Dinners with Dads
Purpose
Dinners with Dads is an opportunity for fathers, fathers-to-be, and youth mentors to connect in a safe and inspired environment wherein they will have the chance to openly discuss the joys and challenges of parenting and working with youth.
Our primary goal is to help each participant acquire and share vital information that will help them more effectively support and guide the children in their respective lives towards:
1. Actively seeking and obtaining higher educational pursuits
2. Developing and sustaining a sense of accountability to self and community
3. Pursuing personal interest that will enhance their sense of self and contribute fruitfully to their respective communities.
4. Utilizing available resources responsibly.
5. Self empowerment and self definition.
Who
Dinners will be organized by:
1. Gabriel Smith AKA The Definition (GoDaddy Maker, Author and Film Producer)
2. Mark Winkler (Co-founder of Manhood Camp Author and Blogger )
3.Travon Tillis (Co-founder of Manhood Camp and Parent Advocate)
4. Kofi Peprah (College Professor and Parent Advocate)
5. Ronnie Fernandez (LCSW and Parent Advocate)
6. William Evans ( MPA/ Probate Court Investigator/ working with developmentally delayed and mental health populations for 15 years/ father of two young men).
Each organizer is dedicated to support the efforts and healthy development of fathers and youth mentors. The participants will be personally invited to attend the event. We are limiting the number of participants to 15-20 fathers/youth mentors per dinner to maximize the potential for full participant engagement.
Dinner Format
Introductions – Each participant will share one joyful parenting/mentor experience.
· Aims /Objectives- Dinner organizers will discuss the purpose, intentions, and goals of the gathering to help:
1. Create a safe and healing space
2. Encourage open dialogue among the participants
3. Support and validate
4. Create and Inspire new ideas and strategies for parenting and youth work
5. Create action plan
6. Develop network and accountability partnerships
· Dinner Served (20/30mins) – open conversations and live entertainment as well guest speakers - including individuals that specialize an operate in the fields of higher education, STEM education/computer literacy, family law, mental health and business ownership.
· Fatherhood/Mentor Journey – participants will write down and share four (4) essential tools/strategies they need to help them successfully parent/mentor (Team Exercise)
· Father/Mentor your younger self - Write a short letter to your younger self (age 15-17) telling five things you’ve learned about manhood and fatherhood.
· In the box – participants will anonymously write down a situation that they need support with, and other participants will share their supportive thoughts.
· Five Pillars of Fatherhood – participants will break into 2 groups and develop 5 Pillars of Fatherhood, and from those 10, 5 will be selected as the group’s official fatherhood pillars.
· Reflection – Participants will pair up and take five minutes to share their personal feelings about engaging in this dinner.
· Closing remarks
Resource Board
Through-out the evening fathers will be able to write down resources (books, community organizations and businesses) that they feel will help the other fathers/mentors on their respective journeys.
When
We are currently planning to organize five dinners in various locations around Los Angeles and surrounding counties, in 2025.
Partnership Opportunities
If you wish to be a part of our efforts to elevate healthy conversation around fatherhood contact us today to see how you can become a Dinners with Dads Partner.
Partnership Benefits include:
◦ Social media branding, including logo and tagging your business in all social media posts related to The dinners.
◦ Your business’s logo and link to your site featured on on organizers websites and social pages
◦ Your business personally acknowledged in radio/podcast interviews
◦ Your promotional materials featured at all Dinner with Dad's events
◦ Address the participants to discuss why you decided to be a part of the project
*All donations are tax deductible