Books that Change the World – Becoming D.A.D.S.
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At Inspira, we firmly believe that everyone has in them a life-giving story. We’ve made it our mission to help people get their stories and messages into print and into the world. And if that message has the power to actually help change the world? All the better! Becoming DADS, by Marvin Charles, is just such a project.
Through the connection of a mutual friend, Marvin and I were introduced with the objective of bringing his message to print. I had the honor of helping him and his friend, Jamie Bohnett, write Marvin’s remarkable life story, and then use that story as a powerful catalyst for the message about reversing the effects of father absence. This message is behind the mission of D.A.D.S. (Divine Alternatives for Dads Services), a non-profit in Seattle founded by Marvin and his wife, Jeanett.
D.A.D.S. is a grassroots organization that, for the past twenty-plus years, has been leading a movement against the epidemic of father absence in America. More than 66 percent of D.A.D.S.’ clients are non-white. Over 90 percent have been incarcerated. And 100 percent are fathers who want and deserve the opportunity to parent their children well.
D.A.D.S.’ track record is amazing and inspiring: Thousands of children who now have involved dads in their lives. Thousands of changed families and communities as a result. Many millions of dollars saved by state and local governments—although we know that the value of a changed life is priceless!
Marvin wanted to write a book that would impact readers, in his words, “from park bench to Park Avenue.” He wanted to reach people who were in the trenches with this issue in their everyday lives. But he also wanted to reach those who—by virtue of their position or privilege—needed their eyes opened to the root causes of the problems and the systemic injustices that perpetuate them.
Just this week, I asked Marvin how putting his story into print has contributed to the impact of his message. He said, “A book lends credibility to what you do, and that’s been a new experience for me. It’s been huge. It’s opened doors to go and speak to men in many different venues. I can leave them all with a book that tells my story.
“For example, I was recently in Georgia, on a farm in the middle of nowhere that serves as a residential treatment facility for around 150 men who come there for a year. I spoke to them about my own transition from drugs and alcohol to a healthy, sober, and fulfilling life. I had that opportunity because they read my book and liked it so much they called me up and begged me to come.
“As I was speaking to the men, I asked the director how many were fathers. He said he didn’t know. So I asked by a show of hands, and almost all of them responded, like 125! The director told me later he had no idea. He’d never bothered to ask.
“That told me a lot, that there are still situations in our country that don’t focus on the needs of fathers … they focus on men’s individual issues, like drugs, etc. But we’ve learned that if we help these guys connect with their families and parent their children, a lot of the other related issues will either go away or be minimized. Helping these guys learn to be dads is huge. Our book has had a huge impact on our ability to reach them.”
These are the stories we love to hear! Inspira is proud to be a business centered on helping people tell their stories, share their ideas, and communicate their messages. We are proud to recognize and support important, world-changing missions like that of D.A.D.S.
If you would like to support the efforts of D.A.D.S. and Marvin and Jeanett Charles, you can join in next week on their virtual fundraising event. Click on the link below and register for the week-long event, June 13-20, featuring interviews with Marvin, Jeanett, and others, and testimonies of men whose lives have been radically changed by D.A.D.S.
Together, we can all make a difference!