Father-Con

Fathers - making a world of difference:

right at home.

More than just a second parent or an extra set of hands, fathers are one of the best child development resources we have, and if we are going to give children the best start in life, we all need to fully recognize and utilize this role.

UNICEF Chief of Early Childhood Development Dr. Pia Britto.

Loker Student Union Building - Cal State University Dominguez Hills
1000 E Victoria St. Carson. CA 90747

2024 HEART OF THE FATHER AWARD recipients Lanny Cordola, founder of Miraculous Love Kids in Afghanistan, Steven Salgado, father of 9 and mentor to more, and Angel Umanzor - teen father of distinction with Homeboy Industries.

This award-winning feature film by writer director actor Julia Verdin will screen in Spanish and English on October 12th.

This film depicts the dangers to a child that arise when there is domestic violence and in which social media provides a way out. But at what cost.

Maya is a disturbing but hopeful look at human trafficking as it occurs in the US.

Father-Con 2024 Saturday October 12th

9am - 4pm

Father-Con 2024 will offer 4 breakout sessions of informative workshops and 30 resource organizations and providers with real assistance to help families grow stronger and fathers to find their greatest success in being present in the lives of their children.

Spanish and English workshops! Register here!

https://www.jotform.com/form/242413721218145

Saturday October 12th all day FREE!

Over 20 workshops

10:00

Room 322: Maya and Panel

Award-winning feature film by writer/director/actor Julia Verdin.
This film depicts the dangers to a child that arise when there is domestic violence and in which social media provides a way out. But at what cost. Maya is a disturbing but hopeful look at human trafficking as it occurs in the U.S. Panel with Julia Verdin and Brian Lee of LAPD Cyber Crimes Against Children.

Room 321: Intro to Human Trafficking 101 Presented by Tera K. Hilliard

This workshop provides an introduction to the legal definition of human trafficking, identifies those most at risk, explores the dynamics of pimping, and teaches participants how to recognize the signs of trafficking.

Room 324: “The Story of Humans Like Me Being Trafficked in Porn” - Jewell Baraka

Focus on the humanity of those being exploited and trafficked in porn and the effects of the trauma they endure from the voice of a survivor who was trafficked in porn at 14.

Room 325: Fentanyl, Vaping and Cell Phones, How they are affecting our children in our schools - Steven Cagle

How the dealers, big tobacco, marijuana, and cell phones are affecting our children, and what to look for as fathers.

Room 326: “Perdí a mi hija por Fentanilo” ( I lost a child to Fentanyl) - Andy Chavez

In 2022 Andy lost his 19 year old son to Fentanyl addiction. It was a struggle. He would like to share his story and bring awareness to other parents. He truly believes that hearing from other’s experiences can make a difference.

Room 327: Teen Fatherhood with Homeboy Industries - Gabriel Lopez, Angel Umanzor, Eddie Morando, and Steven Salgado

Gabriel will take the audience on a journey of receiving full custody of his son during the pandemic and Angel, Eddie, and Steven will share the joys and challenges of being teen fathers.

Room 323: Formando Familias saludables (Healthy Families) - Juan Ramon Saldana

Hacer que las personas tomen conciencia del tipo de familias en nuestra sociedad y los desafíos que …

Making people aware of the type of families in our society and the challenges they face, share the things that triggers our emotions as a human beings and share some of the techniques to diffuse our negative emotions and feelings so we can learn how to love and respect each other and teach our children's and grandchildren's to respond to stressful situations instead of reacting, so we all can change our behavior and start forming more healthy Families.

Room 130: DCFS Navigating the System - Candice Price

There are usually lots of questions from parents who have intersected with the Department of Family Services about the system and what to expect: what to do and what not to do for the safety and well-being of children.

11:00

Room 323: Filling in the gap - Kendra Tankersley-Davis and Husband Jerome Davis

An open and transparent discussion on “filling in the gap”, men standing in and standing up for children who may not have a father, how you can be an effective father figure, mentor or friend.

Room 324: “For Pastors or Ministry Leaders” How To Have a More Meaningful Ministry to Men in your Church- Dr. Sam Serio

Ministry Leaders, Pastors, Counselors, and Church Staff need to have a much deeper ministry to men in the taboo/tender/tough topics that the church usually ignores. We’ll explore some of their secrets and sadness that they never share and how we can help men.

Room 325: Fentanyl, Vaping and Cell Phones, How they are affecting our children in our schools - Steven Cagle Sr

Presentation how the dealers, big tobacco, marijuana and cell phones are affecting our children, and what to look for as fathers.

Room 130: Best Practice for Navigating the Children’s Dependency Court System to Support Parents and Community Organizations - Kenneth Egans, Para Lucero, and Jessica Chandler

The Community Outreach and Partnership (COAP) Committee is dedicated to extending its reach beyond the courtroom by educating the public on dependency law, the rights of parents and guardians, and the services provided by LADL.

Room 326: Topic of presentation: Social Media Safety-Samual P. Chapman

Social media safety and the fentanyl crisis, a lesson in safer parenting and advocacy for our children.

Room 321: Healing Generations: from wounds to medicine- Serafín Serrano and Roberto Villa

Healing Generations from wounds to medicine will identify legacies of trauma and prominent wounds affecting a generation of males and fathers providing a safe loving communal space to air, exchange, receive and transform aliments into resilience, assets, and medicine.

Room 327: After Incarceration-Mark Maciel

The effects of incarceration and the transition of re-entry and how do we deal with the lies of deception and what is real or NOT!

Room El padre Figueres y la importancia del compromiso emocional (Father Figures and the Importance of Emotional Engagement) - Juan Lopez

Information presents the importance of emotional engagement of father figures to the social emotional/cognitive development of children. Proposes father figures to adapt to a changing world through education, awareness and vulnerability to be better equipped to aid their children once they experience future traumas and emotional challenges.

1:00

Room 322: MAYA and Panel

Award-winning feature film by writer/director/actor Julia Verdin

This film depicts the dangers to a child that arise when there is domestic violence and in which social media provides a way out. But at what cost. Maya is a disturbing but hopeful look at human trafficking as it occurs in the U.S. Panel with Julia Verdin and Brian Lee of LAPD Cyber Crimes Against Children.

Room 321: Intro to Human Trafficking 101-Tera K. Hilliard

Room 323: Filling the Gap -Kendra Tankersley-Davis and Husband Jerome Davis

An open and transparent discussion on filling in the gap, men standing in and standing up for children who may not have a father, how you can be an effective father figure, mentor or friend.

Room 324: "What To Do When Temptation Knocks" What do we need to know or do when we’re tempted?” - Dr. Sam Serio of Healing Sexual Hurts

Here are ten easy-to-remember tips and phrases that help all men be even more committed to our partner. God gave us a bunch of true stories about this. It IS going to happen so here’s how to win.

Room 325: Faith-based view on Fatherhood- Pastor Chet Lowe

Providing a biblical view on fatherhood and explaining the responsibility that God gives us as a father.

Room 323: Teen Fatherhood with Homeboy Industries- Gabriel Lopez, Angel Umanzor and Eddie Morando and Steven Salgado

Gabriel will take the audience on a journey of receiving full custody of his son during the pandemic and Angel, Eddie, and Steven will share the joys and challenges of being teen fathers.

Room 326: “The story of my son Adrian De Jesus- Maria Ortega (moved from D slot)

Maria will share the story of her son who was poisoned by fentanyl without his knowledge or consent, and give information to help prevent this from happening to other families.

Room 327: Daddy Issues and Father Void - Tom Morris

The emotional effects of not having a father.

2:00

Room 321: The Best Way to Protect Minors from Sex Traffickers and Sexual Predators- Susan Patterson

In this workshop, parents will learn about many tools and simple resources like 2 minute videos, that parents can use that outline all the ways traffickers and sexual predators trick minors. This will equip parents to have engaging and powerful conversations with their children that tweens and teens want to participate in. This is a workshop that every parent and teacher should attend.

Room 325: Future Fathers by Mark Winkler

This presentation is designed for men who are on the verge of becoming fathers, offering valuable insights and guidance on how to navigate this transformative life stage. Attendees will learn about the importance of supporting their partners, building healthy relationships with their children, managing stress, and embracing their new role with confidence and joy.

Room 324: “The Story of Humans Like Me Being Trafficked in Porn” -Jewell Baraka

Focus on the humanity of those being exploited and trafficked in porn and the effects of the trauma they endure from the voice of a survivor who was trafficked in porn at 14.

Room 327: Daddy Issues and Father Void - Tom Morris

The emotional effects of not having a father.

Room 328: Father Figures and the Importance of Emotional Engagement - Juan Camargo Lopez

Information presents the importance of emotional engagment of father figures to the social emotional/cognitive development of children. Proposes father figures to adapt to a changing world through education, awareness and vulnerability to be better equipped to aid their children once they experience future traumas and emotional challenges.

Room 328: The vital role mentorship plays in the development of children in underserved communities - Dr. Carroll Brown

Participants will learn strategies for creating effective mentorship programs, hear success stories, and gain tools to become mentors within their communities.

Father-Con 2024

2 days of inspiration, information and resources!

Friday evening 6 - 9pm at Loker Student Union Bldg - Ballroom

This Father-Con Conference will be the best yet with a Friday evening Keynote address by the multi-award nominated actor and author of the Male vs Man, DONDRE WHITFIELD.

Males look to be served. Men look to be of service. Emmy Award-nominated actor best known for his role on Queen Sugar and transformational speaker Dondré Whitfield challenges us to be real men in this provocative look at the power found in serving others.

Often those males grow up without healthy role models and so, while they look like men, they act like boys. Only now there are adult consequences to their actions.

And many of us are caught in the shifting cultural ideas about manhood, unsure of how to make sound decisions or truly be a man. Every day we find evidence that the role of men at home, at work, and out in the world is deeply misinterpreted.

In Male vs. Man, Dondré Whitfield equips us to become men rather than simply "grown males." Men are healthy and productive servant-leaders who bring positive change to their communities. Males are self-serving and stuck in negative cycles that we hear and read about daily. They create chaos instead of cultivating calm.

Male vs. Man is an uplifting playbook for men who want to level up. It will help men and women alike understand what real manhood is, based on biblical wisdom as well as hard-earned lessons from someone who has been there. With practical guidance and a strong spiritual foundation, Dondré shows how to cultivate the life-changing spiritual, emotional, and psychological attributes of servant leadership at home, at work, and in our communities.

A Year to Life, inspired by a true story directed by Nikki Hevesy - with special guest Bernard “Kufaun” Cooper - former 83 gangsta Crip, CEO of Affiliates & Offenders Recovery Program and author of KUFUN: THE LONGEST WAIT about his life and 25 years spent in prison of a 45 years to life wrongful conviction.

More speaker info

Dr. Gregory Williams is on the Senior Leadership Team at Baylor College of Medicine’s OB/GYN Department located in Texas Children’s Hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He has a PhD in Counseling and is a well-known speaker/teacher.

He is the author of “Shattered by the Darkness: Putting the Pieces Back Together After Child Abuse” that has been published by HCI publishing (the same publishers of the International Bestseller “A Child Called IT” and the “Chicken Soup for the Souls” series. He has a new book written especially for teenagers and young adults called “When the Dark Clouds Come: the Road Map to HOPE”. This book is to help teenagers and young adults deal with stressful moments in their lives. Together these books have sold more than 2.2 million copies around the world. He has two new books coming out in the Summer of 2024 and Winter of 2024.

He travels the country speaking to thousands of people on child abuse, the aftermaths of abuse, the detection and recognition of abuse and the importance of the Adverse Childhood Experiences. He is on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Trauma-Informed Practices of the Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina. He is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the United Against Human Trafficking and is a State of Texas certified trainer for Medical Physicians in Human Trafficking Awareness Training.

He has a LIVE radio program each Sunday evening called, “Breaking the Silence with Dr. Gregory Williams” that is heard by over 1.8 million listeners each week. The radio show then goes to over 115 podcasts networks around the world.

Jewell Baraka, author of Coming of Age on a Porn Set: Trafficked in Porn at 14

This is the story of a girl raised into exploitation who wakes up one night, when she is 14, in the middle of the hardcore porn industry.

Faced with the worst version of herself on the screen before her, in a moment of shattering light, Jewell must decide if she will continue going with the flow or if she will fight to become a better version of herself.

The fight that ensues does not resolve quickly into an action movie rise to triumph and quick exit. It is a no holds barred fight in a world of fixed fights, the world of hardcore porn.

Trafficked on an adult hardcore porn set at 14 Jewell has to find a way through and out of the script and character that is being written for her. The power to rewrite her story and character into a version she wants to see reflected in the mirror will only be found in stepping into the arena and finding the warrior within.

“Sometimes in the fight we find the warrior we always were.”

Father-Con is about connection - we are after all, regardless of belief, brand or blessing - battling the same stumbling blocks and experiencing the same successes. Father-Con confronts the con/the lies we each face as fathers about what will ultimately make us feel successful in life. Father-Con is a place of conversation about the real stuff that matters, and Father-Con is a conference to celebrate and get fired-up for the end of such threats to our children as human trafficking, as well as access the support and resources needed.

Patrick Erlandson, Founder

Bring your company or organization to stand with fathers and families, as a sponsor of Father-Con!

Learn How

Juneteenth 2024 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Long Beach CA. June 22, 2024

Father-Con was honored to once again be part of the Long Beach celebration of Juneteenth with our partners Love Beyond Limits.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CAME OUT TO FATHERS READ - KIDS SUCCEED AT THE COLUMBIA MEMORIAL SPACE CENTER ON JUNE 15TH! IT WAS A WARM DAY OF FUN AND BOOKS

Assemblywoman Pacheco gave awards to the impressive team members that put this event on! And to Father-Con for its work for the good of families.

Fox 11 News came out and shared about this Fathers Read - Kids Succed event!

When fathers read to their children, magic happens in their brains and hearts! Words take on a life of their own and planets are discovered and enemies of earth, home and family are driven from neighborhoods! Unleash the Father Force found in the pages of creative stories - read and see the curiosity of children transform into creativity. Set the stage for better education and enjoyment of reading - it’s not rocket science! Join us on June 15 for the Father Force of Reading at the Columbia Memorial Space Center - just in time for FATHER’S DAY!

Recent events:

Presentation at Partners Against Violence in Apple Valley and Fathers Reading event in the city of Downey

Fathers who read to their children can pave the way for them to acquire more language, enjoy reading, and do better in school! Fathers launch their children to the stars!

Father-Con at the 32nd Session of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime: Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice May 22 - 26, 2023 Vienna, Austria