The Dapper Dan Society is made up of small business owners, community members, and spiritual leadership that have come together to serve the greater purpose of impacting fatherlessness and malessness with male restoration. If a man does not understand his place; as leader and head of the family unit, then how can he expect those around him to follow him or teach it to a child? Often times the male
is missing from the household and unnecessary chaos reigns. My premise is that the men not currently being productive and are underutilized assets in our communities and that needs to change. All men have something to add to the productivity of society, its overall wellbeing and continued forward growth. The program will last for 12 months; 6 months intensively and 6 months check up intervals. In most cases this will be sufficient for the participants to fully develop or transform. In some instances there will be deficits in specific areas where more assistance is needed. In the Dapper Dan Society, Chaperones will be sharing real-life experiences from men; to men. Chaperone; a person who accompanies and looks after another person or group of people. Spirituality - Starting at the “core” of the man:
Getting Grounded
Chaperone; Brian Ayers, Minister, will start men on their spiritual journey of discovery. Dispelling myths and reinforcing why spirituality is important to the structure of both; their life and the lives of their families and why it’s important to be a part of their families’ everyday lives. Most men between the ages of 25-50 especially in the African American community have heard about GOD from their spiritual family members; however they don’t feel ready or good enough to seek a relationship with GOD. Their belief is that they are in charge of their lives, when in actuality they are on a GOD given journey in which they have a purpose. Discovering that purpose will be the crux of this encounter. Financial – Wealth Building: Staying Afloat
Chaperone; Neil Weaver, Financial Advisor, will get men excited about their relationship with money. How they make, view, spend, and save their money. Most of the men have made money, either legally or illegally in some cases, but have nothing to show for it or no accounting of it. Here, the men will get an education on money; what it really has the power to do in their lives; socially, familial, and economically. Making better money decisions in order to grow their position or status for themselves and their families. Biblically the principles are laid out for us to be good stewards of what has been given to us. Societal – The man in the mirror: BeingAccepted
Chaperone; Roderick Mack, Image Advisor, will get men to take a good look at themselves to see themselves as society sees them currently and work toward the image that they want to show and be known by. They will work on dress, mannerisms, elocution, and the ex*****on of acceptable societal behavior according to the “male code of honor and ethics”. They will discover that a person is really judged by their outer as well as their inner character. Setting goals for your transformation and growth both personally and professionally. Who your hanging buddies are; do they cause society to misjudge you. Sometimes there is Social Handicapped
Emotional – The hand you’re dealt: Beating the Odds
Chaperone; Disabled Veterans, will be about dealing with the emotional baggage that men carry from day to day. Often times they are measuring themselves by someone else’s yardstick and therefore they’ve got emotional issues that weigh them down and keep them from being as productive as they really can be. For men trying to be good providers, fathers, etc. most of this comes from past relationships whether it’s family or significant others that have applied labels that keep the men from being as productive as possible. Familial – Assembling the troops: Role Play
Chaperone; (We don’t have yet) will be about sharing information that will immediately enhance the participants ability to be better dads, husbands, and providers. Single parent families headed by fathers represents 7% and families without fathers’ represents 32%, and even higher statistics for our immediate area. This is about men understanding who they are in the family and if they just can’t be present in the home; they can still be present in the childs daily life. Why:
In a 2013 TSPN (TN Su***de Prevention Network) Study
• TN has a higher su***de rate nationally
• TN male su***de rate are 4X higher than females
• White males being the largest number (almost 75% of population)
• Other males being of mixed rates
• Asian males
• African American males
• Hispanic males
• Ages for male committers
• 35-44 are 4X that of the teen rate
• The rate drops during middle age
• 65-74 it plateaus again
• In 2013 the total number of male su***des
• 822
• 59 were African American
• Contributing Factors
• Individual> Mental Disorders, State of Mind, Hopelessness, Low Self-esteem
Behaviors> Social Withdrawal, Alcohol/Drugs
Gender> Females Attempt; Men Succeed
Age
Race
History> Abuse
Su***de Ideation
Physical> Low Blood, Low Cholesterol
Access to Means> Guns, Drugs etc.
• Peer/Family>
Bullying
Social Isolation> Low or Lack of Social Support
• Community>
Unemployment/Financial Loss or Unevenness
Relational/Social Loss/Humiliation
• Societal>
Economic Instability
Societal Breakdown
Average age of the African American male committing su***de – 32
Average age of a White Male committing su***de – 44.6
According to areavibes.com
• Poverty levels in Memphis is 51.9% greater than whole TN and 76.1% higher than the national average.
• We have more males notably African American Males entering the prison system than you have employed
• The unemployment rate for males is 8.7%, and those that work average a salary of $26,738 annually
According to a September Article published by Michael Holzman
o Memphis is being touted as “Dropout Nation”
o Our young men are being groomed for incarceration
o Our success rates for completion of secondary education is 3%
o According to the census of 2010 we have 22,000 fewer men in households than women
o 10X as many black men incarcerated instead of college dorms; unlike non-black men
o Last year Shelby County jailed 54,000 people
Spiritually speaking women are ever evolving in their roles; their status changes from single to married, childless to mother, caregiver/working, and they tend to more easily accept these changes and even ask “Who am I now”. They are usually the ones in the family unit to more spiritually open and grounded. The male role is more constant; defined. Their statuses don’t really fluctuate; they produce, do, and take care of. They are primed for outward actions. But if there is no one to demonstrate how this constant flows; how will he know what he is supposed to do? According to creditdonkey.com
• Men will save however only above a certain income bracket; they see no need to save if they perceive their income is too low to contribute to a savings account.
• 19.4% of men are not currently saving money
• From those that do, only 18.5% of men add money weekly to the savings account
• Most do not have the resources saved to wait out the loss of job or real emergency
According to an Article in the Washington Times quoting The National Fatherhood Institute, December 2012; nationally –
15 Million U.S. Children that’s 1 in 3 lives without a father
• 5 Million U.S. Children live without a mother
• That we have 2 classes of fathers
o 1 says it’s important to be present
o 1 doesn’t seem to care, let somebody but me do the job
• Overwhelmingly this is an African American problem
o Nearly 5 million/54% have mom only
o 12% of African American Families live below the poverty line have both parents present daily
when compared to 41% Hispanic families, and 32% White families
A Study from the Urban Child Institute concluded that in Memphis
• 82% of children live without a father
• 33% of households have children under the age of 18
• 46% live in a single parent household
• 15% live with other relatives
• 64% live with a single mom
• 1 in 4 is born to parents with less than a high school education
Factors for these staggering numbers;
• Age at which the mother gives birth
• Educational attainment of mothers
• Levels of child support received
• Educational/Family Value level of grandparents
• Missing fathers by upbringing
We talk about family values, but we are not living them
