#BlackFathersDay: Men create series of videos to celebrate black fatherhood
As Father's Day approaches, many people are preparing to honor the men in their lives. But a group of guys have come together to highlight African American dads in particular with #BlackFathersDay.
Beleaf in Fatherhood, a hip-hop artist, and La Guardia Cross have teamed up with Divergent Media to produce a series of YouTube videos that document what fatherhood means to them.
With the hashtag #BlackFathersDay, the creators are striving to dispel the negative myths about men of color including the notion that they are absentee dads.
"The black experience isn't monolithic, and black fathers are alive and well, and that should be celebrated," Austin Null, Divergent Media founder, told The Root.
In the short clips, the men featured are showing how they parent. Whether filling baby bottles or potty training their kiddos, they’re displaying the joys and struggles that come along with being a poppa.
The filmmakers are also encouraging people to join the movement on Father’s Day by sharing their stories through photo or video using their hashtag.
“Let’s get it trending all over social media,” Null said. “The message I want people, as a whole, to take away is that the media [or] society can say whatever they want, but it doesn’t make it true.
Take a look at one of the clips below.
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About the Author
Najja Parker is a multimedia journalist covering Black culture for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is an engaging on-air talent, who has served as a host for the newsroom’s special projects and events, such as the movie premiere of “The South Got Something To Say,” a documentary chronicling the rise of Atlanta hip-hop.
