Champions of Change

Champions of Change Blog

  • Raising Awareness on the Importance of Fatherhood

    Posted by Thabiti Boone on June 24, 2011 at 11:45 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    Twenty-seven years ago, I never imagined what my scared but brave act of fatherhood meant or would lead to. In 1984, I took my daughter to college with me as a teenage father. The beauty of my fatherhood was dictated by the love for my daughter, which became the driving force to be the best father I could be.

    I wanted to do more than just raise my daughter. I wanted to be a part of a broader effort,a larger movement that would fight against this growing crisis of fathers who are not there for their kids. I wanted to help raise awareness on the importance of fatherhood by focusing on fathers who are stepping up; the thousands of fathers we see everyday who are engaged in the life of their children.

    My biggest joy is traveling and speaking all over the country getting individuals, institutions, organizations and communities asking them to answer the call from our President to action on fatherhood and mentoring. 

    My current work has me involved on many fronts including serving as International Representative for my fraternity Omega Psi Phi's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. In this role and under the leadership of our President Dr. Andrew Ray, it is my responsibility to lead our fraternity’s over 100,000 members and 600 chapter’s efforts in joining the President’s call the action on fatherhood. I am also Fatherhood Advisor to NBA legend and Fatherhood leader Allan Houston.

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  • Engaging Fathers to Stop Domestic Violence

    Posted by Dr. Roderick Mitchell on June 24, 2011 at 8:50 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    I cannot take the credit for what God has empowered me to do. I also appreciate the White House acknowledging the need to stand up and fight for victims of domestic violence by recognizing change and champions within our nation. I have found that silence is deadly when a community does not speak nor reach out to others who are in need of support. It has become one of my missions to break the generational cycle of domestic violence.

    The lyrics of our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner says, “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!” Yet, victims of domestic violence are never free in their home, they are always at war. I remember one Christmas Eve, my mom, brother, sister and I experienced a horrible incident of violence at the hand of my father. It was only by the Grace of God that we were able to see past that day. I am humble and honored to be here to represent fathers and survivors of domestic violence, becoming a voice within the community, reaching out to local cities, state and the nation with a message of hope, compassion and freedom.

    Violence is everywhere in my community and that violence has been my personal call to action. In 1995, I was humbled to be asked to be a co-founder of Our House, Inc., domestic violence and sexual assault community project. In 2010, our agency served 2,758 men, women, and children with direct services and 9,407 adults, youth, and children participating in an Our House prevention program. I co-sponsored “A Father’s Conversation” Media Blitz to engage men in the movement to stop domestic violence in our community. This consisted of several television shows and photo showings of fathers who have been exposed to domestic violence. I have spoken to over 12,000 youth on building and maintaining healthy relationships. I have given my testimony to over 100 churches.  All in an effort to communicate to as many people as I can that it is our job to enlighten people on the strength within us to help others.

    Dr. Roderick Mitchell is the Founder and Pastor of the New Life Church, Inc. of Cleveland, Mississippi, Founder and President of Exodus School of the Bible in Renova, MS, and Bishop and Founder of Miletus Covenant Connection.

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  • Turning Around the American Manufacturing Industry

    Posted by Nikki Sutton on June 23, 2011 at 6:41 PM EDT

    Tomorrow, the President will speak at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the importance of American manufacturing to grow the economy and create new jobs.

    As the President spoke about earlier this month in Toledo, manufacturing is picking up all across the country. For example, Rhett Crooks is the owner of a precision tooling manufacturer in Vandergift, Pennsylvania that recently turned around and is rehiring. The President explained how manufacturers both large and small like Rhett’s are putting more Americans back to work:

    And what's most important, all three American automakers are now adding shifts and creating jobs at the strongest rate since the 1990s.  So far the auto industry has added 113,000 jobs over the past two years.  In Detroit, Chrysler added a second shift at its Jefferson North plant.  GM is adding a third shift at its Hamtramck plant for the first time ever.  In Indiana, Chrysler is investing more than $1.3 billion in its Kokomo facilities.  And across the country, GM plans to hire back every single one of its laid-off workers by the end of the year -- every single one.

    And that makes a difference for everyone who depends on this industry.  Companies like a small precision tooling manufacturer in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, have brought back many of the employees they had laid off two years ago.  Manufacturers from Michigan to Massachusetts are looking for new engineers to build advanced batteries for American-made electric cars.

    So this industry is back on its feet, repaying its debts, gaining ground.  Because of you, we can once again say that the best cars in the world are built right here in the U.S. of A., right here in Ohio, right here in the Midwest.  And each day when you clock in, you’re doing more than earning your pay by churning out cars.  You’re standing up for this company.  You’re sticking up for this way of life.  You’re scoring one for the home team and showing the world that American manufacturing and American industry is back.

    As a piece to the bigger picture of the auto industry's turnaround, Rhett's company, Carbi-Tech, makes dies and stamps brass-plated parts used in throttle and brake controls for Ford, Chrysler, suppliers in Canada, and Delphi Automotive LLP. Rhett's company felt the effects of the downturn beginning in the second quarter of 2008 and had to lay off 40% off his workforce. However, since the past year, Carbi-Tech is now back to full capacity at 15-20 employees and is in the position to hire more. To continue the positive trend, Rhett recommends industries to stay competitive and believe in the quality of the American worker. Listen to Rhett share his story:

    Download Video: mp4 (14MB)

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  • Responsible Fatherhood for Future Generations

    Posted by Carlos Duran on June 22, 2011 at 9:28 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    As we look at the statistics, it is obvious that the physical presence of a responsible father plays a pivotal role in the success of the next generation, from emotional health, through education, crime prevention, and financial success. Our organization, “Hombres de Palabra” or “Men of Their Word,” targets the Hispanic men.

    We believe that every man has the potential to do great things, if he is equipped with the right tools and knowledge. This is especially true for Hispanic men in this country. They all came pursuing the American dream, looking for a better future not only for themselves but for their families, but found themselves culturally and socially unequipped to accomplish their goals. Our vision is to equip men to reach their maximum potential; we accomplish this by promoting education, fatherhood initiatives and personal growth and disseminating information and opportunities for the community.

    We promote responsible manhood as one of the issues that has to be addressed to have a healthy nation in the future. Martin Luther king Jr. said “We are now faced with the fact, my friends that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time."

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  • Fatherhood and the Road to Recovery

    Posted by Thomas Green III on June 21, 2011 at 4:22 PM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    Life often drives and deceives us. However, no amount of deception that comes from the external world begins to equate to how much we deceive ourselves when moments of traumatic events cause us to lose our innocence.

    This realization occurred to me during my days in Walter Reed Medical Hospital as a wounded soldier. I was driving a military truck down a dusty road in Iraq when an IED explosion ripped the wheel out of my hands. My truck flipped 10 times crushing my pelvis, fracturing my back and causing me to suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

    As I lay in a hospital bed allowing time to heal my wounds, I truly found myself with a sense of peace and comfort. I realized that my story is not going to define me but I would allow my story to shape other individual’s stories through spiritual hope. James Lane Allen said it best when he said, “Adversity in life doesn’t build character, it reflects character.” Using my story to develop, motivate, uplift and inspire young minds through faith and their worldly wounds, I would assist others in transitioning back home from military service or from traumatic events that destiny put them in.         

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  • All Because of My Son

    Posted by George Gordon II on June 21, 2011 at 11:09 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    I’m 24 years old and I live with my three-year-old son, George, in the southern suburbs of Chicago. I became a single father at 21 when George was 2 weeks old, and his mother left us. I was so overwhelmed I turned to my own mother for support, and then to organizations like Catholic Charities’ St. Francis de Paula Shelter in Chicago. I followed the program, and last year I applied to and was accepted by Catholic Charities New Hope Apartments Program. Catholic Charities got me an apartment, helped me with counseling, rent expenses and taught me to take care of my home and my son.

    They helped me find work in a paper factory. George and I would travel to his babysitter, then I’d go to work second shift. Each day involved long journeys on buses and trains late into the night. I was terrified I might not get another chance at a job, and it kept me going.

    My own father wasn’t involved in my life so I know I have to break that cycle and be a rock for George. I feel good about being a positive role model to other young fathers whom I mentor at my church. I also try to be a leader in the Catholic Charities New Hope Apartments program. We have a monthly support group to help each other through this transformation. I hope to show the moms in the group that some fathers really care, and to learn from them how to be both a mother and father to my son.

    I want to write my own long-term success story and being recognized as a Champion of Change is part of that story. I have never flown in a plane, let alone been to Washington D.C. I was at the White House, and it’s all because of my son.

    George Gordon II is a young father who mentors other young fathers at his church.

     

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