www.marloncole.com
CONTENTS Vol. 01 / ISSUE 01 05. Contributors 08. Editor’s Letter
FIRE 13 - 22. Grady’s Collective Market | Damien Holbert 25 - 26. POP: A Celebration of Black Fatherhood | Carol Ross
WATER 29 - 40. The Military Father | An Interview of Four
EARTH 42. Capturing an honest moment with Asen James 83-84. My Father, Manhood & Masculinity | Ian Kamau
MINERAL 48. Story Time | Before John Was a Jazz Giant 73 - 78. Overseas: London | Young Fathers 79 - 82. Robert D. Cave Sr. | Pictures My Dad Took
49 - 57. Exhibit: More Than XY | London, UK 58. Journal Entry No. 1 61 - 62. Places to Go: WeBop, Jazz at Lincoln Center 63 - 64. Education: Freebrook Academy 65 - 66. Film: Fatherless to Fatherhood 67 - 68. Music: Here, My Dear, Marvin Gaye 69 - 70. Style: Father & Son Casely-Hayford 85 - 92. Our Fathers
DAGARA ELEMENTS [color key] Fire Passion, Dreams, See Present & Future Water Flow, The Greater Good, Reconciliation Earth Sense of Identity, Nurturing, Abundance Mineral Storytelling, Building, Communication Nature Cycles of Life, Death, Rebirth The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships, by Sobonfu Some
www.pixod.com
“If there was ever a man who was generous, gracious and good, that was my dad.” - Horace Silver
AMERICAN JAZZ PIANIST
Vol. 01 / ISSUE 01 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Marlon Cole Editor Sydia Bell Marketing Director Aidah Z. Muhammad
“Becoming a parent changes your perspective on things and brings a new responsibility to your life. It’s joyous.” - Wynton Marsalis JAZZ MUSICIAN
PR Natalie Cole Style Editor Christopher Easeyi Catwell Designers Raheem Rademaker Intern Aleshia Mclean Jadah Christopher Front Cover: Photo by Aron Süveg
4FATHERS Photo Journal Brooklyn, New York
Back Cover: Photo by Chris Bergstrom
Photo Journal: Bi-Annual info@4fathersjournal.com www.4fathersjournal.com Sponsorship/Advertising info@4fathersjournal.com © 2012-2013 4FATHERS All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication without prior consent is prohibited.
THANK YOU Moms + Pops / Fatimah Payne / Deborah Brennan / Lisa Davis / Keisha Dutes / Shari Jones / Zun Lee / Mariana Sheppard / Divine Bradley / Alijah Pompilus
CONTRIBUTORS Aron Süveg PHOTOGRAPHER Aron is a Hungarian photographer. He has traveled to many lands documenting the spirit of people, places and things. - www.aronsuveg.com Adrian Miles PHOTOGRAPHER “Visions of a Quest” - www.adrianmiles.com Chris Bergstrom PHOTOGRAPHER “My forte is to provide parents with unique photos!” - www.bushidophoto.com James Pearson-Howes PHOTOGRAPHER James is a London based photographer. - www.jamespearsonhowes.com Steven Duarte PHOTOGRAPHER “I love capturing people, because people always seem to capture me.” - www.stevenduarte.com Davon Smith PHOTOGRAPHER “Vision.” - www.visiondavon.tumblr.com
www.thestuyvesants.com
Aron S端veg /7
EDITOR’S LETTER e is my priority. One minute I was in my own world the next I had become the sole provider for two individual’s welfare. Immediately, I reminisced about my childhood and a life of not having the finances that would have allowed my family to live in a different manner. Some would say better, I say different because what I did have money could not buy. Still, I wanted to give more, more of what I didn’t have to my son and his mother. The daily thoughts not only about their well being but financial security were two daunting obstacles that were always present. The transition from boy to man is only the beginning in developing into a role as a father. Being a father doesn’t come with a manual; it isn’t about whether a child shares your DNA or last name. You learn how to with each passing day. You begin to look at your child and become more of a father, parent and protector from all that is wrong. I realized it was up to me to accept my new responsibilities and to continue to grow and develop wisdom. Still, even with a better understanding of my priorities I was left feeling unsatisfied and confused due to the constant denial that I didn’t have to think about my needs. I realized if I couldn’t find ways to make myself happy, I couldn’t expect others to. 4FATHERS main purpose is to showcase and establish the memorable and challenging journey necessary in the development of the relationship between father and child. This is for my father, who I don’t know; it is for my father’s father, my mother’s father, and for those men who take on the responsibility of raising a child who is not biologically theirs. To highlight the journey I have gone and am still going through as a man and as a father to my son. It is a project I want to share with other fathers who have experienced this journey. I want to reach the man that forgets that being a father doesn’t happen overnight, it’s something you gradually grow accustomed to as your child’s laugh becomes more pronounced and as you begin to see more of you in them. This is the reminder that you learn how to be a father each day you wake and breathe life. MARLON COLE 8/
Aron S端veg /9
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Aron S端veg
Aron S端veg
FATHER + OWNER
DAMIEN HOLBERT GRADY’S COLLECTIVE MARKET Meet Damien Holbert, Business Owner, Curator and Lifestyle Designer, who created an experimental Collective Market space. Damien, is not new to the retail business. He co-owned sneaker and denim shop, Boro 51, in Las Vegas, NV. Damien designs apparel, creates interior furniture, mixes music, and refinishes modern furniture. He is not only today’s modern day Renaissance Man, but he is also a father.
Adrian Miles
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Adrian Miles My relationship with my father... was good. We didn’t stay in the same house though, so it was a weekend/holiday thing. He stayed busy and always had paper and a weekly BBQ / Domino set. When it was time for us to start earning our own, he’ll let us borrow his lawn mower and edger to hit the hood for lawns. He past from a so called heart attack, but my family thinks he was murdered by his wife... R.I.P. CHARLES EMMIT HOLBERT. Being a father means... being blessed. I told myself that it would be planned but that wasn’t the case. When it happened I got the traditional call (via-payphone) “I’M PREGNANT.” I pulled myself together a few days later and started planning on taking care of my end of the birth. I teach my daughter... first to respect her elders, second to respect herself, third all the knowledge I can give her. She knows how to draw, sing, dance and put together her outfits. I taught her how to tell the little boy’s at daycare “BACK UP BOZO” and she did it on site. I told her teacher that she complained about another kid being up in her space... I told her not to say as much after that, only when needed.
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Last time I cried... well, I always have a monthly dream and wake up in tears. I think a lot of people do. When I work with my hands... I know the digital world well, but hands on, is what I really know best. It’s natural. I do so much with my hand it’s crazy. I always remind people my hands are my tools. Vintage... will never die. I had vintage shit everyday, but they called it “HAND ME DOWNS”. You would get some shit from your brother, cousin or the church donation. After I figured out how to mix my new with old, I programmed my style, same thing with my home. I always mix new with the old to keep a level setting.
WHEN IT HAPPENED I GOT THE TRADITIONAL CALL (VIA-PAYPHONE) “I’M PREGNANT”
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Adrian Miles
Adrian Miles
Adrian Miles
Adrian Miles
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Adrian Miles
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www.together-apart.com
www.artrulesaruba.com
POP A CELEBRATION OF BLACK FATHERHOOD
arol Ross is an artist and advocate for the health, wellness and stability of Black men with children. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, Ross never left a stone unturned, always seeking the beauty beneath the hidden. On her 10th birthday, her mother gave her a camera and it was then that her quest for intimacy with the world began to unfold. Ross is best known for her debut book, POP: A Celebration of Black Fatherhood, with a forward by Samuel L. Jackson. Since its unveiling POP was featured in Essence, Heart & Soul, O Magazine, Baby Talk, The Washington Post, the cover of the Chicago Tribune, and profiled in Chicago Sun Times, Advertising Age, the Boston Globe, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and others. Ross’ photographs have appeared in publications including Ebony, VIBE, Village Voice and in the book, 73 Ways To Help Your Baby Sleep. Ross has also made guest appearances on ABC 7 Chicago, “Your Morning on CN8” with Greg Coy, Oprah & Friends Radio with Gayle King, XM Satellite Radio and WVON Chicago with Santita Jackson. Ross then partner with the prestigious Chicago based Burrell Communications to develop and promote a black father’s initiative. POP served as the cornerstone for the national campaign, which included public service announcements in Ebony, Jet, Sister 2 Sister, Black Enterprise and Rolling Out as well as spots on BET, TV1 and a radio spot on Radio One. In 2008, POP was nominated as an Essence Magazine Literary Award Finalists in Photography. Images
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from the POP collection have exhibited at Gallery Guichard in Chicago, the Engaging Men 2009 Symposium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and most recently the Augusta Savage Gallery at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In addition to POP, Ross made photographic contributions promoting Dr. Cornell West’s latest CD, Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia commissioned Ross to photograph the “Social Identity” exhibition for “Identity: An Exhibition of You” exhibited at the California Science Center, Boston Museum of Science, Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, Fort Worth Museum of Science & History. Ross is determined and fully committed to changing the perception of Black fathers for the growth of community and development of children!
www.popbycarolross.com
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www.iamthenublack.com
native habitat
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THE MILITARY FATHER
AN INTERVIEW OF FOUR Interview + Photography / CHRIS BERGSTROM
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How long have you been a father? I have been a father since October 31, 2003. What are some challenges of being a father while serving in the military? Some challenges of being a father that I personally experienced are being unable to see your kids grow up in their first two years while being deployed, missing the birthdays and all the special days for the kids and the wife, being unable to help my wife with the kids while deployed, having your kids shy of you during the first time of meeting after a year of absence. Do you have a unique story you’d like to share? My daughter is three years old now. She was born 7/7/07 and a month later, I was gone for a readiness exercise for two months. After the two months, I was on leave for two weeks and then out for fifteen months to Iraq. The next time I saw her was on R&R (rest and recuperation) when she was eleven months old. She did not know me at all. She knew the face, but she was afraid to come close to me. I had to beg her to come to me on her 11th month so I could hold her in my arms or hug her. Eight months later, after deployment, she was still afraid of me. At this time, she was already a year and six months old, but her actions toward me was no different than when she was eleven months old. She could not call me Daddy. All I wanted to hear from her was the word “DADDY”.
What’s your name and rank? Jason Jacob Henry, Sergeant First Class How long have you been in the military? 12 years and 5 months What’s your job? I work in the Operations office for the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade, Division East, First Army. I serve as an Operations Sergeant in a Brigade S-3 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL) responsible for training support, mobilization, and demobilization operations for deploying and re-deploying Soldiers; manages the coordination of demobilizing unit outbriefs to training support battalions, 72nd BDE HQ, and 1AE HQ; generates fragmentary orders (FRAGOS) for the Brigade; provides the Operations Officer updates on the outbriefing schedule and suspense tracker; coordinates and assists with VIP visits to JB MDL; coordinates the Quarter and Annual Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer programs; and a husband and father.
Until she was two years old, I tried everything and got her everything that I know a little princess would appreciate. Until August of 2009, when I had to leave again enroute to my next duty station where my family could not go, she call me Daddy for the first time when I was hugging and shaking everyone’s hands before I walked through the security gate at the Kosrae International Airport, FM. I was surprised to hear that. My wife told me at the moment she didn’t want me to leave she would say DADDY. She did not know that I was leaving until I started shaking hands and hugging everyone. She was thinking that I was going to leave for Iraq again. I tried to explain to her, but she would not take it. She kept on crying and saying I don’t want you to go. I was the last one to get on the plane. She broke me. I told her that we will meet again soon. Five months later, I met back up with them and she was the first one hugging me. The first thing out of her mouth was, “Are you leaving again?” I told her that yes, but with everyone. She was happy. Until today, I have been explaining to her why I go away from them and why I deploy. She is only three years old now and she tells me, when I put the uniform on, if I am going to go and fight the bad guys. By saying this, I know that eventually, she will fully understand what I do.
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Chris Bergstrom
Chris Bergstrom
Chris Bergstrom
What’s your name and rank? Chief Warrant Officer, Andrew Souchet How long have you been in the military? 29 years What’s your job? Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Officer How long have you been a father? Five years. What are some challenges of being a father while serving in the military? Balancing the demands of work with family needs. How do you deal with those challenges? Advance planning, discussing work time requirements with my wife, explaining to my children why I may not be at a school or social event with them.
Do you have a unique story you’d like to share with our readers? Besides the candy, my oldest child’s favorite part of Halloween was getting to dress up as a U.S. Marine. As long as he wore camouflage face paint, and a chemical stick he didn’t care if he was a pilot or an infantryman. Predictably, his interest in costumes has declined over the years. He’ll still take the candy. What are some positive impacts for your child/children growing up as a military child? Financial security. If you ask them, it is getting to see cool stuff like helicopters and planes and camouflaged trucks. Do your kids see you as a hero? At times yes, however, I’m regularly superseded by Santa Claus, Nana and Grandma. Do you see yourself as a role model not only for your kids, but for the other kids in your community? Sure. I believe that my accomplishments as a person and a father are influenced by the environment and people I interacted with growing up. Therefore, it must be that either directly or through my children I am affecting my community. Do you give back to your community? How? Not as much as I’d like. We do support the USO and our local Boys and Girls club. I also help indirectly by relieving my wife of her responsibilities during school sports season so she can volunteer to help my son’s school teams. What’s the hardest thing about being a father serving in the military? Unpredictable discretionary time. My command is spread out geographically across several states. Phone conferences and meetings occasionally spillover past normal east coast working hours preventing me from being home for dinner.
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Chris Bergstrom
Chris Bergstrom
Chris Bergstrom
What’s your name and rank? Captain, Rahsul J. Freeman How long have you been in the military? About 19 years What’s your job? 621st Contingency Response Wing Executive Officer How long have you been a father? 3 years What are some challenges of being a father while serving in the military? The biggest challenge is extended deployments and missing significant developmental milestones in my son’s life, for example, I have missed two of his three birthdays, his first tooth and first step. How do you deal with those challenges? Prayer. Do you have a unique story you’d like to share with our readers? No, military folks are fairly homogenous with virtually identical stories.
What are some positive impacts of for your child/children growing up as a military child? Because my son is only three years old I don’t have an opinion (yet) if growing up a military child will have a positive benefit on him. I’m leaning towards the notion that it could have a negative effect by giving him a Pollyanna view of the world. The military is not a microcosm of society. For the most part the military population is abnormally healthy, far more educated, and practically unaffected by a horrific economy. We certainly are not rich and we definitely are not better than our fellow civilian citizens however, we are often afforded the opportunity to lead a much more comfortable life. Virtually all of my friends are active-duty, reserve, or retired military; as a result my son has limited exposure to the world outside of the military so it’s likely as he grows older he will falsely assert that all Americans are able to enjoy the life that we live. This question forced me to realize I need to do a better job at exposing and socializing my son with the world as it really is. Do your kids see you as a hero? Young children lack perspective so their only frame of reference is themselves. My son knows I’m 10 times bigger than he is, 100 times faster and a 1000 times stronger. Anyone who can jump up to touch the ceiling, win a footrace across the living room and open the tightest jar of spaghetti sauce must not only be a hero but I super hero. I am however secure in the knowledge that he’ll one day grow up to learn I’m barely average height, not all that fast and weaker than he remembered me as a child. Do you see yourself as a role model for not only your kids, but to other kids in your community? I try desperately to be the man I want my son to become so yes, I do see myself as a role model. Do you give back to your community? How? My current position does not afford me the opportunity to give back like I did in the past. Now I do a lot of non-quantifiable things like maintaining my yard and my home as to not detract from the community. I talk to some of the neighborhood children about school and the importance of going to college. My wife and I also routinely support the Vietnam Veterans of America through monthly donations.
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Chris Bergstrom
What’s your name and rank? Master-At-Arms First Class Surface Warfare/Avation Warfare or MA1 (SW/AW) Patrick M. McKay / E-6 How long have you been in the military? Just shy of 10 years What’s your job? Master-At-Arms How long have you been a father? 4 years 6 months What are some challenges of being a father while serving in the military? Time away from the family How do you deal with those challenges? I have a great family that understands “Daddy has to work”, and when I am home I spend time with them.
Do you have a unique story you’d like to share with our readers? When my second son was five months old I deployed. I transferred off the ship and returned home five months later when I got home, my oldest ran up and gave me a big hug, my now 10 month old “jumped” out of my wife’s arms to get to me, So I was literally gone for half of his life and he still knew who I was it was like I never left. It was awesome, I cried like a baby. What are some positive impacts of for your child/children growing up as a military child? The diversity, and different experiences, and being able to adapt to different situations. Do your kids see you as a hero? I sure hope so. Do you see yourself as a role model for not only your kids, but to other kids in your community? Yes, as an MA, I hold myself to a standard at all times, in uniform and out. Do you give back to your community? How? My wife and I are active with the local little league, and I have talked at a few schools in the area about topics of their request, like 911, what to do in an emergency, internet security, topics all dependants on the school and grade level. What’s the hardest thing about being a father serving in the military? Time gone.
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www.dadisaverb.tumblr.com
A CHILD TEACHES HUMILITY A Conversation with ASEN JAMES
y name is Asen James. I’m a Father, Musician, Entrepreneur, DJ and Visual Designer. I’m just trying to capture an honest moment, with my music, and other things I’m working on. I think sincerity in expression isn’t visible. Not that it’s not out there, but people don’t have venues to access it. Right now I’m primarily trying to convey this from a musical standpoint. Young people today don’t receive a lot of honest creative expression, because a lot of what is out there, is driven by profit. For example, Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye, which you and I were just talking about, there are a lot of moving moments in there, intangible things. For me, I hear Marvin wrestling with this situation with his wife in a way that is not a cartoon of emotion. That’s missing in a lot of today’s music. At fourteen what was your state of mind? Getting some gold fronts, some fly kicks, thinking about being a world famous painter. In life how did you learn most things? Initially my experiences came from television and occasional things I read. My world view was very limited. MTV, had a big influence on me growing up though. That’s when it was 95% music.
How do you teach your daughter? Right now the situation with my daughter isn’t the way I want it to be, I don’t get to see her as much as I want to, she lives upstate. But when she was younger, I would pick her up from school everyday. We would walk and talk on our way to the library to do her homework together. An example of me teaching her, is for instance; Halloween, I’m not into all of that stuff, but I know as a child she gravitates towards the celebration and I know what it is to be a child in this society. But what we would do is find a few books on Halloween at the library and we would find out the history and what it really means. She and I have always had a dialogue and I would always share with her that information equals options, the more info you have the more directions you can go. Is it difficult to communicate with your teenage daughter? I always try to express stuff with her as clearly as I understand it, but now for the most part I do a lot of listening since she’s 14 now. We are both Leos, we’ve always been good friends, we communicate well. What would you like your daughter to know? I want my daughter to be proud of me, but most importantly I want her to be proud of herself.
Where were you when your daughter was born? I was at the Business Library in Mid-Manhattan, I got the call that my daughters mother just gave birth to her, I packed up my things and ran from the thirties all the way to fourteenth street. When I got to the birthing center, I saw this beautiful little baby girl. That afternoon I slept with her on my chest; it was the most peaceful sleep I ever had in my life. It was amazing, I felt so connected with her. What were your feelings when you heard your going to be a father? Am I going to take care of my daughter, I was completely shocked, but I am extremely happy and feel blessed, cause I would have been a different person, and I don’t think I would have liked the person that I would have become if my daughter had not come into my life when she did.
for more on Asen James visit: www.focomoto.bandcamp.com
What kind of emotions came over you as a first time father? We use to go on these walks and I remember just falling deeply in love with her, my daughter.
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MODERN ANTHOLOGY / SHOPPING MADE FOR MEN / I arrived at Modern Anthology in DUMBO, for the first time. The original designs boutique/creative studio encompasses much of what I am about and my aesthetic. The store is small, one room, with a slice in the back cut out for an office. Floor plans were tacked up on the wall, presumably for the interior design business that goes hand in hand with the store’s eroded-brute aesthetic, shabby chic for men. I was very much overwhelmed with the choices and quality of goods in the space. I am very surprised I had never heard of this shop before. I will certainly be making regular trips here. - SUAHD ZACH-MORRIS IDDRISSU OF THE BK GOOD GUYS
Modern Anthology 68 - 117 Jay Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn / www.modernanthology.com
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www.morethanxy.com
STORY TIME
BEFORE JOHN WAS A JAZZ GIANT: A SONG OF JOHN COLTRANE Author / CAROLE BOSTON WEATHERFORD Illustrator / SEAN QUALLS
icture books about jazz are the oddest little critters, aren’t they? There are a surprising number of them, first of all. Sometimes I think that all the rock and roll, blues, and opera picture books combined can’t compare in number to the sheer amounts of jazzrelated texts that cross library doorsteps every year. Much of this, I suspect, has much to do with illustrators feeling a kinship with that particular style of music. “Before John was a Jazz Giant” won’t answer any child’s questions about what jazz is or why John Coltrane is important. At its core, it’s just a simple story of a boy growing to love music and how that affects him later when he’s an adult. And in a sense, that’s a concept for a jazz picture book that really makes a lot of sense.
I do say with certainty that this is my favorite of artist Sean Qualls’ work. According to the publication page he used a combination of acrylic, collage, and pencil to create the illustrations here. The result is an interesting combination of swirls and perfect concentric circles. As with many jazz books, how do you render an audible concept visible? In this particular case, our first view of John is as an adult. “Before John was a Jazz Giant” strikes a balance between a man’s music and a man’s life that kids will definitely dig. Jazz done young, done right. E. R. BIRD “RAMSEELBIRD”
The very first words on the page are, “Before John was a jazz giant,” and there stands a man blowing on his horn, commanding a room. But long before any of that, the boy called John heard music every day in a different way. It came to him in, “hambones knocking in Grandma’s pots,” or “Grandpa’s Sunday sermons.” The sounds that filled John’s life weren’t always happy of course. “... he heard birds warbling at sunrise, the sobs of kinfolk at family funerals.” But eventually he would pick up a horn. And eventually he would breathe, “every sound he’d ever known into a bold new song.”
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EXHIBIT
MORE THAN XY An exhibit that celebrates fathers + positive male role models Challenging the often imbalanced portrayal of black men being absent fathers, the curators of More Than XY, I Am The Nu Black and forFATHERS project have created this show to increase the awareness of the fathers who are active parents in their children’s lives and to provide exposure for the artists expressing their views of fatherhood through visuals. Realizing the importance of the individual voice, More Than XY encouraged visitors to the exhibition to not only view the works submitted by the Artists, but to be a part of the exhibition themselves, by bringing photographs of their fathers/positive male role models or by writing messages to and about their fathers on a huge Message Wall at the exhibit.
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A story time section for young children who attended the show, was also set in place at the opening day of the exhibit. The first show took place in London at The Centre for Better Health in Hackney on Fathers Day (June 17th). With much appreciation and success of the first show, More Than XY was selected by London’s, Bernie Grant Arts Centre to exhibit the work, for the entire month of July. Too often the media focuses on the negative side, but with the works exhibited at More Than XY, it challenged that and offered an alternative that many can relate to. www.morethanxy.com
TTK Chillin’ With Nova This painting was inspired by a photograph of my daughter and I taken in December 2008 in Florida. It was the first time I saw her in months and I wanted to capture the moment. It’s not the traditional father and daughter portrait, but it’s a moment in time that meant a lot to both of us. www.gottkgo.com
DREW SINCLAIR Chipboard
LARISSA AMARACHI BAILEY Div7ine (divine/define)
TERRENCE ADEGBENLE Street’s Disciples
CURATORS MARLON COLE Inspired by the birth of his son, Marlon Cole created forFATHERS project, an online journal celebrating fatherhood. The project’s main purpose is to encourage fathers to be active parents in their children’s lives. / www.forfathersproject.org GABRIELLE SMITH Originally created as a 30 day Black History Month project, Thenublk has established itself as an arts & culture platform for contemporary creatives worldwide. Through this platform the blog seeks to educate, share and document the creative side of Black Culture. / www.iamthenublack.com
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THE ARTISTS TERRENCE ADEGBENLE Street’s Disciples I choose to concentrate my efforts on positively representing my community. Too much emphasis on the oppressor makes you forget to focus the bulk of your attention on those that matter most. The people you see every day in your community; our family, our positive leaders, the youth, they should be the main focus of our devotion. / www.krop.com/terrenceade LARISSA AMARACHI BAILEY Div7ine (divine/define) Divine portrays the subject matter of an African/Black man. For black men and boys the influences that surround them is in serious question. Why can we not define ourselves through what should be the forefront of consciousness? Be that your history, tradition, family, close circles, or what nourishes the wellness of your soul. / www.etsy.com/shop/larissaamarachi MALAIKA BROOKS-SMITH-LOWE Grenada [father and child] Single stories are dangerous even when they may appear to speak some truth. The tale of absent black fathers, which often goes on without interrogation within mainstreams society, has incredible potential. It has the potential to inspire fathers to be different from this representation or rather absence of representation. It also has the potential to create a model or an identity for fathers to buy into, even if subconsciously. Speaking our multiple truths is invaluable. Speaking our father’s truths is invaluable. We are children of many fathers, some biological, some not. A simple embrace can create a moment of fatherhood, an act of nurture a star on the rise. / www.malaikabsl.com XAVIER BURGIN Eric and Amira My father has been a significant and continuous presence within my life and the lives of my younger siblings. He had me at a young age, and if stereotypes dictate the actions of all individuals, my birth would’ve also been the loss of him. Instead, he found a new calling in life through his children. / www.qtlimages.com
STEVEN DUARTE Untitled I enjoy capturing special moments of people, because people always seem to capture me. I worked on this shoot with Marlon and his son, capturing a father and son moment. I’ve found my voice through portrait photography. / www.stevenduarte.com KINGSLEY DAVIS Family Time The creation of intimacy is the motivation behind these images while challenging often negative media stereotypes of absent fathers. The use of high contrast black and white film helped to create a graphic feel, focusing on the bond between father and son. The aim was also to capture a ‘shared’ family activity while isolating areas such as hands that are a guiding symbol. It is widely believed that a child’s personality is formed by the age of 5 years thus emphasizing the crucial input of fathers in this time span. / www.kingsleydavis.co.uk JENI HALLAM Where The Devil Won’t Go GAS gang are close affiliates of the notorious OC gang based in Brixton’s Myatts Field estate, that is known as ‘Baghdad’ by the locals. This is an area that, according to one reporter, not even the devil would venture. Hidden between the stairwells and sirens are former gang members living lives under very different circumstances. They have turned their backs on the lifestyles they used to live, forsaking crime, violence and their formidable reputations for new lives as devout Christians. While the government, local authorities and the judicial system search for ways to stem the tide of gang-related crime, violence and death and the media whips up moral panic with tales and statistics, there are some that have found an escape route. ‘Where The Devil Won’t Go’ presents the stories of three of them, in their own words, explaining why they got in and how they got out. / www.jendella.co.uk »
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BERJO MOUANGA Untitled I think it is very important to highlight black fathers and positive male role models in general, unfortunately we don’t get to see it very often. This topic applies to me personally; therefore my illustrations represent a father as the protector, the provider and the head of the family. All of these illustrations were inspired by African proverbs. / www.itsberjo.com DREW SINCLAIR Chipboard It all started with the birth of my Daughter, Quechua. Inspired by the many dimensions of her beauty I decided I would document her growth by doing three to four paintings of her a year. I had recently discovered a beauty in the textures and colours found in chipboard and decided this would be my new canvas. So off I went, paintbrush in one hand chipboard in the other. The journey has been one of warmth, gentleness and patience. Each moment away from Quechua begs me to paint her, each movement of the brush feels like I’m stroking her face. There are a few other faces in this collection each one a reflection of my daughter, her Grandmother (Like Sunshine), her Brother (Shark tooth) and me, her Father (Watching, Listening, Breathing). So here I am two years later at the beginning of this new life long collection, eager to document every one of her beautiful dimensions. / www.drewsinclair.webs.com
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JOURNALENTRY 01 On top of the world Yeah, that’s how my seeds got me feeling’ right now On top of the world It was 1996, 4th of July, looking off in the sky, dealing with thoughts inside, when something caught my eye, It was a silhouette of a beautiful woman, bright with life carrying my first seed, looking like she gone bear fruit tonight We at the African street festival, and she walking around, talking about the midwife said, that bring the baby down, I’m about to be a father, the sights and sounds, seem brighter around me and for starters, I know I’ma work harder, Word! We got home at three in the morning, I was beat, them contractions started coming as soon as I fell asleep 3:05, like every five minutes, then the water broke we on the go, yelling at the cabbie, cause he’s sort of slow, You know them hospitals all trying to get paid, no questions, hear come the doctor’s with they drugs, trying to do c-sections, but my baby stay’s strong, in labor for yay long, eight-pound baby boy, to carry my name on, Joy! On top of the world Yeah, that’s how my seeds got me feeling’ right now On top of the world Artist: Talib Kweli Song: Joy Album: Quality
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mpressive concepts
www.jalc.org
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PLACES TO GO
JAZZ CLASSES FOR TODDLERS WEBOP
So a Saxophone is a Saxophone, or so you may think, but not before my three year old son corrects you. Thanks to a highly educational and extremely enjoyable New York Dads meet-up today, he now understands that there is a difference between a Soprano Saxophone and an Alto Saxophone. And thanks to his big presentation in music and pictures, he knows that John Coltrane was pretty mean at playing either. And so we notched up another successful outing, with an introduction to Jazz at the Lincoln Center with WeBop. Equipped with shakers and tambourines, we shaked and we danced to a few jazz riffs courtesy of the soothing voice of our host and her trusted man on the piano.
sential to preventing the class from disintegrating into a car crash of a scene resembling a bunch of soda-infused children on the dance floor at the end of a wedding party. As we moved through the jazz repertoire and my son’s questionable dancing had developed into unquestionable just running around the hall in circles, the class went to the next level. All the children were given a crayon and invited to “feel the music” and draw on a single huge sheet of paper. With an array of colors and shapes, our pianist deciphered the picture and set it to music. Providing some relevance to the children, our host then sung Goodnight Moon to music. Just holding up the familiar book was enough to draw in her young audience to sit at her feet, adding yet another layer of positive association to our children’s first jazz experience. PETER B. / Source: www.nycdadsgroup.com
Keeping toddler’s music classes fresh and innovative is es-
WEBOP FALL, WINTER & SPRING TERMS Who/What/When: Jazz at Lincoln Center WeBop! named “Best Music Class In The City” by New York Family. This early-childhood jazz education program teaches children (ages 8 months—5 years) and their parents/caregivers about jazz’s improvisation, creative process, instruments, styles, and great performers. The classes provide a creative outlet for parents and children to explore jazz as a tool to educate and express themselves together. WeBop classes are weekly with enrollment dates as outlined below. Free trial classes are available for each term.
How: Register by visiting jalc.org/webop or by calling the WeBop registration line at 212-258-9835 (M-F 10am-5pm.); $300 for an 8 week-term. 10% off sibling discounts available. Term and trial class schedules are available after on sale dates listed above. RSVP is required for trial classes by sending email to webop@jalc.org or by calling 212-258-9835.
Fall Term, ABC’s of Jazz Explore the essentials of jazz, including swing, improvisation, blues, scat, riffs, and call and response.
Sponsorship: Jazz at Lincoln Center gratefully acknowledges The Irene Diamond Fund for its leadership support of programming in the Irene Diamond Education Center.
Winter Term, Meet the Jazz Band Discover the instruments of a swinging jazz band, including piano, bass, drums, trumpet, saxophone, and trombone. Each week students are joined by a special guest musician.
For more information: Bridget Wilson Associate, Public Relations Phone 212-258-9868 Email: bwilson@jalc.org
Spring Term, People of Jazz Get to know the lively music and vibrant personalities of jazz legends Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Charles Mingus. Classes are segmented based on age from 8 months—5 years: » HIPSTERS: 8-16 months old » SCATTERS: Walking-23 months old » STOMPERS: 2-3 years old » GUMBO GROUP: 3-5 years old » SYNCOPATORS: 4-5 years old WeBop is produced in collaboration with Dr. Lori Custodero of Teachers College at Columbia University. Where: Louis Armstrong Classroom, Irene Diamond Education Center, Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City.
Photography » Ayano Hisa 62 /
EDUCATION
Folk Family, Artist: William H. Johnson
DEMOCRACY
Students have an active role in the operation of the school and the creation of their shared school experiences.
TEACHERS AS FACILITATORS
Teachers support student learning through student direction, student exploration, and sensory/experience based learning.
BEYOND GRADES
Freebrook believes grades can limit student potential and transform learning into an external process, rather than an internal process, which reduces its intrinsic value.
CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
Students are invited to explore their own culture in the classroom. Each grade is supported as they creatively address community challenges through methods such as creating a mural, collecting and sharing data, creating a youtube campaign, or leading a community meeting. Education is important to my family and as a father I’ve been doing research on different types of ways to provide my son with an alternative way of learning, whether it be the classic public school approach or home schooling, where he has the ability to learn at his own speed, but will that hinder him in his social life? These are the concerns as a first time father. I came across Freebrook Academy, a private school that believes education is not only life-long, but also communitywide. They also believe that learning goes beyond the textbook into personal experience and community development. Freebrook Academy, a progressive school for grades K-12th, opened in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, on September 2011.
Freebrook Academy is divided into two parts. The first is K-6th grade or the “lower school”. The second is the “upper school”, which includes 7th-12th grade. Freebrook also believes that learning goes beyond the textbook and grades, and focuses on personal experiences and community development. Freebrook Academy has the same values that I as a father live by. It’s democratic community committed to supporting students’ potential to be successful and their ability to define their own futures, through a progressive approach, and a community, cultural, and social justice foundation, I feel will enable students to explore their world and challenge themselves, while simultaneously encouraging them to challenge injustices, think independently and critically, develop their talents, love learning, and become innovative adults. Freebrook is not simply a school. It is a part of the local community. MARLON COLE
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FILM
FROM FATHERLESS TO FATHERHOOD Filmmaker / KOBIE BROWN Kobie Brown an East Orange, N.J., native, music executive and Morehouse graduate, harnessed his experiences watching his friend’s fatherless childhood to create his From Fatherless to Fatherhood documentary. While at first probing the all-too-common single-parent household phenomenon in the black community, From Fatherless to Fatherhood also provides a stark contrast; positive black dads are shown not only caring for their children but mentoring, loving and teaching them. Add a few celebrity cameos from black leaders and entertainers alike, and you’ve got an insightful documentary aimed at sparking conversation. www.tofatherhood.com
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MUSIC
MARVIN GAYE: HERE, MY DEAR / NICK COLEMAN
There must be parallel universes in which it’s a good idea to marry the boss’s sister. There must be universes where it’s a good idea to marry the boss’s sister when you’re in your twenties, she’s 17 years older, and the boss is the owner of the biggest black music corporation in the world. It certainly must have seemed like a fantastic idea at the time to Marvin Gaye, when he hitched his wagon to Anna Gordy in 1964 with the blessing of the ruler of the Motown corporation, her sibling, Berry. At that stage, Gaye had only a handful of hit records to his name. The divorce petition was duly filed by Anna 12 years later, by which time Marvin was a deeply conflicted international superstar, trailing bad habits and two small children by another woman with whom he was distractedly in love. The unhealthiest of Marvin’s habits was the cocaine one, and coke habits can be expensive. So when Anna demanded a million dollars in settlement, Gaye could only plead poverty. He just didn’t have the cash. / 67
Instead, his lawyer came up with the idea of offering Anna the $305,000 advance made by Motown against Gaye’s next album, plus the first $295,000 it would inevitably turn in profit. Anna bought the deal. The judge duly wrote the order and the weirdest album deal in history was struck. What followed was even weirder. Let us put ourselves in Gaye’s shoes. Faced with such an imperative, most of us might well quail, utter a few resentful oaths and then knock out a routine piece of work in doublequick time, fulfilling the letter of the contract but no more – not least because there’d be no financial reward for whatever work was done. Not Marvin. Gaye decided that the righteous thing to do was use the opportunity to write a “poison pen” missive in musical form to punish the misuse in public. He would warrant himself emotionally with the indignant thought that Anna was denying him access to their child. The album he would make would give a detailed account of the breakdown of the marriage, cal-
culated to cause maximum hurt to Anna and embarrassment to Berry. He got down to work in 1977. Gaye’s best biographer, David Ritz, has written the liner-note to a new edition of the album, Here, My Dear (it has been remastered and coupled with a disc of outtakes, off-cuts and alternate remixes).
Was he aware at the time of Marvin’s vulnerability? “Not in the beginning. I didn’t get to know him properly until after the Here, My Dear thing. Gaye was a pure musician – even sitting around watching TV he was planning music; in the loo he was planning music. He planned music every single day. Music came out of him [all the time]. That’s what he was. He was just a genius.”
Ritz was an astute observer of the Marvin method and his take on the curious transformation which took place as the singer immersed himself in the project rings floridly true. “In the course of creating this ode of rebuttal and revenge,” he writes, “something very different happened. Art overwhelmed anger, and healing, the by-product of courageous introspection, was miraculously achieved.” Which is another way of saying that what came out at the end didn’t exactly match up with what went in at the beginning.
Which might perhaps explain why what began as a vengeful act became in the end, in its creator’s mind at least, a votive act of self-mortification and prayer – an act of self-rescue. What really drives Here, My Dear is not a weak man’s need to get even but his need to feel better. All that stacked-up, improvised, lambent beauty, all those trailing sad voices, do, in the end, say something worth hearing: they say: I may be many things of little or no value to you or to anyone else for that matter, but at least I can do this.
Here, My Dear is about as self-pitying and self-serving as a work of art can get. It is inconsistent in its perspectives, indulgent of its author’s religious sentimentalism, deluded in its prospectus of what a marriage can be. Some of it is juvenile. It’s saved from being pusillanimous only by the determination of the wounded Gaye to be as big-hearted as he could bring himself to be in the circs, and by the courage he exhibited – perhaps unwittingly – in revealing his own weakness of mind.
Gordon Banks has another take.
The album is one long baroque non sequitur. It is also fantastically beautiful. If nothing else, Here, My Dear represents the apotheosis of the gospel-soul tradition, in which sophisticated, elaborate vocal harmony stands for the outreach of the human spirit in the general direction of the ineffable.
Banks leaves a half a beat’s pause, as all good musicians do, and then hits the note.
“He’d met someone else. Anna was over for him and it was time to move on. He was planning on Here, My Dear to leave Motown. It was, like... the nepotism thing? He wanted to prove that he could succeed on his own without Motown. And his tie to Motown was Anna.” So you’re saying that the divorce album was partly about the pain of divorcing his wife but also about the pain of divorcing his record company?
“Riiiight.”
One of the many musicians hired for the project was the guitarist Gordon Banks. It’s not clear how much of Here, My Dear he actually played on – he can’t remember. Furthermore, he was young (22) in 1977 and of relatively low status and so was not granted much access to Gaye’s creative sanctum. “He was the captain of the ship,” he says bluntly, 30 years later. “He gave orders about how he wanted things played.”
It is not recorded whether every last penny of the divorce settlement was delivered. Nevertheless, Here, My Dear was only a success destine at the time of its release – it yielded no hits and was bought in relatively modest quantities. As for Anna, it was reported at the time that she was poised to file an invasion-of-privacy suit. “Does this album invade her privacy?” wittered Gaye in response. “I’ll have to give it another listen... but all’s fair in love and war.” The suit did not, in the end, transpire.
Which basically entailed dispatching the captain’s handpicked ensemble of groovers off to work up rhythm tracks, over which the skipper would then create his multitracked vocal empyrean in private. Once something acceptable had been achieved with the microphone, the instrumental parts were erased and sent away for re-recording with more precise specifications. It was an incremental process and Gaye, being Gaye, only worked in bursts.
Later, Anna told David Ritz that she was embarrassed and humiliated by the album. “It hurt. For a long time, I wouldn’t listen to it again. But with the passage of time I’ve come to appreciate every form of Marvin’s music, even songs written in anger. In the end, you know, when Marvin was very sick, he came to see me often. We stayed close.”
Banks went on to become close friends with Gaye, a key creative collaborator (“Sexual Healing” bears his mark) and the confidant with whom the singer went into exile in Belgium as he began the long slide into paranoia and death at the hands of his own father in 1984. Banks owns the rights to film of Gaye’s final concert. Unsurprisingly, the guitarist won’t hear a word against him.
Article originally published in The Independent www.independent.co.uk
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STYLE
FATHER & SON CASELY-HAYFORD Portrait / BEN WELLER Joe and Charlie Casely-Hayford are the father-son duo responsible for the London-based label’s boundary-breaking menswear. Casely-Hayford’s design manifesto calls for a sartorial anarchy, of sorts: the designers strive for innovation and anti-conformity in their thoroughly modern menswear, while hitting the mark for exquisite British tailoring. Joe brings decades of design experience to the Casely-Hayford label: he’s crafted costumes for the likes of U2 and the Clash, served as Creative Director of Savile Row’ mainstay Grieves & Hawkes, and was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen for his services to the fashion industry. 25-year-old Charlie’s already left his own imprint on the creative scene, having spent time at Central St. Martin’s, i-D, Creative Review, and the White Cube gallery, Hoxton, in addition to apprenticing at his father’s studio. In 2008, Joe and Charlie joined forces to form the house of Casely-Hayford. Sharing the same Gemini Birthday, Joe and Charlie joined forces in 2008 to develop the unique ‘father & son’ design partnership, with the aim of making a new style statement based on English sartorialism and British anarchy. The first collection launched in the Spring/Summer 2009 season. www.casely-hayford.com
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www.soulofbrooklyn.com
fishie face
www.fishieface.com
OVERSEAS: LONDON
YOUNG FATHERS / JAMES PEARSON-HOWES
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James Pearson-Howes’ current project, titled Young Fathers, showcases the lives of young men in the inner city of London, who have made the transition from being boys to becoming fathers. He captures them using documentary/portrait style of photography. Here we meet Kyal and his son.
Photography Âť James Pearson-Howes www.jamespearsonhowes.com
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PICTURES MY DAD TOOK ROBERT D. CAVE SR. (1949 – 1998) Robert D. Cave Sr. (1949 – 1998) was a professional photographer who documented the culture, politics, communities and people of New York City, mostly Brooklyn, for over 30 years. Recently I unearthed his life’s work from my aunt’s basement and began scanning, cataloging and retouching them in hopes of preserving both his legacy and the rich spirit and history of New York. SPEC BOOGIE
www.picturesmydadtook.tumblr.com
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MY FATHER, MANHOOD & MASCULINITY / IAN KAMAU
woke up this morning thinking predominantly of the impact that my father has had on my life. The older I get the more I realize how much my father has affected every aspect of my life, my thoughts, my feelings, my actions and even my expectations of myself and others. I make subconscious and conscious reference to my father (and mother) every day of my life in one-way or another. I have a picture of my father helping me to tie my shoes when I was around seven or eight years old. To me the picture expresses a reality of my father in my life, a care, sensitivity and humility that is not often associated with the stereotype of ‘manhood’ in many of our cultures, but is still essential to being a whole human being. Maybe this sensitivity and humility isn’t the best thing to express during wartime, and although I think many of the stereotypes around manhood are related to conflict, power, ego and domination, I don’t think most humans aspire to be in a state of perpetual warfare and I don’t think most people who identify as men want to live this way either.
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My father is both caring and strong, sensitive and powerful, intelligent and emotional, determined and vulnerable so I never saw a contradiction in a man being both sensitive and powerful at the same time, both nurturing and strong; it’s the same way I view my mother and myself for that matter. I view my father as a whole human being, or at least as someone who aspired to be as whole as possible. I’m not at all saying that my father was or is perfect I’m just saying that he tried and was brave enough to manifest a positive relationship with his son regardless of a strained relationship with his own father. The skewed idea of masculinity as created and perpetuated by an often violent and patriarchal society, is held up by both men who probably birthed it out of ego and an attempt to hold power but is also held up by many women who have been subjected to it. What women find attractive, what they will accept, what they expect, what they teach and what they care about also leads to men into being the way they are in society even if women’s attitudes towards men stem from the same patriarchy that would leave them at a disadvantage in societies around the globe.
I say all this to talk about my father again. I learned from my father, he like many other fathers around the world is our first and most consistent example of manhood, as our mothers are often our first and most consistent example of womanhood. We model our relationships after the relationships we see. So it’s not surprising that many people who have witnessed strong and healthy relationships have an easier time creating strong healthy relationships in their own lives and making the choices that will lead to better relationships. When I say strong relationships I’m not making any correlation between strength and time mind you, I believe my parents had a strong relationship, but they split after eighteen years. Those of us that have insecurities and fears in our relationships make choices that can mirror those insecurities and choices that lead us to mirror the relationships that we have seen. And of course there are many people who never had a positive relationship to reflect because a parent was completely absent. I believe that the love relationship and partnership is the basis of society, because out of that relationship come children that create a family, the family creates the community and the community creates the society. If the foundation of a house is not strong, the house is not strong so as someone who is interested in community I’ve always wanted a strong relationship. Just like Muslim people believe that the marriage is half of their Islam, I believe that my relationships should attempt to mirror my view of society. I however have never lived that reality. Once when I was about sixteen years old I was on the train with my father coming from somewhere, there were a group of guys about my age sitting together talking loudly and doing what most teenaged boys do when they are together; posturing and attempting to assert their manhood. My father and I were heading separate ways so he embraced me and kissed me on my forehead. I remember at sixteen feeling so embarrassed that my father showed his affection for me in this way in front of a group of my perceived peers. I look back on that moment now and I’m thankful that I had a gentle and loving father that taught me that a man does not need to live up to the stereotype of masculinity despite what society asks us to portray. My father never really taught me this in words, he taught me this in actions. I’m happy that I could be an artist who didn’t care about sports or cars and that be okay. I’m happy that my father was able to show me the complexity of what it is to be a man.
IAN KAMAU is a Canadian Hip Hop and Spoken Word Artist, Writer and Visual Artist from Toronto, Ontario. www.iankamau.com
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OUR FATHERS
forFATHERS project celebrates the importance of fatherhood through photography, film, and all other creative-artistic mediums. This project attracts a demographic of active fathers, young professionals, stay at home dads and all men around the world looking for daily inspiration through images which are used as a visual aid. 4FATHERS Photo Journal is an extension of forFATHERS project, which uses a traditional approach with its usage of photographs and words. Each Issue covers a selection of fathers with amazing stories, whom we think are doing amazing things as parents. With a unique mix of interviews/conversations and photo essays, 4FATHERS ultimate goal is to provide today’s father an opportunity to share his experiences on fatherhood.
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Photography Credit: Audunn Nielsson85 / Vanissa W. Chan86 / Stockvault.com87 Bart Speelman88 / Marco van Leeuwen89 / Carlo Nicora90 / Shutter Wide Shut91-92
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CONTRIBUTE / SHARE
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR? Do you have a unique perspective as a father? If you are interested in providing your perspective as a father, we welcome submissions of photography, poetry, and articles that relates to fatherhood. Book reviews are also desired — short descriptions of particular book. HOW TO SUBMIT MATERIAL? Simply email us the piece you would like published. In addition, please provide us with some background information about yourself. Submit written articles in MS Word format. Copyright Please do not resend materials published elsewhere. However, if you do have an article on a blog that you think is of particular interest to our audience, please do send us a link. Lastly keep in mind that if you do send us material and we publish it, you are granting us a non-exclusive right to maintain your piece. info@4fathersjournal.com www.4fathersjournal.com