Voices of Men Who Have Experienced Family Disruption

The event is being held at the Community Behavior Health (CBH) building, 11th floor.
Lunch will be provided.
Featuring roundtable discussions with Fatherhood Advocates:
Co-Parenting – Against the Odds, The Challenges Fathers Raising Children Face Daily
Employment Opportunities with Livable Wages
Behavioral Health Services (Mental and Emotional)
Navigating Service Systems – Pro-Active vs. Reactive

Info: Early Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and goes through 9:00 a.m., before the Symposium
officially begins. Coffee and morning refreshments will be available. Dr. Rahsaan Roland
Turpin, Commission Secretary/Treasurer, and Dean of Students at William Penn School District, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, will serve as Symposium Engagement Facilitator.

Info: Short videos will be shown from Allegheny Family Network’s Listening Sessions – inclusive of Fathers, Families & Providers in Rural portions of Pennsylvania; an initiative sponsored for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Region III Office, in collaboration with The Strong Families Commission Incorporated (THE COMMISSION).

Info: Barbara Chavous-Pennock, Founder, Somerset Academy, Early Learning Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will serve as Mistress of Ceremony.

Welcoming The Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., First African American Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, who will officially open the program with prayer.

Acknowledging a special guest, Samuel Staten, Jr., LiUNA Vice President & Local #332 Business Manager, who will be invited to say a few words.

Anita Kellerman Kulick, President &CEO, Educating Communities for Parenting, will formally address the Purpose of this year’s Symposium.

Info: Dr. Rufus Sylvester Lynch, ACSW, FATHERIST ® Forensic Macro Practice NASW Social Work Pioneer ® & Chair of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), National Fatherhood Advisory Committee, will introduce the Keynote Speaker, Ted N. Strader, Founder and Executive Director, COPES, Inc., since 1981. Creating Lasting Family Connections. COPES is home of the Nationally and Internationally Recognized, Evidence-based Curriculum Series for youth, adults, couples, fathers and families.

Info: Honest Discussions among men, sharing at round tables, the impact of family disruption, and its impact on their life, as well as the life of the children they have fathered. Panel/Workshop Facilitators will discuss the importance of hosting the round table discussions and why: Joel B. Austin, Founder, Daddy University, Philadelphia County; Dr. Jonathan Rashied Wilson, Jr. Ed.D., LMSW, Founder, The Fathership Foundation; Reginald Banks, PhD, Chair & CEO – Dunbar Community Mental Health; Joseph Green, II, Esq., Chief Counsel, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC).

Info: Co-Parenting – Against the Odds, and the Challenges Fathers Raising Children Face
daily; Employment Opportunities with Livable Wages; Behavioral Health Services (Mental and Emotional); and Navigating Service Systems – Pro-Active vs. Reactive

Info: Guest Speaker, G. Lawrence De Marco, LLM, Founder of The Law Center

Info: "Early Childhood Education and the Inclusion of Fathers" - Barbara Chavous-Pennock, Founder, Somerset Academy, Early Learning Center, and her panel guest will begin their discussion on the value and role of early childhood education (ECE) providers. The conversation will focus on bridging the gap between fathers (residential or not), their children, and the practical, daily operations of an Early Childhood Education Center, as the first step for inclusion of fathers. The goal is to showcase the value of ECE providers as uniquely positioned as a neutral, child-focused third party that interacts with both parents, often separately.

Info: “Staying Connected: Protecting Children’s Well-Being Throughout Family Challenges” empowers fathers to transform family disruption into positive action. Through her lived experience and professional advocacy, Rael illustrates how children’s emotional health depends on consistent, loving parental presence and how fathers can reclaim strength through education, connection, and advocacy. This solution-based session encourages participants to replace pain with purpose, understand the true effects of absence, and access resources through PACCS, IC3, and PA Protect Kids. Fathers will leave with renewed hope, clear direction, and the confidence to be an enduring force of safety and love in their children’s lives.

Info: Closing Speaker for the day, William L. McCusker, Corporate Executive (Retired) & Founder
of Fathers & Families Inc., with expectations of Corporate America and Family Well-Being
Bill has been invited to bring a down-to-earth message about the role Corporate America plays in the economy, society, and global markets. For example, it impacts our economy, employment,
social responsibility, global influence, regulatory environment, and Innovation and technology.
Our best minds acknowledge their contributions; however, Corporate America seems not ready
to embrace nor engage in what is happening to the growth of our children, family structures that
are falling apart, or even our men who seemingly are lost as the world changes. We are looking
forward to Bill’s call to action.

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Host or Publisher The Strong Families Commission, Incorporated