GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — “Fatherhood is a blank book that you get the first time your child is born. And you get to write in that book with a pencil, not a pen,” is how William Braylock, the founder and CEO of Every Kid Deserves a Dope Father, views the process of becoming a good, or in his words, a dope father.
Every Kid Deserves a Dope Father began as a father-daughter project, selling t-shirts in order to support those in need.
“We both like fashion, both like clothes. So, we decided on clothes. My goal was always to use it to propel whatever it was something bigger and something greater.”
Beginning as a means of having a shared experience and creating a legacy with his daughter, his hope of helping fathers and families led him to notice a need.
That need he says is for fathers to be able to rely on each other, learn from each other and care for each other. All in order to become the best fathers possible.
“Once you plant a seed, they're going to take it somewhere else, and they're going to plant that seed. The biggest thing is the vulnerability, the ability to express their feelings and be in touch with what that makes them feel and wanting to be a great father. There is something about being around people who are doing good that makes you want to do good.”
According to Braylock, meaningful conversation between fathers has been the most instrumental in bringing about positive change.
“With trying to meet them where they are, and build up on the foundation they already have, has been amazing for me, opened up a lot of doors for a lot of people, a lot of conversation, where these people are now having those continued conversations with other fathers.”
Every Kid Deserves a Dope Father will host a free community event Friday, June 16, at 1553 Kalamazoo Avenue in Grand Rapids. The event will have food, open conversation, and a panel consisting of fathers from a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise.
Most of all, he wants Fathers to feel supported, and hopes that fathers will be able to learn from other fathers to gain insights and resources.
When asked if he had a message for fathers, Braylock’s response was:
“You will forever be a father. And that’s dope in itself, so unearth your dopeness.”
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