About

Historical Perspective

President Barack Obama held a White House Fatherhood Town hall Summit, Friday, June 19, 2009 to address his concern and the administration’s commitment towards the crisis on Responsible Fatherhood and the importance of Mentoring. Public Figure and Omega Man Thabiti Boone was invited to this White House meeting. He brought the idea and opportunity to the Fraternity to support and partner with President Obama’s White House Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative.

Brother Boone joined efforts with former Grand Keeper of Records and Seal, Robert Fairchild and mapped out the ground work for the Fraternity’s involvement. They presented the idea and opportunity to Alpha Omega Chapter and the 3rd District. In both areas it was very well received. They presented the plan to the Supreme Council and the Grand Conclave in Raleigh, NC. A resolution to formally partner with President Barack Obama’s White House Initiative, and to develop a Fraternity Fatherhood, Mentoring Initiative was voted on and unanimously adopted.

The 39th Grand Basileus Dr. Andrew Ray appointed Brothers Thabiti Boone and Robert Fairchild as International Representatives to lead the Fraternity efforts, initiatives, programs, and activities for this White House partnership.

Fraternity’s Call to Action

At its 76th Grand Conclave in Raleigh, NC, July 22-30, 2010, members of the Supreme Council of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., through a resolution committed to: recommend to the Grand Conclave the adoption of President Obama’s White House Initiative on Fatherhood, which included formally endorsing and officially supporting the President’s Awareness Campaign, participating in the President’s pledge drive supporting community partnerships and encouraging and supporting the Danny Davis Fatherhood Bill on Capitol Hill.

Finally, the Conclave resolved to approve an appointed committee of Omega Men to develop a plan of strategy to implement President Obama’s Initiative with the resolution: “Therefore, be it resolved that at a General Assembly of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s 76th Grand Conclave held in Raleigh, North Carolina, it was recommended that the proposed Fatherhood Initiative be accepted and endorsed and to support President Barack Obama’s Initiative on Fatherhood. It was approved and adopted by the Conclave.”

Committee

The fraternity operationalized this commitment by appointing an international committee to lead its efforts on fatherhood and mentoring. The committee consisted of a Chairman, two co-chairmen and a representative from each of the fraternities 12 districts. The first Committee Chairman was Brother Robert W. Fairchild, former Keeper of Records and Seal and two co-chairmen, Brothers S. Earl Wilson, former Executive Director and Thabiti Boone who serves as the Fraternity’s International Representative and Liaison to the White House.

Each of the 12 Districts selected a representative, title District Fatherhood Initiative Chairman, to serve on the committee. The first 12 members of the committee were: Brothers Joe Mann (1st D), Dominick Boyce (2nd D), Isaac King (3rd D), Alan Bannister (4th D), Al Cornish (5th D), Ray Johnson (6th D), Willie Franklin (7th D), Kirk Dunham (8th D), Darryel Sanders (9th D), Marvin Burruss (10th D), George D. Taylor (12th D), and Raymond Tyghter (13th D).

There have been several transitions in the membership: the 2015 class consist of Committee Chairman Brother Robert W. Fairchild, former Grand Keeper of Records and Seal and two co-chairmen Brothers S. Earl Wilson, former Executive Director and Thabiti Boone who serves as the Fraternity’s International Representative and Liaison to the White House. The 2015 12 District Chairmen of the committee are: Brothers Donald Thomas (1st), Dominick Boyce (2nd), Al Woods, Raymond Bell (3rd), Alan Bannister (4th), Oliver Williams (5th), Melvin Williams (6th), Jonathan Gaines (7th), Omar Montgomery (8th), Mateen Diop (9th), Gregory C. Pittman (10th), George D. Taylor (12th), Rogers Tyghter, and Michael Robinson (13th).

Our Vision

Through an effective international District and Chapter volunteer workforce and organizational support system, programs, services and activities of the International Committee on Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiatives of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., are dedicated to: 1. bridging the gap of father absenteeism in the life of their children and families, and, 2. mentoring fathers and youth internally within the international fraternity and externally to the broader community.

Goal and Objective

Every level of the Fraternity, particularly at the chapter level, is asked to play an active role in support of the partnership by actively engaging in the promotion of the Fraternity’s Fatherhood Mentoring initiative.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Plan of Action

“Call To Action”

Major Tenets
1. Raising Awareness
2. Partnerships
3. Advocacy
4. Celebration

Chapters

What Chapters Can Do:

Every Chapter in Omega is expected to engage in Fatherhood, Mentoring activities.  Appoint a Fatherhood and Mentoring Committee Chairman.

Option A

  Conduct Public Awareness Programs

Host public events, i.e. town hall forums, School PTA meetings, men’s ministry

Programs

Advocacy

Conduct meetings with community leaders; conduct funding petition drives,

political roundtables with elected officials on legislative issues, meet with

fatherhood leaders, attend political hearings on fatherhood, on Omega Political

Action Days, chapters visit City, State, Federal and White House offices to

meet on behalf of our initiative efforts.

Option B

Partner with a Fatherhood / Mentoring Group

Chapters work in partnership with community organizations, agencies,

institutions, fatherhood activities, focusing on fatherhood, mentoring. i.e.

fatherhood, mentoring programs, schools, churches, sports teams, etc.

Option C

Conduct a full blown Fatherhood / Mentoring Program

This option will requires formal training and a dedicated support staff

to conduct the program.

1. Raising Awareness

Focus public attention on the concerns and importance of Fatherhood and Mentoring.
Host public events, i.e. town hall forums, School PTA meetings, men’s ministry programs, etc.

Conduct awareness activities in your chapter communities at Fraternity programs, schools, barbershops, community sporting and entertainment events, Family events, etc.
2. Partnerships
Chapters work in partnership with community organizations, agencies, institutions, fatherhood programs, focusing on fatherhood and mentoring activities

3. Advocacy
Conduct meetings with community leaders; conduct funding drives in support of fatherhood and mentoring activities; hold political roundtables with elected officials on legislative issues; meet with fatherhood leaders; attend political hearings on fatherhood; on National Omega Political Action Day once established, chapters should visit City, State, Federal and White House offices to meet and address issues on behalf of our initiative efforts.
4. Celebration

Host and/or create partnership efforts to celebrate, honor, recognize, and salute fathers. i.e.  have a fatherhood breakfast, lunch, or dinner program honoring Father’s for community service, school involvement. Host a salute to Omega Dads in the Fraternity.

Undergraduates:

1. Conduct campus forums on the importance of fatherhood, manhood, and focus on the Fatherhood    and Mentoring Initiative and the Fraternity’s partnership.

2. Partner with mentorship programs in schools, churches, recreation centers.
3. Conduct community service activity with local fatherhood programs.

4. Host a campus fatherhood, mentoring programs.

Fraternity: International & Districts

The Fraternity can encourage Districts to host partnership day activities during District conferences as a Social Action program with emphasis on fatherhood and mentoring. We can invite fathers and young men.  Brother’s can visit local community programs that work with fathers and young men.

The Fraternity can foster local, state, federal relationships with elected officials, corporate agencies, and community leaders addressing the importance of funding support for Fatherhood and Mentoring Programs.  Address policy issues and legislation that addresses, sustaining the field and efforts to support fathers. Conduct meetings with community leaders; conduct funding petition drives, have political roundtables with elected officials on legislative issues, meet with fatherhood leaders, attend political hearings on fatherhood, and host a National Omega Political Action Day, where chapters will visit City, State, Federal and White House offices to meet and address issues on behalf of our initiative efforts

Declare Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Fatherhood Month, where chapter’s host creative activities saluting fathers, including “Father’s Day and a Father of the Year” program.

Develop a Fatherhood award for individuals and chapters where they have gone above and beyond the call of duty in working with fathers and their children.  This recognition could be done with the Achievement Week awards

Declare January Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Mentoring Month, where every chapter Brother spends time participating in a mentoring activity.

Leadership

Current Committee Membership:

Brother S. Earl Wilson, Chairman

Brother Keith G. Pemberton, Vice Chairman

Brother Raymond Bell, Vice Chairman

Brother Robert W. Fairchild, Fatherhood Advisor

Brother Marvin Broadwater, Sr., Georgia State Representative

Brother Sedric Myers, Special Projects

Brother George D. Taylor, Ed D, Newsletter/Editor-Publisher

Brother Tony Q. Cobb, Jr, Undergraduate Advisor

District 1           Brother Anthony Lilley

District 2           Brother Donald Williams, ll

District 3           Brother Michael Frazier

District 4           Brother Jerry Leftwich

District 5           Brother Julius Hill

District 6           Brother Melvin L. Williams, Jr.

District 7           Brother Jonathan Gaines

District 8           Brother Alton Guidry

District 9           Brother Sedric Myers

District 10        Brother Cyrill Weems

District 12        Brother Dr. George D. Taylor

District 13        Brother Michael Robinson