Filmmaker Jordan Thierry will visit Detroit to offer an insightful perspective on the rising dilemma of fatherless black families when he shares his introspective documentary, “The Black Fatherhood Project” on Tuesday, June 18, at 5:30 pm at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
There is no charge.
“The Black Fatherhood Project” poignantly reveals a history much more complex and profound than what is often seen on the surface.
Directed and produced by Thierry, “The Black Fatherhood Project” unravels the roots of Black absentee parenting through the telling of his own story, interviews with prominent historians, and dialogue among a diverse selection of dads.
The discussions include personal experiences, inspirations, and insight on how communities can come together to ensure the power of a father’s love is not lost on America’s Black children.
“The film explores the issues that continue to plague the Black community,” says Thierry. “It digs deep into history to identify how Black families functioned before slavery, how it and subsequent discrimination affected Black fathers’ involvement in their families, and its impact today.”
Nationwide, 67 percent of Black children live in single-parent families, predominantly with the mother. This factor alone increases the likelihood of living in poverty, low educational achievement, incarceration and abuse.
The first-time filmmaker adds, “The film also reveals that while the statistics may be discouraging, there is a strong faction of Black men that are breaking the cycle of fatherlessness.”
The event will be followed by a question and answers discussion facilitated by the director. The film can also be viewed at the film’s website BlackFatherhoodProject.com. The website also provides informational resources on fatherhood as well as a list of reputable mentor and advocacy groups.
An activist-filmmaker, Thierry began producing the film in 2006 while attending graduate school for communications at Howard University.
His approach to filmmaking is informed by his community involvement to advance social justice and empower young men of color to be successful.
Thierry graduated from Aloha High School in 2001 and earned his degree in Journalism from University of Oregon in 2005.
He formerly served as national coordinator for The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s Black Youth Vote program and taught elementary school in Newark, NJ.
That was before he founded the nonprofit Better Man Productions, to address the growing demand for movies about issues concerning men of color.
Better Man Productions is focused on inspiring a culture of positive fatherhood and masculinity in communities of color through easily shareable online movies.