The Fatherhood Manologues at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church was a great experience in collaboration with the church, Trinity Health, the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association and West Middle School.    After the performance, there was a panel discussion highlighting the  importance of fathers.  The goal of this collaboration is to do more work that will directly impact the Asylum Hill community.  Jim Grigsby a member of the church spearheaded the beginning of this initiative.  Stay tuned, there is more to come! 

This month The Manhood Tree has been on a role with our initiatives!  We have been able to put the  the funding we received from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to good use as we wrapped up eight sessions of our Manhood Tree group with the Hartbeat Ensemble staff.  We also completed a four show run of The Fatherhood Manologues in play form in collaboration with Hartbeat Ensemble at the Carriage House.  Lastly, we hosted our second Men's Health Event of the year in collaboration with UCONN Health, Trinity Health, the town of East Hartford and a host of other vendors.  We are on a role!  Stay tuned as we continue to work with men to deal with their stuff, express themselves and stay on top of their mental and physical health.

On Saturday, February 4, 2023 The Manhood Tree in collaboration with My People Community Services, Trinity Health Men's Health Institute, UCONN Central AHEC, AETNA, The Curtis D. Robinson Center and the Urban League hosted a Men's Health Event titled: Men's Health is Community Health.  Over 100 men from the community came out for Blood Glucose Screenings, Blood Pressure Screenings, Oral Health Screening and PSA Screenings.  We also had presentations from doctors of Neurology,  Urology, Primary Care and Cardiology. 

This event was a excellent start to our collaborations and our goal of bring health awareness and resources to the community.  Men were able to ask questions of the doctors and even register for a primary care appointment on the spot.  It would have been even more powerful if the men were given the opportunity to talk a little about the fears and concerns as it pertains to doctors.  Also, it would have been good to hear from the men what works.  These are two things to think about for our future events that are scheduled on 3.25 and 4/15.  More details to come.

There were a number of individuals that signed up for our Manhood Tree group and individuals and organizations that would like to collaborate on future events.  This is exciting and we look forward to continuing the message that Men's Health is Community Health.

On February 4, 2023 The Manhood Tree in collaboration with Trinity Health Men's Health Institute, UCONN Central AHEC, AETNA, and The Urban League will be hosting a Men's Health Event.  At the event, there will be a variety of screenings and presentations from specialist in Men's Health.  Please join us!

Everyday, men are transitioning from just being men to becoming a father.  Often, the entire 9 month process of making a baby is focused on the mother but here at The Manhood Tree, we have been doing some thinking about questions a soon to be or new father should be asking himself.  When I became a father, I just jumped in.  One day I wasn't a father and the next day I was.  I never thought about what it would be like to raise another human being with someone else.  I was just taking each day as it came.  I believe some of these questions could have really helped me out if they did nothing else but make me think.  Soon to be and new fathers, I want you to think.  Take a few moments and answer the questions below and share your thoughts with us.  For those of you who already have children, let us know other questions that should be on the list so that we can help new fathers be the best fathers ever.  Also, please share.

1. Do you have shelter?
2. Can you keep your child safe?
3. Are you able to provide?
4. What do you do for work?
5. Who is your support?
6. What can you teach your child?
7. Do you love the mother of your child?
8. Do you love yourself?
9. Are you married?
10. Are you prepared to support your woman?
11. How do you deal with conflict?
12. Have you fully committed to your relationship?
13. Have you had all the extra marital sex you need in order to be faithful?
14. Are you ready for a relationship that includes a child?
15. What is your communication style?
16. Is your communication style good for a relationship? Parenting?
17. Have you really thought about raising a child with this woman?
18. How long have you known this woman?
19. What are your thoughts about break ups, divorce, being a single parent?
20. What are your thoughts about deadbeat dads?
21. How will you prevent yourself from being a deadbeat dad?
22. How do you show love?
23. How were you disciplined? 
24. Did it help you or hurt you?
25. How will you discipline your child? 
26. Will you hurt your child or help your child?
27. What kind of man are you?
28. What are your hopes and dreams?
29. What are your hopes and dreams for your child?
30. What did you learn from your father?
31. Is your father in your life?
32. Have you ever talked to your father about your life and his impact on you?
33. Do you know how to hold a child? 
34. Do you know how to feed a baby? 
35. Do you know how to change a diaper? 
36. What will you do when your baby cries? 
37. What will you do when your toddler cries?
38. Your child is hurt? 
39. Your teen has pain?
40. Your young adult needs you?
41. What are your thoughts about saving?
42. Do you have money saved for their future?
43. How much money will you save each payday for your child’s future?
44. How will you make life easier for your child?
45. Are you prepared to be a father for the rest of your life?
46. Do you know, your child should not have to go through the difficulty you have?
47. How will you prevent them from experiencing your difficulties?
48. What are your views on religion?  What will you teach your child?
49. What is your experience with drugs and alcohol?
50. What do you do to relax? 
51. How do you deal with stress?
52. What makes you really mad?
53. How do you deal with your anger?
54. How do you deal with other people’s anger?
55. What makes you happy?
56. Is happiness easy for you or difficult?
57. How will you balance your life, your relationship and your child?
58. What kind of father do you want to be?
59. Who is your fatherhood role model?
60. How will you parent a daughter?  Will if he different from a son?
61. What are your beliefs about women and girls?
62. What are your thoughts about dating?
63. Will you be involved in your children’s education?
64. Are you educated?
65. Do you believe in college or trade school?
66. What do you want for your child?  How will you assure your child succeeds?
67. Are you ready to be a father?
68. Who do you go to for advice or help?
69. Do you have a support group or support system?
70. What kind of dad do you envision you will be?
71. What do you wish you knew about fatherhood that you don’t know now?
    

On Saturday, October 29, 2022, the Fatherhood Manologues will be featured at the Fringe Festival.  This is the second show in as many weeks as we continue our collaboration with Hartbeat Ensemble.  We did a pretty good job at a show at Black Eyed Sally's last week.  Currently, only Jesse White III, Demetrius Chamblee, Malik Champlain and myself, Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad are performing.  It should be interesting to see how things progress over the next few months.  Below are a few pictures from the show at Black eyed Sally's.  Stay tuned for more to come.

As 2021 comes to a close, I have been taking some time to reflect.  Over all, I think we had a good year.  We conducted groups, performed Fatherhood Manologues, promoted Men's Health and even got a Fatherhood Pole in the ground.  Next year, I hope we are able to build on the momentum that will be left from our Men's Health Event and wrapping up our final group of the year.  I'm excited about our 2nd Annual Fatherhood Manologues Day coming up on February 10th in celebration of my dad and a new show with new performers on February 26th of next year.  I also have scheduled out all The Manhood Tree groups I will facilitate next year: 

• February 1, 2022-March 29, 2022-6pm
• May 3, 2022-June28, 2022-6pm
• August 2, 2022-September 27, 2022-6pm
• November 1, 2022-December 27, 2022-6pm
  

We also have monthly Men's Health Dinner and Discussions planned for the first half of the year (location and time TBD).  My main goal next year is to build a tribe.  In the past, I have waffled back and forth on my leadership never really committing to what I want to accomplish fully but in 2022, I'm ready.  I realize that men use other men as a barometer in life and if we are only surrounded by one type of man or not given alternative ways of thinking, or allowed to express ourselves...we don't become the men we could.  Through The Manhood Tree groups, performances and events I hope to ignite men to be their best in the areas of brotherhood, fatherhood and manhood.  I would like to see this work spread out of Connecticut and go all of the US and then all over the world.  Who knows?  Either way, I'm excited and ready to dedicate the next few years into developing this idea out fully.  I look forward to the people I will cross paths with along the way and I plan to do a better job blogging about each step along the way.  Stay tuned.

Last week we started a new Manhood Tree group and I must say the participants were engaged in the information and willing to share openly.  We would like to get to the point with our groups that we have at least three groups going weekly and we have a dedicated funding source for the groups.

On Saturday, November 13, 2021 we will be shooting promo videos for our first Men's Health event.  Our goal is to pull together advertising that draws the community in and encourages them to attend the event.

We are getting closer to airing our first episode of The Manhood Tree Podcast.  We will have it available on the website and will be working on getting the podcast on other platforms as well.  We will also be shooting a show that uses aspects from The Manhood Tree Podcast but also focuses on Manhood Topics, Health, Travel, etc.

Later this week, we will be going back to the Makerspace to work on our second Fatherhood Pole.  We will be also signing up for classes that will allow for us to operate the machines independent of supervision and allow for us to move the process of building Fatherhood Poles along faster.

Lastly, we are looking for a dedicated group of men to join our Fatherhood Manologues group.   We would like to do a six week group that culminates in a live performance and individual videos of each Fatherhood Manologue.  If you know anyone who you think will be interested, contact us through the website.

The Manhood Tree...Let's Grow.