Past Summits

2023: Wide World of Fathering (Part 3)

May 16 - 17, 2023

Plenary: Changing the Narrative: How Michigan is Redefining Fatherhood and Strengthening Families

Shon Hart, Amy Lindholm

Shon Hart, founder of InvolvedDad, will talk about why he is motivated to serve fathers and families, his agency's service evolution over time, and his focus on changing the narrative. Amy Lindholm, co-chair of the Michigan Action Plan for Father Involvement, will speak to how Michigan is moving forward in greater support and promotion of local fatherhood programming and policies that are inclusive of fathers.  

Workshop 1: Cultural Humility and Fatherhood Goals

Michael McLeod, JD, MPH

This interactive session will be framed by four questions: (1) What is cultural humility?; (2) How can a man’s experiences, feelings, and thoughts affect his approach to fatherhood?; (3) How can a man’s behaviors enhance or diminish the legacy of fatherhood he leaves his child/children?; and (4) How can three tenets of cultural humility help men achieve their fatherhood goals?

These are the three tenets of cultural humility discussed:

Entertainment curated by Detroit Musix: original music

Marvin Thompson, Jr.

Workshop 2: Dads, Doulas & Lactation Supporters: The Ultimate Collaborators in Birth and Breastfeeding 

Reginald Day, CHW, CLC & Jennifer Day

The birthing process can be stressful for birth and breastfeeding families on many fronts. Having doulas and lactation supporters as part of the birth and postpartum team can help the family have a better overall birth and breastfeeding experience. These support roles offer families, including dads, an additional layer of emotional, physical, peer, and professional support.

Workshop 3: When Dads Feel Down: Understanding Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Fathers

Dr. Carolyn Dayton

Men who are preparing to parent a new infant and fathers who are parenting during the first few years following the birth of their baby sometimes experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.  This is new news to many professionals working in pregnancy and early childhood spaces! Most professionals believe that mothers are the only parents who experience conditions such as postpartum depression. Understanding the signs of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) in fathers is critical in supporting their early parenting and, therefore, supporting healthy outcomes for their babies.  This talk will describe the rates of PMADs in fathers, the typical symptoms fathers experience, and ways in which professionals can both screen and intervene in fathers struggling with PMADs. 

Workshop 4: The Papa WAS Project

Samuel Donald, Rich Tolman, Michael Aaron Jr., Marcus Hillie, Angela Peavy, Willis Peavy, Nazim Fakir

On August 27, 2022, as part of the celebration of Detroit Bass Day, the Motown Museum hosted a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the release of The Temptations’ recording of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” The song features an immortal and driving bass line, which was played by 50 bassists on the Motown Museum Plaza. 

The Papa WAS Project grew from the powerful narrative that the song tells, reflecting on the pain of a father's absence. But there are fathers who are “beat down” in ways that keep them from their families. There are fathers who face challenges and show up for their children in many ways. There are men who are inspired by their own fathers and strive to live up to their examples. There are men who pledged to themselves not to repeat negative lessons from their fathers and are living into being there for their own children. All of these stories need telling.

The project continues to collect and post stories about fathers after the event, and the story collection is archived on the University of Michigan School of Social Work website.

Entertainment curated by Detroit Musix: saxophone performance

Michael Elder, II

Workshop 5: Who Can File in Family Court?: Legal Standing in Domestic Relations Cases

Lindsay Poetz, Scott Farida

To be successful in a lawsuit, the person filing the case must have legal standing to sue in the first place. Come learn who can file suit and when - for paternity, child custody, or child support

2022: Wide World of Fathering (Part 2)

May 17 - 19, 2022

Emcee Terrance Grantham


Plenary - The Work, Worries & Wonder of Fatherhood: The Power of Cultural Rituals & Routines to Build Bonds Through Talk, Touch & Listening While Combing Hair! - Dr. Marva Lewis

Social work CEUs


Workshop - The Routine of Hair Combing Interaction: A Tool to Strengthen Fathers' Connection to Children, Culture & Community - Dr. Marva Lewis & Dr. Afyia Mbilishaka

Social work CEUs

OCS customer service training credit


Entertainment: Spoken Word and Comedy - Talesha Wright; Horace H. B. Sanders


Workshop - Girl Dad vs Boy Dad - Shon Hart & Cole Williams

OCS customer service training credit


Plenary - Antiblackness: A New Analytical Perspective on Black Fathers and the Parenting of Black Children - Dr. Bakari Wallace


Fatherhood Motivation - Terrance Grantham


Workshop - Engaged Fathers: The Best Playmakers - Reginald Day

OCS customer service training credit


Entertainment: Spoken Word, Instrumental Music & Comedy - Brittini Ward; Lydia Carey; Michael McDaniel


Workshop - Black Fathers: How Do We Build Legacies? - Paul Osbourne & Kofi Morris


Workshop - The "It Factor" of Fatherhood - Civi Mahdi

OCS customer service training credit


Panel Discussion - Michigan Voices of Dads: Fathers of Children with Special Health Needs - Facilitated by Bomani Gray; featuring Ben Hughes, Michael Aaron Jr., and Richard Kloeckner

OCS customer service training credit


Workshop - Fathers & Family Court - Damon Pitt, Amy Lindholm


Panel - Ask the Experts Your Family Court Questions - Facilitated by Shon Hart; featuring Amy Lindholm, Jillian Fitzgerald, Tony McDowell, Jason Walker, Traci Schenkel, Jeremy Hogue

OCS customer service training credit

2021: Wide World of Fathering

June 15 - 17, 2021

Plenary 1: A Practical View of Fatherhood from the Bench (w/ Q&A)

Judge Gregory Pittman

The idea of being a party to a court case can be very intimidating. When the future of your relationship with your child(ren) is at stake, it creates an even higher level of stress and uncertainty. Hear “real talk” from the decision-maker’s perspective, how fatherhood is viewed & ask that decision-maker questions about fatherhood.

Entertainment: Spoken Word

Lemarr Jackson

Workshop 1: Dispelling the Myth about Non-custodial Fathers

DeAndre Carter

Non-custodial fathers face many challenges.  Fostering a relationship with the child’s mother, navigating the legal system and policies, and managing their own emotions are among the foremost challenges. Join us to be inspired, educated, and empowered to address these challenges with innovative strategies for success.  

Workshop 2: Mental Health & Fatherhood - You Cannot Quit Fatherhood! 

Jonathan Lawrence

Fathers will leave with the understanding of how to manage the pressures of fatherhood, as well as how to identify their challenges as a father and how to address them from a place of healing. 

Workshop 3: Government Intervention and the Generational Effect on Native Parenting (w/ Q&A)

Jason Cross

The effects of historical trauma as a result of the boarding school and adoption project experiences on Native American parenting, specific to fatherhood. Jason will present Native American history and trauma from a personal perspective as it relates to his grandmothers’ experiences at the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School.

Plenary 2: Fatherhood Representation in the School System & Implicit Bias

Kwame Simmons

Entertainment: Solo Artist

Gerard Brooks

Workshop 4: Kingz Table Panel Discussion

Facilitated by Cole Williams

Workshop 5: State-Level Policies Affecting Fathers

Dwayne Barnes

This interactive presentation will teach participants how to research, frame, and advocate issues with lawmakers, media, and community. We will brainstorm issues and build an action plan to address them. In addition, you will learn more about Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) and how to access our research, data, and network. 

Workshop 6: Co-Parenting (w/ Q&A) 

Norman Young and Dr. Shayla Young

One Love, Two Homes is an interactive learning experience based on the emerging parenting style: co-parenting from two separate homes. As experts of experience, we encourage co-parents to positively engage while keeping a child focus and understanding the role of C.A.S.H. (Communication, Accountability, Setting Boundaries, and Healing).

Plenary 3: Fathers and Vaccination Hesitancy (w/ Q&A)

Dr. Kwame Francis

A general overview of how vaccines work, an introduction to our body's natural immune system, and how we combat infections.

Workshop 7: Best Practices from Michigan Fatherhood Programs

Dr. Maria Muzik & Mike Acosta, Fraternity of Fathers

Adnoris "Bo" Torres, Strong Beginnings - Strong Fathers

Shon Hart, InvolvedDad

Workshop 8: Fatherhood Programs Panel

Moderated by Matt Haviland

Join fatherhood experts from across the state of Michigan for a live and interactive panel discussion. We will learn more about how to put best practices to everyday use when supporting fathers and families. 

2020: Resilience in Uncertain Times

July 28 - 30, 2020

Highlight Reels

The Kingz Table - "Hidden Consequences of Incarceration"

Day 3 Plenary session, recorded Thursday, July 30, 2020, 9:00 am - 10:00 am Eastern. Cole Williams facilitates a conversation about what it means to be a father with a past history of incarceration. The Kingz Table discusses the collateral effects of incarceration on Fathers, Families, and their Children. The panel discusses the socialization of men into fathers and the challenges that fathers experience when returning home from incarceration. The panelists are all fathers and speak from a range of experiences and perspectives. The intent of the discussion is to motivate, educate, and empower fathers and those who support them. 

Lisa Knight - "Bias, Black and Changing Culture"

Day 2 Plenary session, recorded Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 9:00 am - 10:00 am Eastern. Speaker Lisa Knight (Owner; COO, DV Apple Logistics LLC; Public Thread) introduced participants to the concepts of Bias and how we are conditioned to see Race; how that narrative plays into our daily lives, work, community and the changing culture in America and how we can begin to shift the narrative. This session also talked about the trauma that has impacted black and brown communities and ways to move toward healing. And finally, what does all of this mean for fathers in our communities?

2019: Fatherhood think tank

May 17, 2019

Presented by Healthy Kent Dads Count! and joined by Michigan Action Plan for Father Involvement