New Haven Independent

Brothers Issue Call To Fathers

by Thomas MacMillan | June 2, 2009 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Standing on Whalley Avenue, members of the Brotherhood Leadership Summit called on fathers to take responsibility for their families. They aim to have 20,000 more men standing with them in August.

Equipped with a microphone and two huge loudspeakers, Minister Donald Morris stood in front of Doussou African Hair Braiding and preached on Monday evening. He spoke out against guns and violence and drug abuse, and above all, absentee fathers.

It was the first of a series of similar events leading up to the annual New Haven Gospel Fest, which this year carries the theme of fatherhood. The annual August music festival on Goffe Street is organized by the Brotherhood Leadership Summit, a black men’s group associated with the Christian Community Commission. The Brotherhood aims to gather 20,000 men at Gospel Fest weekend, on Aug. 1, to solidify the message of fatherly responsibility.

In addition to a statewide recruiting drive to gather their 20,000 men, the Brotherhood is holding four more sidewalk events throughout New Haven in June, plus a march on June 22. The effort, called the “Fatherhood We Care Tour,” targets hot spots for violence in the city, including Newhallville and the Hill. The Brotherhood coordinated a similar effort in 2007.

Where there is violence in the city, “we want to go right in that area,” said Minister John Lewis (at left in photo), outreach director for the Brotherhood.

Absentee fathers are directly related to rising violence and crime, Lewis explained. “Let’s look at New Haven as a house,” he said. “The fathers aren’t in the house, so the children are running wild.”

“The number one message we have is to stand up and take back the community,” Lewis said.

That message will be delivered in force on Aug. 1 at Gospel Fest in Goffe Street Park, when 20,000 men from all over the state will gather, said Christopher Holland (at right in photo), the president of the Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood has visited churches throughout Connecticut to recruit men to come to Gospel Fest’s Fatherhood Weekend, Holland said. “We’ve been to every city and town in this state,” he said. “There’s been an overwhelming response.”

Absenteeism by fathers is “leading to so many other problems,” Holland said. He mentioned dropout rates, incarceration.

Tracey Suggs, the mother of a 13-year-old shooting victim, stood with the Brotherhood on Monday evening. She was there to “show that mothers can come out and stand up too,” she said.

“I’m a single parent myself,” Suggs said. Fathers are crucial in the development of young men, she said. “I can’t teach him how to be a man. I can show him what we expect of a man… but it takes a man to instill it.”

The sidewalk sermon ended with prayers and pizza. Passersby and local teenagers joined hands as Minister Morris led the group in prayer. His promise of free pizza for those who pray quickly swelled the circle.

“We normally feed the community at our events,” President Holland said, as people lined up for Domino’s pizza. “A lot of these kids won’t eat a meal tonight. Now they’ve got a meal to eat.”

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Comments

Posted by: City Hall | June 2, 2009 4:14 PM

Hi Y'all,

Morris' street rallies are a prelude to a rash of gun violence, this is an annual event to coincide to a burst of violence. Also, the Gospel fest last year was greeted with bullets as City official stood around.

Beware of Donald and the CCC.

Posted by: Sterling Cross | June 2, 2009 5:04 PM

I just like to praise the men of the botherhood for taking a stand for the youngmen of the community stay strong and keep hope alive.

Posted by: kris | June 2, 2009 9:27 PM

They are correct when they say absent fathers lead to bigger issues for kids BUT these women also should of thought about all that when they were involved with their babies daddies.Cmon,most of them don't even stop after one.They have more by different men.I blame the mothers more than the fathers....half these men had kids they werent taking care of when they got you pregnant but you thought he was gonna be different with you and your baby.Wanna help ladies?Stop being so easy,maybe get married first,that would be a start.Try this too.Go to school,get job,save money,get married,save more money,buy house,save more money,have baby or two or three(however many you can afford without my tax dollars helping you.Believe it or not people still do this in some places,usually in the burbs and guess what! Not as much violence as the city with absent fathers.Don't tell me it cant be done...break the cycle!!Dont knock it till ya try it.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen | June 3, 2009 3:01 AM

Hello City Hall:
What kind of negative force are you? Why aren't you out in the street trying to encourage those involved in violence to get engaged in more positive activities? Exactly what benefits are you bringing to the conversation with your hostility and negative predictions? Aren't you a part of the community? If The Brotherhood is causing problems, why don't you (a supposedly caring person in the community) get up and do something positive to counteract those problems & the violence?

It is so much easier to spout negative, foolish diatribe & criticize those who are at least trying to do something positive. If you cannot think of something helpful to say, please keep quiet. The community already has too many problems. To all the young and not so young people who act before they think; I BEG you, PLEASE STOP THE VIOLENCE. WALK AWAY. LIVE TO SEE TOMORROW. WORDS MIGHT HURT YOUR PRIDE, BUT GUNS AND KNIVES TAKE AWAY YOUR LIFE. PLEASE STOP IT!

To the parents, grandparents, older brothers, cousins and anyone who has influence over others who you know are involved in gang activity, please try talking and reasoning with these young people; be more involved.

Posted by: Mr. Ben-Elohim Sr. | June 3, 2009 3:28 PM

I have been taken part in numerous events with the brotherhood and i would like to commend them on their efforts. I myself am a single father and my son oldest lives with me. This is a great movement and hopefully women can come and get involved also because it's about being adults and setting a positive example for your children and any children or adults around you. Responsiblity is on all adults whether they have children or not whether they care about the violence or not if your not involved in positive change in any way ask your self who am I and what purpose do i serve in a society that is crumbling from the bottom up " Man sets the example and the rest of the family will follow"

Brothers Issue Call To Fathers

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