Culturally Competent & Contemporary Black Fathers Training Academy
Contact us to inquire about our unique parenting training services for African American Fathers and their families.
Our Online Black Fathers Training Academy
Young Fathers Mentoring
Online Black Fathers Parenting Courses
Black Fathers & Black Men Mentoring
Online mentoring for young black fathers ages 25 and under. Enroll now!
Black Fathers & Black Men Mentoring
Online Black Fathers Parenting Courses
Black Fathers & Black Men Mentoring
Online Black Fathers & Black Men Mentoring ages 26 and over. Enroll now!
Online Black Fathers Parenting Courses
Online Black Fathers Parenting Courses
Online Black Fathers Parenting Courses
Enroll in our Culturally competent Black Fathers and Family courses, hosted by the Academy of African American Fathers
Our Individual Services
Non-Custodial Fathers
In this model we serve noncustodial fathers, who tend to be low or no income, homeless, substance abusers, prone to criminal activity, violent, gang activity, abusers, or part of any of the other negative lifestyle choices. These fathers are in need of a more structured approach, that builds on their strengths.
Most of these fathers do not realize the benefits of becoming responsible. They feel that since they are not able to give “financial support” they are not useful. Their efforts of limited social and emotional support to their children has not been recognized or realized, nor celebrated or praised. This model demonstrate to fathers the many ways to contribute to their children success and ways to implement harm reduction, using our program's Seven Core Concepts.
Our Parent Mentoring Program
The Academy mentoring program is one of a kind! After our participants complete the Academy's core concepts training,black fathers can access mentoring services,in order to continue to support and stabilize their efforts,in a manner that leads to positive results. This model includes any family member(s), who are in need and can benefits from mentoring services.
Fatherless Children Services
The worst feeling in the world, as a black child or young black male or female,is to not have a father or father figure, while growing up. One can become fatherless for many reasons,it could be suddenly they are without a father and feel alone. Our culturally competent fatherless services is designed to match fatherless children with qualified black men, who can set-up and be a positive father figure in the lives of those in need. Too often, the children of murdered fathers are forgotten,so are the children of fathers who will not return to their community or their family. In order for these children and young adults to reach their highest potential, they need a role model or father figure in their lives.
Our Community Services
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
We serve incarcerated black fathers,who are within three years to discharge,in lower security community based facilities or on probation or parole, exceeding six months.We engage our program in partnership with the department of correction, the court s and other law enforncement agencies.
Non-Custodial Fathers
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
Noncustodial fathers would be targeted for basic training in the core concepts of the program to help them develop new skills through lesson plans and personal development. The main objectives would be to bring noncustodial fathers to a competent level that will help them to gain a better understanding and approach to positive parenting.
Father/Family Mentoring
Incarcerated Black Fathers Program Model
Father/Family Mentoring
Our fathers/family mentoring assist fathers and their family, where the father is not the biological parent of the children in the relationship. We hold support groups for the father,in relationship with the children and support the best practices of family supportive procedures, based on our program philosophy and cultural competent procedues.
NEW FOR the Academy 2022
Academy of African American fathers internet radio broadcast
We are excited to announce our up and coming internet radio broadcast. Fall of 2022. Stay posted for the details and sign-up for our newsletter.
Academy of African American fathers Podcast for 2022
Our fathers and communities of color, can join us from anywhere internet is available, to hear us and the current topics and issues on our Podcast. Using your desktop, laptop or your cell phone, to access our topics and discussions, relevant to our success.
Academy of African American Fathers online training academy for 2022
Reach our parenting classes, from anywhere and on any device, where internet is available. Become a part of our global network! Enroll in our online training , featuring live streams, prerecorded lessons and online live support and parenting coaching. The first in the Nation!
Academy Of African-American Fathers Podcast
Join Us !
Academy of African American Fathers Podcast
COMING SOON!
Our Academy Philosophy & Purpose
Parenting is Cultural
All parenting is "cultural" and every ethnic group has cultural traditions, by which their group shares a common and distinctive identity,which includes,heritage,ancestry and parenting styles, among others. The black men and women in America have a culture and parenting style, that is traced back to our own history and parenting legacy, before coming to America. It is our responsibility to reconnect back to our parenting traditions and change the negative consequences, that our children are suffering, as a direct result of our state of mind and failure to meet our obligations to our family. We can not wait for others to tell us what to do,in order to change our circumstances, we must return to our own cultural traditions to be successful.
Why a Culturally Competent Approach to Fatherhood
A culturally competent approach is critical to the success of black fathers, because current fatherhood programs do not address culturally appropriate solutions, to the black fathers enrolled. To not include black cultural norms, does a disservice to the black fathers,making that fatherhood program ineffective. There is a missed connection between black fathers, who attend non-cultural competent fatherhood programs and the facilitators of the programs. The styles of parenting used in fatherhood programs have European influences, that mostly conflict with what black fathers are used to in parenting. In addition, fatherhood programs are not required to be culturally competent, the focus of the fatherhood programs are to, increase child support payments only,not to change the mindset of responsibility or give social support or moral support to the children. While financial support plays a part of supporting children,black children require social,emotional and moral support from their parents,in order to reach their highest potential.
We focus on the change of mindset of Black Fathers
In order to assist black fathers in becoming successful in the parenting responsibilities, we focus on the change of their mindset. That is to say that we use our Seven Core Concepts,our program Actualization, to refresh black father's thought process, their ways of thinking and their mentality, to reflect a more positive outlook and acceptance of their important role in the life of their children. Our approach is nonclinical and self help,using the knowledge and experience of other black fathers and the knowledge and experience of the black fathers we serve, along with our unique program materials. In addition, we promote black fathers best practices, that are safe,contemporary and culturally acceptable to black fathers, living in their communities. Black fathers respond more positive, when they recognize approaches that relates to their life challenges and not the life other fathers may not face the same challenges as men or as parents. Blacks father's challenges are unique and requires a unique approach, if they are to realize the benefits of a change of mindset. Black fathers need to be where they are able to grow, in a environment that is encouraging,supportive,understanding and promote their growth and development. Black fathers want to care for their children,like other nations, getting back to responsible parenting needs updated leadership and training in an Academy setting.
Self Actualization
Our Black fathers are offered social and communicative skills, problem solving skills and relationship building skills and techniques, while learning new ways to communicate their wants and needs.
The lessons skills and training are affected through a series of segments called our “Seven Core Concepts” and commonly known as “Self Actualization”©. The self actualization helps fathers build on self issues first, strengthening their resolve and acts, as a foundation for all others information to come within the training lessons. The self actualization is totally focused on building self up. Black fathers cannot become effective fathers unless and until they are imbued with new,updated and contemporary knowledge, that helps them make better decisions, with more positive outcomes. Here black fathers are taught that they cannot help anyone,not even their children,until they help self first. This "help self first" approach is a natural order.
Community Based Program
We are a black community based program, meaning we work within the black communities we serve. We partner with other programs and agencies,in order to become more comprehensive and to blend serves for black fathers and their families, for the betterment of positive family lifestyle choices. However, we don't compromise our approach or our program principles in order to partner with others.
Academy of African American Fathers History
The Academy was founded in 1994, in Boston,Massachusetts,by Antonio Celester. The purpose was to changed the negative consequences of black fathers and reconnect black fathers to their children. In 2010, Massachusetts Department of Social Services,(DSS),now the Department of Children and Families,(DCF),became the first state social service agency, to approve the Academy of African American Fathers,as a support and stabilization service provider for the families in Massachusetts,under the Family Network proposal. The Academy hosted a "neighborhood TV network" program called "Fathers Forum" that aired once a week and addressed black father issues to the public. The Academy founded appeared on other family TV networks,promoting the Academy,number radio broadcast and hosted many community fathers events,fathers support groups and fatherhood program monthly meetings.
Our Academy Founder
Antonio Celester, Founder
The oldest of four brothers, the founder and program director of, the Academy of African American Fathers (AAAF), founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994.
AAAF is a culturally based father training program, designed to counter the negative consequences of low income African American Fathers, in order to assist them in dealing with the many challenges of contemporary parenting, through learning new skills that lead to positive consequences, in a positive family life choice.
A father of two young teenagers and two adults, a grandfather of two grandsons,a granddaughter, Antonio started his first Academy program in 1998 while incarcerated. He assisted young fathers in the capacity as, vice chairman, of the Young Fathers group, developing lesson plans and group activities for incarcerated fathers. Advocating visiting rights for inmates and assisting in paternity issues. He
Developed the training curricula, the (7) seven core concepts, called "Self Actualizations" ,that assist black parents in identifying new ways to gain a better understanding of their contemporary roles, in order to become more productive and involved with their children and their future.
He was the Host of Fatherhood TV program aired in the Boston (BNNTV Ch 9 & 23),and surrounding areas, that identifies issues and challenges to contemporary black parenting,gave information on organization activities and events in the communities of color, that concerned parenting in the hood. He comes from a single parent home, with only his mother and siblings
Developed the training curricula, the (7) seven core concepts, called "Self Actualization" ,that assist black parents in identifying new ways to gain a better understanding of their contemporary roles, in order to become more productive and involved with their children and their future. Antonio's father was a detective on the Boston Police force and have several retired family members, who served in his community as Boston Police officers. Antonio's life experiences makes him a unique founder and dedicated to changing the negative consequences of black men and their families. Antonio has authored two books,selling on Amazon.
Our Ancestry is Royalty
We were taught that we were slaves,but before slavery, we were kings and queens! We cared for our children and protected them with our lives! This is our true legacy of parenting our children,it takes a village (community), to raise our children, so we collectively are our children's mothers and fathers, making of of our people responsible for all of our children.
We are the Master Builders
The black man is the original man and the original builders of our families and our family structure. We must build our families within our legacies of parenting and keeping our children safe from harm. To be successful, we must respect and uplift our woman, the mother of civilization. Stand up black men, our families need us!