By Reverend Jacqueline Williams
Father’s Day was on June 18, 2023. This important holiday is celebrated in various ways due to our global diverse cultures. However, being a father is essential to the mental, social, educational development of “our youths.” The word FATHER has many synonyms. Some define FATHER as a male parent, daddy or patriarch.
Regardless of the denotations or dictionary meanings of FATHER, a father is “crucial” to society. Currently, we as diverse citizens, parents, educators, clergy, and mental/medical professionals rely on fathers even more! In the November/ December 2003, The Crisis Magazine, Lottie L. Joiner’s insightful argument is still cogent today in 2023.
She explicated, “African American youth continue to face challenges in education and health, and are over represented in the juvenile justice system.” Marian Wright Edelman furthered the preposition I’m the Crisis Magazine. “There are too many troubling paradoxes. On the one hand, we can affirm huge progress in our community. The Black middle class has expanded, and the numbers of college educated Blacks are higher than ever before.
And yet if you look at trends on the Secondary level, you’d conclude that our schools are just feeding systems to the juvenile justice system.” (Growing Up Black. Crisis Magazine, 2003).
Dr. Shaquille O’Neil, retired basketball great, and trail blazer at the Henry County Sheriff Department, must have roaringly agreed with the crisis of our youths. This impactful athletic trail blazer “continues” to help our youths.
He buys shoes for our youths during the Christmas season, or other holidays. He serves as a “FATHER” for our youths. In cooperation with the Henry County Sheriff Department, the youths have activities to eradicate youth violence.
Furthermore, during the week of June 17, 2023, there was a “Ride 4 Unity,” given by the Henry County Sheriff Department and Dr. Shaquille O’Neil. There are two quotes that exemplifies Shaquille O’Neil’s altruistic, humanitarianism. The first quote is from Congressman John Lewis. “If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.”
Secondly, Thomas A. Edison, “The value of an idea, lies in the using of it.” Thank you Dr. Shaquille O’Neil for being a FATHER to so many youths in need!
Reverend Jacqueline Williams, Big Bethel AME Church, Atlanta; former Mission in Society President, ITC, Turner Theological Seminary Atlanta; former Director of Christian Education, Mount Carmel AME Church, Atlanta.
Last updated on July 3, 2023
