DOPE DADS

By Tiffany Byndom

During his time with him, he valued how much of a protector and provider his Dad was, and quickly learned the importance of time and the impact of relationships, especially during adolescence. When he welcomed his daughter Kori to the world, his relationship with his Dad, and the tough role his Stepdad conquered, truly made a difference in how he approached fatherhood. He wants to be as intentional, protecting, providing, and emotionally present as he can.

Johnson also knows the privilege of having role models in your community and realized that it was not too common to see such positive interaction between a child and their father, specifically Black fathers.

One of the biggest myths has resurfaced as racial injustices continue throughout the country, which places blame on the problems facing the Black community on the absent Black father. This myth ignores hundreds of years of institutionalized oppression and systems in place to separate the Black family while also further scapegoating Black men for America’s societal ills.

“We do not deny that there are many families that lack the involvement of a father, and we also do not deny that this is largely due to intentional attacks on the Black community,” said Johnson. “ We also know that the myth is perpetuated through mainstream media. We may not have the capacity to affect and change the content on those channels, but we can help affect other outlets such as social media. Flooding timelines with the true images of fatherhood helps to dispel these myths.”

Johnson founded Dope Dad in 2017 after noticing feedback and praises in response to the relationship he shared with his daughter. What he thought was normal activity between a father and his child, much like the activity he shared with his Dad and Stepdad, was seen as taboo and not too often recognized in his role. Dope Dad was established to share stories, experiences, and resources to help fathers feel equipped for the journey they are endeavoring.

“So many people were taking notice and offering praise for actions and activities that were so normal to us,” said Johnson. “ I knew that there were many fathers like me, and wanted to highlight them. I wanted to work to create a network of fathers who would help to make other fathers comfortable in their roles. The mission of our organization is to highlight, encourage, and inspire the positive relationships and interactions between fathers and their children.”

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, “Fathers’ Involvement with Their Children”, whether living in the same home or not, Black fathers are the most involved of all primary recorded race and ethnic groups.

Johnson believes that Black fathers make the biggest impact in the community in raising future leaders and helping to ensure that the woes of being Black in America do not overwhelm their children and families.

“I understand that all family structures will not look the same, but I think there are benefits to structures involving a family in some capacity,” said Johnson. “Black fathers have a role in helping to make sure their children and families are mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. Actively working to support, uplift, and protect them, despite what the world around them may be attempting to do.” Since the founding of the organization, Johnson has seen an increase in interactions between fathers and families ready and willing to show off their relationships with their children or nominate other Dope Dads to be highlighted on his platform. Johnson also partners with other like-minded organizations to further his mission of connecting families.

“We love to see new families attending our events and joining our network of fathers,” said Johnson. “We like to collaborate with various organizations to give our supporters and attendees the opportunity to experience things they may not normally experience. For instance, most recently we took about 25 families out on a hike in collaboration with Black People Who Hike.”

Based on his childhood experiences, as well as his experiences of working in juvenile detention, Johnson learned how incredibly difficult life can be.

“I would like to tell Black fathers that I know that there is much opposition stacked against you, but I am confident that you can overcome these things and be a Dope Dad,” said Johnson.

“There is no blueprint to fatherhood so do not expect to be perfect. Many dads have experienced so many things and they are willing to assist you. And as always Dope Dad is here to assist however we can.”

Joshua hopes to see Dope Dad grow in exposure, especially on social media platforms, to increase and strengthen his network of fathers and resources to connect more families. He encourages those interested in supporting the mission to follow the organization on Instagram (@_dopedad).

He also sells merchandise to help fund their events and will be launching an official website to serve as a hub for highlights, resources, and more.

“Fatherhood is one of the greatest things you can experience. Lots of Dads are trying to figure it out just like you, and lots of dads are willing to help,” said Johnson