Finding the 'Dad' Path: Two Native Men Discuss their Journey to Successful Fatherhood

BOSTON, March 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Maternal Child Health. Mother-Infant Dyad. What about fathers? Join two Native men, Duane Humeyestewa (Hopi), the father of an adult son, and Chris Allen (Diné), the father of a young child, as they explore the discoveries, lessons, successes and challenges, and the ultimate joy of fathers raising Native children.

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at 11:30 AM ET, Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, EdD, will facilitate "Finding the 'Dad' Path: Two Native Men Discuss their Journey to Successful Fatherhood," as part of the Brazelton Touchpoints Center's (BTC) Virtual National Forum: All About Fathers* and the Men* in Children's Lives (*cis/transgender). This session will surface the strengths that these men draw upon from their Indigenous cultures to guide them on their fatherhood journeys, while discovering ways they created their paths to fatherhood and how that path evolves as children grow, develop, and become Native adults.

BTC's 2023 Virtual National Forum will explore  the critical role that fathers and men play in supporting children's and families' healthy development and well-being. Through roundtable conversations and dialogue, providers and leaders working with children and families will gain fresh perspectives on masculinity; build awareness of cultural, ethnic, and racial differences and similarities in father roles; understand fatherhood as a developmental process across the lifespan; and explore the role of fathers' relationships with children's mothers.

Dr. Yazzie-Mintz, Founder of First Light Education Project, directs BTC's Indigenous Early Learning Collaborative (IELC), which is advancing community-based inquiry and equitable early learning opportunities for Native children and families. The IELC's goals are to address systemic barriers that impede Native/Indigenous communities from designing high-quality, culture- and language-rich, early childhood development programming for Native children, families, and communities. The collaborative relies on Indigenous research and knowledge generation as a foundational component toward achieving racial equity in early learning and care systems. Learn more about the IELC and its work at https://www.brazeltontouchpoints.org/programs-services/indigenous-early-learning/.

All About Fathers* and the Men* in Children's Lives features three days of professional development and knowledge creation (Tuesday, May 2^nd – Thursday, May 4^th), including roundtable conversations focused on the different kinds of fathers and men in children's lives, and exploring the unique issues and challenges they face. All roundtables feature live Spanish translation and closed captioning.

Learn more about BTC's 2023 National Forum at https://www.brazeltontouchpoints.org/national-forum/ or by contacting Ashley Gaddis (978.578.7758 / [email protected]).

SOURCE Brazelton Touchpoints Center