to share stories from his new memoir "Sufferah" - of his early years at the notorious Shirley Oaks children’s home in London, through the Brixton Uprising, to the front porch in Jamaica of the father who abandoned him as an infant 24 years later. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/29863518

Kwame Alexander on Fatherhood 01/29/2024

Kwame Alexander on Fatherhood Kwame Alexander, one of America’s most beloved writers, joins us to talk about Why Fathers Cry at Night - a collection of poems, recipes, and letters to his family about the beginnings of love, the ends of love, being a father, and a son. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/29637438

How a Street Kid Turned Foster Dad Found Acceptance and Truth 01/15/2024

How a Street Kid Turned Foster Dad Found Acceptance and Truth From his childhood on the streets in Uganda to his life as an adoptive father and foster father of over 30 children, our guest, Peter Mutabazi, has an extraordinary personal story that weaves together countries, continents, social strata, and family – at every possible level. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/29427583

Black Santa 12/18/2023

Black Santa Fred Conley, a community icon in Madison, Wisconsin, saw the need for representation at Christmastime and went to work. Shifting careers from a lifetime of experience as a police officer, Fred embraced his new role as a cherished holiday icon for Black children across the country. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/29062678

Why You Need to Know About Birth Cost Recovery 12/04/2023

Why You Need to Know About Birth Cost Recovery We’ve long known that social policies disproportionally affect Black families. Dr. Tiffany Green, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Population Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and co-chair of The Black Maternal and Child Health Alliance of Dane County, joins us to talk about one social policy in particular, Birth Cost Recovery, and how it impacts Black fathers following the birth of their children. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28898058

The Black Working Class 11/20/2023

The Black Working Class The national mythos of a predominantly white working class leaves little room for black workers or any opportunity to glean lessons from their histories. Today we’re talking about the origins of the Black working class with Dr. Blair Kelley, a historian and scholar of the African American experience, and author of, "Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class." /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28694888

I am and I feel 11/06/2023

I am and I feel George Floyd spoke, and no one listened. He cried, and no one responded. Black people are crying out and America is not listening and not responding, because it hears the noise and not the pain. Written at the height of racial unrest during the pandemic, this poem captures the emotional complexity throughout these traumatic experiences. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28509269

Raising Kids Through Poetry 11/06/2023

Raising Kids Through Poetry Language is an art, and how we express it matters. Author and poet F. Douglas Brown and Loyola High School (LA) Principal Jamal Adams - each masters of language - share how they’re using their talent and skill to change the narrative of the boys they teach as they transition to becoming men. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28509215

The Adventure Gap 10/23/2023

The Adventure Gap Why don’t we think of Black people going swimming, surfing, fishing, birding, or camping? Why are there still spaces we assume Black people shouldn’t be? James Mills, outdoor journalist, guide, and National Geographic Explorer, joins us to talk about how Black Americans, in both perception and practice, fall into what he calls “The Adventure Gap”. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28369106

Getting Real with Felonious Munk 10/09/2023

Getting Real with Felonious Munk In addition to having appeared in numerous television shows and comedy clubs across the country, Felonious Munk is also a proud father whose greatest achievement might depend on whether or not he can get his young son to *just try* Ethiopian food. Comedian, social commentator, actor, producer - and dad - Felonious joins us to talk about the highs, lows, and everything in between when it comes to parenting. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28229093

"An Amerikan Family": Two Families, One Cause. 09/25/2023

"An Amerikan Family": Two Families, One Cause. The Shakur family - legends in American history - forever shaped the fight for Black liberation. Writer and journalist Santi Elijah Holley joins us to talk about his new book “An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created” - a sweeping and detailed account of family, history, culture, and the deeply rooted influence fathers - and father figures - have on their children. In this episode, we also hear a brief update on Jacob Blake’s health from his brother Pauly Jackson. In the summer of 2020, Jacob was shot seven times in the back - in front of his kids - by a white officer in Kenosha WI, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The protests and national outrage that followed forever linked Jacob and his family to the Black Lives Matter movement, and made them instant - and prominent - figures in the ongoing struggle for racial justice. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/28121645

How to Love Parents Who Weren't There For You 09/14/2023

How to Love Parents Who Weren't There For You How do we continue in relationships with people who’ve hurt us - especially those closest to us? Esau McCaulley, theologian, professor and author of “How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South” joins us to talk about family, religion, poverty, grace and forgiveness. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27959139

Coaches, Father Figures, and the Boxing Match that Changed America 09/14/2023

Coaches, Father Figures, and the Boxing Match that Changed America Jack Johnson, boxing’s first ever African-American world heavyweight champion, broke color barriers and changed the sport forever. But he didn’t do it alone. He had an important father figure in his corner. “The Royale,” a play based on the life of Jack Johnson is currently on stage and today we’re speaking with Jamal James, the actor playing the title role. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27834012

Fathers and Daughters 08/14/2023

Fathers and Daughters With society placeing so much emphasis on fathers and sons, the essential bond between fathers and daughters is often marginalized. David Miller, speaker and author of Dare to Be King, joins us to talk about the unique challenges Black fathers face in raising Black daughters, and how the challenges can be compounded by public policy. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27728232

The Black Man Can 07/31/2023

The Black Man Can The negative narrative surrounding Black men and boys needs to change. Guest Brandon Frame, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of TheBlackManCan, Inc. (an award-winning nonprofit that amplifies the stories of what Black Men and Boys can do), and Senior Director of Social Emotional Learning at The Urban Assembly, joins us to talk about how he’s working to change the narrative through educating Black boys in lessons on everything from the simplest task - how to tie a tie - to the most pressing danger - how to interact with police. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27600159

Black Men's Health 07/17/2023

Black Men's Health Aaron Perry, the first African American diabetic to complete the Ironman Triathlon, has dedicated his life to building and strengthening himself and his family. He’s a father, son, and a brother, and we’ll be speaking with him today about his work to build healthy relationships in the community and at home. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27439395

A Scarcity of Black Father Support Systems 07/03/2023

A Scarcity of Black Father Support Systems Supports and resources that focus on Black fathers are scarce, and fathers' access to these supports for fathers is limited. Dr. Latrice Rollins, Assistant Professor at the Morehouse School of Medicine in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine and Prevention Research Center, and the director of the National African American Child and Family Research Center, joins us to explain how any move towards father inclusive services must embrace two levels of involvement: “Father Awareness”, and “Father Friendliness". /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27336465

A Man of Many Fathers: Roy Wood, Jr. 06/19/2023

A Man of Many Fathers: Roy Wood, Jr. Roy Wood, Jr. is a nationally acclaimed comedian and actor, and a regular correspondent and guest host on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. But his most important job is being a father. Roy joins us to talk about parenting his son in a media spotlight, growing up with the legacy of his own equally famous father, and how being your own person can begin a legacy for generations beyond yourself. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/27149100

Season 2 Trailer 05/22/2023

Season 2 Trailer Season 2 of the The Black Fatherhood Podcast launches June 2023. /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/26790846

Behind the Scenes 08/15/2022

Behind the Scenes

In this emotional, loud, unstructured, fun, and stirring episode, Eric and I reflect on the process that lead to this superb project - The Black Fatherhood Podcast. We trace this back from a germ of thought to the current product and make connects to the larger workings of the Thomas Resilient Youth Lab (TRYl). We talk about some of our favorite moments on camera and behind the mic, the many behind-the-scenes bloopers, and the insightful experiences and conversations with have had with our inspirational /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/26754219

Meet The Director 08/15/2022

Meet The Director

Meet the brain and creative heart behind the Black Fatherhood podcast and find out what drives him, and how this project was born. Dr. Alvin Thomas is the director of the Thomas Resilient Youth lab (TRYl). Eric Crawford turns the spotlight on the director to try to provide rich context to this labor of love and Dr. Thomas' vocation of educating, validating and elevating Black fatherhood and Black families.

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The Black Family 08/08/2022

The Black Family

Is there a prototype for the Black family? Is it a necessary structure for today's realities, and are what challenges assail the structure and efficacy of the Black family? In this provocative discussion, Dr. Lucian Yates III and Mr. Floyd Stokes join us to shed light on suburban living, subsidized parenting, and to dissect and examine these and other issues related to Black families.

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Black Father: Past, Present, and Future 08/01/2022

Black Father: Past, Present, and Future

How has fatherhood changed in the minds of Black families? How are Black men thinking about fatherhood, and how are researchers and community activists thinking about this critical role? In this episode I speak to two women who have been at the forefront of Black fatherhood research and community engagement Dr. Cleopatra Caldwell and Dr. E. Hill Deloney. Together they talk about what first brought them to this work with Black families and with Black nonresident fathers. They explore the changes they have /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/26754228

Mental Health: Seeking/Accessing Help 07/25/2022

Mental Health: Seeking/Accessing Help

Depression and mental heal problems undermines mothers' ability to positively impact their children's development. Though the research on the impact of fathers' mental health on children's well-being is still limited, the impact is similar to that of mothers. But, once you have noticed signs that you are struggling with some emotional and mental health challenges, where can you find help? How do you find help? Dr. Danielle Hairston-Green and Dr. Adrian Gale help us explore these and other questions withi /episode/index/show/e228131f-6919-4875-8fa0-c834aeaae6c2/id/26754231

The Black Fatherhood Podcast

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