This Father’s Day, A Chance to Learn decided to celebrate dads in a way that truly mattered by giving them their flowers, their platform, and some powerful conversations.
Teaming up with the COGIC Urban Initiative, the nonprofit hosted a special Fathers and Faith Brunch at North Garland Baptist Church Fellowship in Dallas, and the room was full of love, wisdom, and real talk.
The theme? The Life of Fathers: Faith, Family & Fellowship. And they delivered.
The event featured a panel of six impactful men, Byron Williams, Dr. Anthony Coleman, Laterras R. Whitfield, Chris Davis, Donte Dean, and Dr. Jay Barnett, who represented a beautiful spectrum of fatherhood: married, single, and adoptive.
They didn’t hold back as they dug into honest conversations about fatherhood, legacy, manhood, and faith in front of a room packed mostly with other men seeking that same connection.
But the brunch wasn’t just about dialogue, it was also about action. That’s why A Chance to Learn used the moment to present its very first Fathers and Faith scholarship, awarding $1,000 to Neiman Wicks, a student from St. Philip’s School and Community Center. A meaningful reminder that empowering fathers and uplifting the next generation can go hand-in-hand.
For LaToyia Dennis, CEO of A Chance to Learn and VP of Family Programs for the COGIC Urban Initiative, this work is personal. “So much of my own journey — the struggles with self-esteem, unhealthy patterns, and learning to find my worth — traces back to my daddy issues,” she shared. “This is why I believe deeply that fatherhood conversation, advocacy, and inclusion are not optional — they are essential.”
And this was just the beginning. Following the successful Dallas debut, Fathers and Faith Brunches are headed nationwide with upcoming stops in Richmond, VA; Jonesboro, AR; Detroit, MI; Austin, TX; and Memphis, TN.
Because at the end of the day, the goal is simple but powerful: empower fathers to show up, speak up, and lead with love. And brunch is just the start.
