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Hello from Everyone at Urban Thought Collective!
*The African Proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child” is true. Unfortunately the harsh reality of the State of the Village is that in so many communities, like the one where I live, South Los Angeles; a key element to the village is missing…Dad!
Fatherless-ness is the new urban epidemic and we see the devastation it’s having on our community based on the nearly 50% drop-out rate for high school, the increase in teen violence, the number of young women going to jail/prison jumping nearly 13%, the teen-pregnancy rate at all time high, the fact that 1 in 3 boys will be is in the juvenile justice system before high school graduation…and the statistics can go on and on. All of these issues and more have lead many to become discouraged and say, “there are no good men out there!”
But contrary to popular criticism, there ARE Great Men and Fathers out there! And they deserve to be honored for what they do! Because, I see them in my church, on the bus stop, in the mall, at the beach, on my block and everywhere I look I see great dads doing the best! And so on this Father’s Day Holiday, I want to take this time to say “Thank You” to all the fathers who are proving the myth to be a lie.
So, Thank you, to all of the dad’s who daily take up the mantle of being the head-of-household and work hard to provide for families, raise their children and still make time at the end of a long day to give God Thanks!
Thank you, to all of the Grandfather’s who step in to fill-in when dad is not around! Regardless of how age and weary bones, you still give 100%!
Thank you, to all of the Step-Father’s who count it not robbery to raise children that may not necessary be your biological children, but none of that matters…
TO FINISH THE THOUGHT, VISIT: http://urbanthoughtcollective.com/2009/06/21/on-fatherlessness/
Urban Thought Collective is a digital community exploring everything from pop culture to politics from an African-American perspective. Najuma Smith is a preacher, world traveler, writer, and proud parent. She currently serves as the full-time Sr. Pastor of St. James AME Church in Los Angeles. Unapologetically saved and full of purpose, she enjoys sharing words of encouragement with anyone who will listen, bringing a fresh look at life in light of the Word of God. Her collection of motivations and observations are exclusive to Urban Thought Collective. Visit her at www.myspace.com/revjuju.