HELLO. I'M T.D. JAKES, AND THEY CALL ME DAD. I'M MALCOLM JENKINS, AND THEY CALL ME DAD. MY NAME IS DERRICK, PROFESSIONALLY KNOWN AS D-NICE, BUT THEY CALL ME DAD. I'M ANTHONY HAMILTON, AND THEY CALL ME DAD. WHAT'S UP, Y'ALL? MY NAME IS KIRK FRANKLIN. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY CALL ME DAD. THE FIRST TIME EVER BEING A DAD ACTUALLY WAS PRETTY SCARY. I WAS JUST 16, ABOUT TO BE 17 YEARS OLD. IT WAS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE TO BE. I HAD NO JOB AT THE TIME, BUT IT PROPELLED ME TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING. I'D GO TO BARBER SCHOOL, CONTINUE ON MY MUSICAL JOURNEY, AND IT KEPT ME OUT OF TROUBLE. Malcolm: BEING A DAD FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOR ME AT LEAST, WAS A LITTLE BIT NERVE-RACKING BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAYBOOK FOR THAT. PEOPLE CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE ADVICE THAT YOU WANT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE HOLDING THAT BABY FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND YOU REALIZE IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, AND WHO THEY ARE IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF WHAT YOU DID, IT'S A LITTLE BIT -- IT WAS DEFINITELY NERVOUS FOR ME. Kirk: WHEN I WAS 17, I HAD MY OLDEST SON, AND I RECEIVED A LOT OF RIDICULE FROM THE CHURCH BECAUSE I WASN'T MARRIED. I WAS A STRUGGLING MUSICIAN AND REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A DREAM, DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO. AND SO IT WAS A VERY ROUGH TIME. IT REALLY GREW ME UP QUICKLY. D-Nice: WHEN I BECAME A DAD THE VERY FIRST TIME, BEING THERE AND WATCHING MY CHILD IN AN INCUBATOR, AND THE SONG THAT WAS PLAYING WAS A SONG FROM ERIC CLAPTON CALLED "CHANGE THE WORLD." AT THE TIME, IT WAS LIKE A CROSSROADS FOR ME, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS NEXT IN TERMS OF, LIKE, IF I WAS GONNA STILL PURSUE MUSIC. BUT IN THIS MOMENT OF, LIKE, HEARING THE SONG PLAY, I KNEW THAT I HAD SOME WORK TO DO. T.D.: WHEN MY DAUGHTER, CORA, WAS LITTLE, JUST A BABY, FIRSTBORN, I WAS A YOUNG MAN LAYING ON THE FLOOR WITH HER LAYING ON MY CHEST. SHE FELL ASLEEP LISTENING TO MY HEART BEAT. THAT'S UNFORGETTABLE. A FATHER IS TO PROTECT HIS CHILD. HE GUARDS HIS CHILDREN, AND HE GUIDES HIS CHILDREN. YOU ARE THEIR SAFE HAVEN. SAFE NOT JUST PHYSICALLY -- EMOTIONALLY SAFE, SPIRITUALLY SAFE. WHEN THEY FEEL ALONE... CREATE SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THEM, EVEN WHEN I'M NOT PRESENT. ...YOU'RE THEIR COMFORT. THAT IS MY DUTY AS A FATHER. THAT'S MY DUTY AS A MAN. TODAY'S THE DAY. ONE DOWN, ONE MORE TO GO. I ALMOST GET MY HOUSE BACK. I ALMOST GET MY HOUSE BACK. MY BOY'S GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE, Y'ALL! AND HE'S GONNA GET HIS OWN APARTMENT THIS TIME. COME HERE, COME HERE, COME HERE. LET ME SHOW YOU THE YOUNG KING. WHAT A BOY. WHAT'S UP? LOOK AT HIM. LOOK AT HIM. HE ABOUT TO OWN HIS FIRST APARTMENT. I'M SO HAPPY. MY YOUNGEST SON IS ON HIS WAY TO HIS SECOND YEAR IN COLLEGE, AND I'M SCARED TO DEATH. I AM SCARED TO DEATH. I'M A LITTLE SAD, MAN, BECAUSE I'M GONNA MISS YOU. YOU KNOW I'M GONNA MISS YOU. YOU'RE THE BABY BOY, MAN. AND, YOU KNOW, MAN, I WAS THERE WHEN YOU STARTED, AND HERE I AM WATCHING YOU ABOUT TO GET YOUR GROWN MAN ON. BEING A BLACK FATHER, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO MAKE SURE THAT MY CHILDREN GET THE BATON AND FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T DROP IT. HOW DO YOU FEEL KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ME ALWAYS, YOU KNOW... I MEAN, I FEEL GOOD BECAUSE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF SHOWING ME WHAT TO DO, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. SO... OH, STOP IT. ...I'M NOT TOO WORRIED. STOP IT, STOP IT. YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME CRY. YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU GOT AN AGENDA. AND WHAT'S THAT? YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME CRY BEFORE YOU LEAVE. AND I'M NOT GONNA DO IT. SO EVEN AT 20 -- HE'LL BE 20 IN A COUPLE MONTHS -- I HAVE TO TRUST HIM, AND I GOT TO LET HIM FLY, BECAUSE HOW HIGH HE FLIES IS MY REPORT CARD AS A FATHER. SO YOU WANT ME TO GO? PLEASE. OKAY, YOU WANT ME TO GO. YES, PLEASE. THAT DOOR? YES, SIR. OKAY. YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S A WIG ANYWAY. DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR, MAN. BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN IN CLASS... ...HE WON'T FAIL. AND IF HE DOES, I WILL BE RIGHT THERE TO CATCH HIM. [ Singsongy voice ] I ALMOST GOT MY HOUSE BACK. I ALMOST GOT MY HOUSE BACK. I ALMOST GOT MY HOUSE BACK. ONE MORE TO GO. UH! [ SIGHS ] Collins: 'CAUSE CHARACTER IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING. -IT IS, IT IS. -HE'S ALMOST GONE. ALL RIGHT. TALKING ABOUT FATHERING, IT'S LIKE I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THAT I DESIRE TO BE WAS BY THE BAR THAT YOU TWO GUYS SET IN MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING YOU. MY WIFE'S FATHER TOOK ME ON AS HIS OWN. TO HAVE HIM AND THEN DR. TONY EVANS TAKE ME UP UNDER HIS ARM AND THEN WALK MY FAITH OUT IN TANGIBLE WAYS, I MYSELF NOW AM A BY-PRODUCT OF THIS GREAT LEADERSHIP. MANY PEOPLE KNOW I WAS ADOPTED WHEN I WAS 4 BY A 64-YEAR-OLD WIDOW, SO I DIDN'T HAVE A FATHER. I WAS ABANDONED. I GREW UP KNOWING THAT I WASN'T WANTED. AND WHAT IT DID FOR ME AS A FATHER, IT PUT ME IN FULL STEAM AS A DAD BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN TO MISS ANYTHING THAT I MISSED AS A CHILD. FROM A FAMILY STANDPOINT, I CAN SEE YOU AS A HUSBAND. I CAN SEE YOU AS A FATHER, NOW A GRANDFATHER. I CAN SEE YOUR INTERACTION WHEN IT'S JUST YOU GUYS, AND THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. AND I NEVER WOULD HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT YOU TWO BEING THERE. SO THANK YOU. I HAVE MADE IT MY LIFE'S COMMITMENT THAT EVERY YOUNG BLACK MAN THAT COMES INTO MY LIFE, I TRY TO LEAVE A PIECE OF THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO RECEIVE BY OTHER BLACK FATHERS OR BY EXPERIENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT GENERATIONAL CURSES END TODAY. YOU'RE PASSING THE BATON. THANK YOU, SIR. IT IS IN YOUR HANDS. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T DROP THAT BATON. YEAH. AND SO THANK YOU. IT'S HOT, OKAY? LET'S GO INSIDE. I'M TOO CUTE TO BE OUT HERE IN THIS HEAT. SO COME ON. LET'S GO. COME ON. MAXX IS A BRAND-NEW DAD. AND LOOK AT THAT OVER THERE. LEARNING AS I GO. -WE ALL DID. -JOIN THE CLUB. -'CAUSE I'M STILL... -HE DIDN'T COME WITH A RECIPE. I RECENTLY GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY BOY. HIS NAME IS SHILOH. SO NOW MY DAD IS GRANDPA, BUT HE'S KNOWN AS "BOSS." ME AND MY MOM WERE A PACKAGE DEAL. I WAS 5 YEARS OLD WHEN THEY MET. AT FIRST I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE MY DAD -- HONESTLY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I REALLY JUST WANTED THE FATHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP, SO HE ADOPTED ME WHEN I WAS 5 YEARS OLD, AND WE'VE KIND OF JUST BUILT THAT BOND OVER TIME. I HAD THIS RIGHT HERE TO HELP ME, BUT BECAUSE I WAS, YOU KNOW, GOOD, BUT THEY MADE ME GREAT. [ LAUGHTER ] BEING A DAD TO ME MEANS THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT FALLS ON THE SWORD DAILY. IT'S MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE IS BETTER BECAUSE OF MY PRESENCE. I TRY TO DO THE BEST I CAN IN THIS PANDEMIC. -THERE HE IS! -ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THE MAN OF THE HOUR. YEAH. YO, HE'S GETTING READY TO GO. -I KNOW IT. -YEAH. HE'S ABOUT TO HAVE HIS FIRST... ARE YOU OKAY? I'M...I'M OKAY. BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE KIRK HAS COME FROM, WHEN I'M ABLE TO SIT AND WATCH HIM OVER THE YEARS TAKE THE TIME OUT TO BE NOT ONLY A FATHER, BUT A DAD, BECAUSE, TO ME, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST THINGS THAT I LOVE AND ADMIRE ABOUT HIM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HE HAS WORKED SO HARD TO BE THE TYPE OF DAD THAT HE IS. AND LET'S JUST FACE IT, I WOULD THINK THAT ANY WIFE WOULD SAY ONE OF THE SEXIEST THINGS IS TO SEE THEIR MAN BE A GREAT DAD. LOOK, MAN, YOU GOT A WHOLE ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN CALL THAT'LL ALWAYS BE THERE TO HAVE YOU BACK. -ABSOLUTELY. -ALWAYS. AND SEND YOUR MAMA TO CHECK. SEND YOUR MAMA TO CHECK ON YOU. I'LL GONNA GO FINISH PACKING. [ LAUGHTER ] THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME WITH YOUR GREATEST FEARS. I BELIEVE IN YOU SO MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE BECOMING. YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME HOW AMAZING GOD'S GRACE IS. MY DAD IS A FIERCE PROTECTOR. HE DOES NOT PLAY AROUND. HE'S CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT "IF THE WORST THING HAPPENS, WHAT WILL MY RESPONSE BE, AND HOW CAN I COVER EVERYONE CONNECTED TO ME?" AND HE PLANS HIS LIFE ACCORDINGLY. MY FATHER WAS NOT ONLY A FIGHTER IN THE RING, SOMEBODY THAT YOU GOT TO WATCH BECAUSE HE CAN GET YOU IF HE NEEDS TO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BEING THAT HE STOOD UP FOR OTHERS AND WHAT WAS RIGHT, YOU ALWAYS KNEW HE WAS GONNA PROTECT YOU, AS WELL. YOU'RE NEVER A HERO UNTIL YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER LOOKS UP AT YOU AND SAYS, "DADDY, YOU'RE AMAZING." ONE THAT COMES AND MAKES ALL THE WRONG RIGHT AT HOME. WHEN THERE'S PROBLEMS, I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON. WHO'S THERE TO RESCUE, WHO'S THERE TO DEFEND, AND WHO'S THERE TO CHEER THEM ON AND SAVE THE DAY. IF YOU'RE DELIVERING PIZZA, I RESPECT YOU. WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING TO BE THERE TO TRY TO MAKE SOME KIND OF CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FAMILY, TO ME, YOU ARE A HERO. Anthony: OH, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TODAY. Boy: NO! I ASKED THE BOYS TO MAKE UP THE BED. WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. I THOUGHT I TOLD Y'ALL HOW TO MAKE UP THESE BEDS. UH... "UH" NOTHING. MAKE THESE BEDS UP, MAN. I NEED Y'ALL TO GET THIS ROOM, GET IT CLEAN. GET YOUR ROOM CLEAN, BROTHER. -AAH! -A FATHER'S JOB IS NEVER DONE. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO. [ BOYS SHOUTING PLAYFULLY ] I'M A FATHER OF SIX BOYS. MY OLDEST SON IS 31 YEARS OLD, AND MY YOUNGEST JUST TURNED 8. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FATHERING THING, DADDY THING FOR A LONG TIME. BEING A DAD TO ME IS THE MOST PRIVILEGED OPPORTUNITY I'VE EVER HAD. AND IT MEANS GUIDANCE. IT MEANS LEADER. IT MEANS PROTECTOR. SOMETIMES REFEREE, DOCTOR, SCHOOLTEACHER, AND SOMETIMES JUST FRIEND. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO BE A FRIEND. IT'S MORNING TIME IT'S MORNING TIME AND I'M HUNGRY HEY. BOY, WHAT? MY NAME IS AARON HAMILTON. AND I'M 9 YEARS OLD. MY NAME IS NOLAN HAMILTON. AND I'M 9 YEARS OLD. MY NAME IS PRINCETON HAMILTON, AND I'M 8 YEARS OLD. Together: AND WE ARE THE HAMILTONS THREE. WHOO! DADDY, WE'RE BETTER THAN YOU AT DOING THE FLOSS. WHAT IS THE FLOSS? IT IS THE WAY YOU LOOK AFTER YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH. I FEEL I COULD DO IT BETTER THAN YOU. [ LAUGHS ] OH, THAT? I CAN'T DO IT. OH, GEEZ. NOW, WHAT... AH! -YOU'RE DOING THIS. YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THE ONE-ARM FLOSS. YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THE HYPE. WHAT? M.C. HAMMER, BOY. YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT. I TAKE EVERYTHING AS MUSIC. YOU KNOW? THERE'S A SONG IN EVERY ONE OF MY CHILDREN, AND I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE LYRICS THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING TO ME. THAT WAY, I CAN KNOW THE STORY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TELL ME SO I CAN GET TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE. GOT YOU LOOKING GOOD. AIM TO PLEASE 'ROUND HERE AT HAMILTON'S BARBERSHOP. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? THE HAM HOUSE. I ENJOY CUTTING MY SONS' HAIR. IT'S A TIME FOR US TO TALK ONE ON ONE, TO BUILD, TO SEE HOW THEIR DAY IS GOING. WHAT YOU WANT? YOU WANT A FADE? AN AFRO. AFRO. IF THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, SITTING IN THAT BARBER CHAIR LONG ENOUGH, YOU'RE GONNA SAY SOMETHING. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO KIND OF GAUGE WHERE THEY ARE, WHO THEY ARE, WHO THEY'RE BECOMING, AND WHAT'S INTERESTING TO THEM, AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S ALMOST KIND OF LIKE OUR LITTLE PRIVATE NEWS CHANNEL. IT IS A WRAP. HAMILTON'S BARBERSHOP IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED. TO GET THESE GRAMMY CUTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. NOT HAVING THE RELATIONSHIP EARLY ON IN MY LIFE WITH MY FATHER, I FELT LIKE I WAS MISSING THAT MOMENT OF, YOU KNOW, "HEY, LET'S THROW THE BALL," OR, "WANT TO RIDE WITH ME? LET'S GO. LET'S GO DOWN HERE TO THE PARK. LET'S GO FISHING," AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR KIDS TALK ABOUT IN SCHOOL IN THOSE MOMENTS THAT THEY SHARE, THAT I WANTED MORE OF THOSE. HEY, GUYS, I'M EXCITED, I'M HONORED, AND I'M PRIVILEGED TO BE YOUR FATHER. AND WHAT A JOY IT HAS BEEN, AND IT WILL BE. THIS JOURNEY WON'T BE EASY ALL THE TIME. WE MAY NOT SEE EYE TO EYE, BUT I'M WILLING TO DO THE WORK TO MAKE IT RIGHT ON MY PART AND TO SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE IT RIGHT ON YOUR PART AND SHOW YOU WHAT THE WORLD CAN OFFER YOU AND WHAT YOU CAN OFFER THE WORLD, TO BUILD YOU UP, YOUR SPIRIT, AND SHOW YOU WHAT GOD'S PLAN IS FOR YOU. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE US ALL AT THE FINISH LINE, HOLDING HANDS, LOVING EACH OTHER, AND SHOWING THE WORLD WHAT BLACK LOVE REALLY CAN BE. WHEN I SAW THE MOVIE TAKEN, I KNEW AUTOMATICALLY THAT MY FATHER WAS THAT KIND OF HERO. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CRY FOR S.O.S IS, HE'S THERE. A LOT OF THE TIMES, WE LIKE TO WATCH MARVEL MOVIES TOGETHER. SO I LIKE TO THINK OF HIM AS, LIKE, MY OWN PERSONAL, LIKE, MARVEL SUPERHERO. MY FATHER STOOD UP FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND WAS A VOICE FOR PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE FOR THEMSELVES. AND THAT'S EXACTLY MY KIND OF HERO. AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FATHERS, I THINK THAT IT'S MONUMENTAL FOR A WOMAN ON THE FLIP SIDE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW HER SELF-WORTH VERY EARLY. MY DAD IS REALLY, LIKE, LEGIT BEING A REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO. YOU KNOW, HE WAS A MOTORCYCLE COP. SO WHENEVER HE WOULD COME HOME, ALL THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY COULD HEAR HIM. SO THEY'D COME RUNNING OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND, LIKE, FOLLOW HIM UP THE STREET -- "OH, HE'S HOME!" AND, LIKE, EVERYONE WOULD BE CLAPPING. AND, YOU KNOW, I'D BE STANDING IN THE FRONT LINE, LIKE, "YEAH, THAT'S MY DAD." I THINK THAT MEN AND WOMEN NURTURE IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. AND WHEN YOU'RE A YOUNG WOMAN, THE FIRST MAN THAT YOU LOVE IS YOUR FATHER. ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN FOR SURE IS THAT MY DAD LOVES ME AND ADORES ME AND IS A FIERCE PROTECTOR OF ME AND A FIERCE SUPPORTER OF ME. AND SO TO MY DAD, OH, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I'M SO HONORED AND SO HUMBLED TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER. PROVIDER. WOW. IT'S ONE OF THE BIG ONES. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A PROVIDER. IF THE HOUSE IS NOT AT REST, YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED THE THINGS THAT WERE NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SO. PROVISION IS MORE THAN STUFF. PROVISION IS WISDOM. PROVISION IS ATTENTION. PROVISION IS LOVE. YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO PROVIDE WHATEVER THAT CHILD NEEDS, AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO FIGURE IT OUT AND ALLOW THEM TO SHOW YOU WHAT THEY NEED. WHEN THEY GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND THEY'RE NO LONGER UNDER MY SUPERVISION, HAVE I PROVIDED THEM WITH A ROAD MAP FOR SUCCESS? YOU'VE GOT TO NURSE THE BODY AND THE MIND. THAT IS MY JOB AS A PROVIDER. BEING A DAD IS BY FAR THE MOST INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD IN LIFE. I GREW UP WITHOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER, AND I KNEW ONE DAY WHEN I BECAME A DAD, THAT I WOULD BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN. SO, I WAS RAISED BY A VILLAGE OF WOMEN. MY MOM HAD ME AT AN EXTREMELY YOUNG AGE. SHE WAS 18 YEARS OLD. SO I KIND OF GREW UP ALMOST LIKE BEING LIKE SIBLINGS WITH MY MOTHER. I GREW UP IN A 400-SQUARE-FOOT APARTMENT WITH MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. THE ONE THING THAT WE HAD WAS JUST SO MUCH LOVE. SO, IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER, MY COUSIN VANESSA, MY AUNT DIANA, MY AUNT FAYE. THEY JUST GOT OUT AND DID WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SHELTER AND WE HAD FOOD AND WE HAD CLOTHES. AND THEN THERE WAS MY AUNT BEVERLY. YOU KNOW, SHE WAS ANOTHER PROVIDER. AND IT REALLY DID TAKE A VILLAGE, YOU KNOW. SO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE, I TRULY DO OWE IT TO THE LOVE OF BLACK WOMEN. NOW I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS, SO I'M TRULY A GIRL DAD. ASHLI AND DYLAN ARE BOTH DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. ASHLI'S VERY OPINIONATED. SHE'S FOCUSED, BEAUTIFUL MIND. SHE ENJOYS HAVING FUN. SHE'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATION. AND SHE HAS, LIKE, THIS LOVE OF HER FAMILY THAT'S -- IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL TO SEE, BEAUTIFUL TO BE A PART OF. WITH DYLAN, DYLAN IS LIKE MY CREATIVE SPIRIT ANIMAL. I'M INSPIRED BY HER OUTLOOK ON LIFE. SHE'S ALL ABOUT LOVE. AS SOON SHE WAKES UP IN THE MORNING, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT SHE SAYS TO ME IS "DAD, I REALLY LOVE YOU." AND IT'S VERY HEARTWARMING, AND IT KEEPS ME FOCUSED. DADDY. WHAT? WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT ME? I AM DEFINITELY TALKING ABOUT YOU. -OH. -[ LAUGHS ] SEE WHAT I MEAN? THE BOSS. I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO BE STRONG. I WANT THEM TO BE LEADERS, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHO THEY ARE. LIKE, IT'S INNATELY IN THEM. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, BABE? PLAYING A GAME. I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SPEND QUALITY TIME, MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO THINGS THAT YOUR CHILD WOULD LIKE TO DO, AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ALWAYS INVOLVE EDUCATION AND FUN. IT SHOULD BE EQUAL. DO YOU LIKE TO DEEJAY ALL THE TIME? I LOVE TO DEEJAY ALL THE TIME. OKAY. IT'S MUSIC. I LOVE PLAYING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE. AND I LOVE DANCING TO YOUR MUSIC. DO YOU? YES. COOL. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG? YES. WAIT, LET ME GUESS. MY FAVORITE SONG -- WAIT, LET ME GUESS. LET ME GUESS AND SEE IF I GET THIS RIGHT. BEYONCé, "BEFORE I LET GO." CORRECT. [ LAUGHS ] IT TAKES A LOT OF PATIENCE TO BE THE FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS. TRUST ME. PATIENCE, PATIENCE. [ Laughing ] CLOSE YOUR EYES. JUST LIKE THAT. TO YOUR LEFT. SCOOCH TO YOUR LEFT. UP YOUR NOSE. WHY ARE YOU UP MY NOSTRILS? [ LAUGHS ] AND IT'S JUST KIND OF BEAUTIFUL TO SEE... ALL RIGHT, YOU GOT IT. I GOT THE KING. ...BEING ABLE TO RAISE TWO STRONG WOMEN. [ RINGTONE PLAYING ] OH, MY GOSH. WHO'S CALLING HERE? IT'S ASHLI! -OH. -HI, ASHLI. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? What you doing? WE WERE JUST HAVING A PHOTO SHOOT. Dylan, I like that dress. It's so cute. THANK YOU. I PICKED OUT MYSELF. HOW ARE THINGS GOING RIGHT NOW WITH SCHOOL? It's going well, I think. The hardest part is figuring out my study schedule because I have to take the bar next year. So I'm just trying to figure it all out before I go back. WOW. WOW. I miss you guys. I MISS YOU. MISS YOU, TOO. All right. Well, I'm gonna to let you guys go. I just wanted to call honestly to check in because I miss you guys so much and I love you. OH. LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU, TOO. ONE OF MY FONDEST MEMORIES AS A PARENT WAS THE DAY THAT MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM SPELMAN. YOU KNOW, I NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE. THE INSPIRATION THAT I HAD FROM SEEING HER WHEN SHE WAS BORN TO WHEN SHE WAS GRADUATING AND KNOWING THAT I WAS ABLE TO, LIKE, SEND MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN THE GREATEST HONOR BEING THE FATHER OF TWO WONDERFUL KIDS. MY CHILDREN ARE EXTREMELY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIFE THAT I HAVE. AND IT'S JUST BEEN AN HONOR TO BE THEIR DAD. WHEN I HEAR THOSE WORDS OF, LIKE, "DAD, I JUST LOVE YOU," HOW COULD I NOT BE INSPIRED OR MOTIVATED WHEN YOU HEAR THOSE WORDS? MY DAD IS DEFINITELY A PROVIDER, BUT NOT JUST FINANCIALLY -- HE IS A PROVIDER OF KNOWLEDGE. A PROVIDER IS NOT JUST ABOUT PROVIDING MATERIAL THINGS OR PROVIDING THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED, BUT ALSO THOSE EMOTIONAL NEEDS. HE PROVIDES SO MANY THINGS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS. AND THE PROVISION IS BASED UPON THE NEED OF THE PERSON THAT HE'S INTERACTING WITH. THE GREATEST LESSON THAT I'VE LEARNED FROM MY DAD IS THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING A PASSION AND FINDING, LIKE, WHO YOU ARE. HE HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENCE, AND HE HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY JUST DOING WHAT YOU LOVE. BEING A FATHER AND BEING AN ADVOCATE GO HAND IN HAND. IF YOUR CHILDREN FEEL THAT THE WORLD IS AGAINST THEM AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF RIGHT, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY WALK OUT THAT DOOR, YOU GOT THEIR BACK. TO BE ONE WHO WILL FIGHT FOR CHANGE AND ADVOCATE FOR THINGS THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY COME EASY. YOUR CHILDREN OR ANYBODY'S CHILD IS EVERYBODY'S RESPONSIBILITY. NOW, I CAME FROM WEST VIRGINIA. I GREW UP SMALL-TOWN. AND THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD RAISED THE KIDS. WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR ME TO GET OUT THERE AND TO HELP OPEN UP DOORS, THAT IS MY JOB AS THEIR ADVOCATE. Malcolm: MY KIDS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH ME BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND TO FIGHT FOR THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN SOCIETY. THEY'VE ALSO SEEN ME ADVOCATE FOR THEM AND BE THERE FOR THEM IN THAT WAY. BUT, FOR ME, I WANT THEM TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR VOICES FOR OTHER PEOPLE. AND I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW HAS BEEN A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME TO POINT TO MY KIDS, AND, "THIS IS HOW YOU ADVOCATE FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE." ESPECIALLY ME RAISING TWO GIRLS, I THINK IN THIS MOVEMENT WHERE EVERYBODY'S FOCUSED ON BLACK MEN AND THE VIOLENCE AND THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO BLACK MEN IN THIS COUNTRY, IT'S VERY EASY TO FORGET ABOUT BLACK WOMEN. AND I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT BLACK MEN, ESPECIALLY BLACK FATHERS, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, NEED TO ANSWER IS, HOW ARE WE DEFENDING AND REPRESENTING OUR BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK GIRLS? BECAUSE, OFTENTIMES, THEY'RE LEFT OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT THEY ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF EVERYTHING. AND SO, FOR ME, THAT IS THE BIGGEST, I THINK, CHALLENGE OF MANHOOD RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY BLACK MANHOOD, IS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN RELATION TO OUR WOMEN AND OUR GIRLS? GO AHEAD. FATHERHOOD IS A RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE YOU FILL THE SPACE THAT YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO REPLICATE IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, WHETHER THEY SEE WHAT YOU DO AND THEY WANT TO BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OR THEY SEE YOU AS AN EXAMPLE AS TO, LIKE, WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. FOR ME, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LEAVE OUR KIDS MORE DAMAGED OR DEALING WITH THINGS AS THEY GROW OLDER, BUT THAT WE ARE AN EXAMPLE FOR THEM TO FEEL PROUD AND COMFORTABLE. IT'S A FOREVER TYPE OF THING. YOU'LL ALWAYS BE A DAD. YOU'LL ALWAYS BE A FATHER. AND SO IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY, REALLY, OF YOUR LIFETIME. IT'S YOUR LIFE'S WORK. SOME OF MY FAVORITE TIMES, HONESTLY, HAVE BEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS DURING QUARANTINE. IT'S FORCED ME TO SIT DOWN AND SIT STILL AND SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THEM. THEY'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL, SO WE'VE HAD TO BECOME A TEACHER AND REALLY JUST FOCUS ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT. AND FOR ME AS A FATHER, THAT'S BEEN SOME REALLY GOOD QUALITY TIME THAT MOST TIMES, BECAUSE OF THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF LIFE, YOU MISS OUT ON. YOU WANT TO JUMP IN? HUH? YOU DON'T WANT TO JUMP IN? OH, YOU'RE BEING SHY TODAY. CO-PARENTING IS TRICKY, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN, FOR ME, THE GREATEST REWARD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE SO MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND WITH YOUR KIDS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY BOTH KNOW THAT BOTH PARENTS ARE EQUALLY IN THIS, AND THAT YOU'RE STILL A FAMILY. BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE. BUT IT CALLS FOR A LOT OF COMMUNICATION, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY INVOLVED HAS THE SAME EXPECTATIONS. BUT LIKE I SAID, EVERYTHING YOU DO HAS TO BE INTENTIONAL, BECAUSE IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT WHATEVER IS HAPPENING WITH THE PARENTS. RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED, THAT THEY HAVE BOTH PEOPLE PRESENT, NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY, BUT MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, TO BE THERE FOR THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING AT US. READY? ONE, TWO, THREE. GOOD JOB. [ LAUGHS ] THE BIGGEST ADVICE -- AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STRUGGLED WITH EARLY -- THAT I WOULD GIVE TO SINGLE DADS WOULD BE TO NOT -- LIKE, YOU CAN STILL BE EFFECTIVE. I THINK THERE'S A HUGE NARRATIVE ABOUT ESPECIALLY BLACK DADS NOT BEING IN THE HOME OR WHATEVER. AND THAT CAN BE DISCOURAGING. YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE YOU'VE FAILED BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK IT OUT WITH YOUR CHILDREN'S MOTHER, BUT... YOU CAN BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST ABOUT BEING INTENTIONAL, AND REALLY YOU DRAW THE NARRATIVE AND CREATE THE NARRATIVE OF WHAT KIND OF DAD YOU WANT TO BE. I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF AN HONOR IT IS TO BE ABLE TO CALL MYSELF YOUR FATHER, YOUR DAD. I AM A LOT OF THINGS FOR A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WHAT YOU GUYS PROVIDE FOR ME IS A PLACE, A REFUGE, A PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO JUDGMENT, A PLACE WHERE I FEEL SAFE, I FEEL LOVED. YOU GUYS ARE MY LIFE'S LEGACY AND MY LIFE'S WORK. SO I LOVE YOU. MY DAD IS DEFINITELY AN ADVOCATE OF MY SISTER AND I. MY FATHER HAS BEEN THAT ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST OF ME TO COME THROUGH, NO MATTER WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH. HE ALWAYS HAS BELIEVED IN US, EVEN WHEN WE STRUGGLED TO BELIEVE IN OURSELVES. SO EVEN THOUGH MY FATHER DIDN'T LOVE THE FACT THAT HIS BABY GIRL DECIDED TO GET IN THE RING, HE STILL BECAME AN ADVOCATE FOR ME. MY DAD IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY BIGGEST ADVOCATES. HE SUPPORTS ALL OF MY DREAMS AND ALL OF MY GOALS, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL THEY ARE. MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE MOST LOVED MEN IN THE WORLD, AND HE'S A GLOBAL ICON KNOWN ALL OVER, BUT TO ME, HE'S JUST DAD. MY FATHER WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. HE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR EQUALITY. WHEN MY FATHER WAS IN HIS PRIME AND HE REFUSED TO GO TO THE VIETNAM WAR, HE WAS REALLY STANDING UP FOR HIMSELF AND WAS A VOICE FOR BLACK PEOPLE. AS HE GOT OLDER AND EXPERIENCED MORE AND TRAVELED AROUND THE WORLD, IT BECAME NOT SO MUCH JUST ABOUT HIM AND US, EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER FORGOT US, 'CAUSE HE ALWAYS LOVED HIS PEOPLE AND PUT US FIRST, BUT HE STARTED TO REALLY SEE AND SHARE THE MESSAGE OF LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE, EQUALITY FOR ALL PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOD'S PEOPLE. A LEADER IS ONE THAT SITS AT THE TABLE AND TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE IDEAS AND THE THOUGHTS AND THE CREATIVITY AND THE DREAMS OR THE FEARS OR THE CONCERNS OF EVERYONE UNDER THAT ROOF. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT AMERICA IS IN MORE DESPERATE NEED OF THAN LEADERSHIP ON ALL LEVELS. BEING A FATHER, YOU HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. LEADERSHIP HAS A STRATEGY, OF, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE, AND HOW DO WE GET THERE? OFTENTIMES I'M THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEE. YOU HAVE TO SHOW THEM THE ROAD AND MAKE SURE THEY WALK IT AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT, BE THERE TO BUMP THEM BACK IN THEIR LANE. THERE'S PROBABLY NOTHING I'M MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT THAN LEADERSHIP, SO... TO EXEMPLIFY LEADERSHIP IN FRONT OF YOUR CHILDREN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TEACH IT -- JUST DO IT. A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING TO BE RESPECTED FOR TODAY, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT IF YOU JUST DO IT. LEADERSHIP IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, AND IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED. AND SOMETIMES IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITHOUT IN ORDER TO MAKE TOMORROW BETTER. THE ONLY WAY ANY FAMILY SURVIVES IS THAT YOU HAVE MORE FORGIVENESS THAN YOU HAVE CRITICISM. TO END UP WITH YOUR KIDS ALL AROUND YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE AROUND YOU AND THEM STILL LIKE YOU... [LAUGHS] YOU KNOW, AND STILL RESPECT YOU AND THINK YOU'RE AMAZING, THAT'S PRETTY COOL. IT'S MY 63rd BIRTHDAY, AND I REALLY WASN'T EXPECTING A BIG FANFARE OR ANYTHING. BUT MY FAMILY'S SNEAKY. WE ARE CELEBRATING THE BISHOP OF THE WORLD. MY DADDY BEAR, IT IS HIS BIRTHDAY, AND WE WANTED TO COME TOGETHER DURING THIS QUARANTINE TIME TO LET HIM KNOW HOW MUCH HE MEANS TO US. T.D.: I HAVE FIVE CHILDREN. THE OLDEST BOYS ARE TWINS, JAMAR AND JERMAINE. AND THEN I HAVE -- MY OLDEST GIRL IS CORA, MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS SARAH, AND MY BABY BOY IS NAMED AFTER ME, AND WE CALL HIM DEXTER. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE UNIQUE ABOUT MY APPROACH TO PARENTING. IT WASN'T SO MUCH ABOUT THE QUANTITY OF TIME AS MUCH AS IT WAS THE QUALITY OF TIME SPENT WITH THEM. EVERYBODY CAME THROUGH JUST TO CELEBRATE THE MAN OF THE HOUR. WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF HIM. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, BUT WE STILL WANTED TO DO WHAT WE COULD TO HONOR THE MAN OF THE HOUR. SO SUPER-PROUD OF YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD. LOVE YOU. T.D.: MEN TEND TO BE PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED, AND WITH KIDS, IT'S NOT ABOUT PERFORMANCE -- IT'S ABOUT PRESENCE. THEY REMEMBER FALLING ASLEEP IN YOUR LAP WATCHING A MOVIE. THEY REMEMBER THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE THINGS MEN WORK SO HARD TO GIVE THEM IN TERMS OF RESOURCE. THEY REMEMBER YOUR PRESENCE MORE THAN YOUR PRESENTS. MY FATHER WAS INDESCRIBABLE. MY FATHER STARTED A BUSINESS WITH A MOP AND A BUCKET, A JANITORIAL SERVICE, AND ENDED UP WITH 52 EMPLOYEES. HE TAUGHT ME THAT BEING A MAN MEANT PROVIDING, IT MEANT WORKING. AND FOR THE LIFE I ENDED UP LIVING, THE COMBINATION OF MY MOTHER AND FATHER'S INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE HELPED ME TO HAVE THE FORTITUDE AND THE TENACITY TO WITHSTAND THE VICISSITUDES OF MY OWN LIFE. Man: BEING A YOUNG BLACK MAN IN AMERICA, DEALING WITH RACISM, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU HAVING THAT TALK? I CAN REMEMBER -- I WAS LIVING IN WEST VIRGINIA, AND MY TWINS ARE FRATERNAL. THEY'RE NOT IDENTICAL. ONE OF THEM IS MUCH LIGHTER THAN THE OTHER ONE, AND THE OTHER ONE IS MUCH DARKER. AND SO I TOLD THE LIGHTER ONE, WHOSE NAME IS JAMAR, I SAID, "WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I WAS YOUR COLOR. AND AS I GOT OLDER, I GOT DARKER." HE STARTED CRYING, AND HE SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO BE DARK, LIKE JERMAINE." AND HE WAS JUST CRYING. AND I SAID, "WHY? WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?" HE SAID, "BECAUSE THE DARKER YOU ARE, THE MORE THEY HATE YOU." AND I LOST IT. I WAS SHOCKED THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED THAT AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT, THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED RACISM THAT EARLY, THAT HE HAD DRAWN CONCLUSIONS ABOUT IT IN HIS OWN MIND WITHOUT ME SHAPING IT. AND I'M TELLING HIM, "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL BLACK BOYS, AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED ABOUT. AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR HAIR AND YOUR LIPS AND YOUR SKIN, NO MATTER HOW DARK YOU ARE. YOU WERE MADE FEARFULLY AND MARVELOUSLY BY GOD TO BE THE COLOR YOU ARE AND ENJOY THE SKIN THAT YOU'RE IN AND WEAR IT WITH SUCH PRIDE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ENVY IT." AND I STARTED TELLING THEM EVERYTHING ABOUT... THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TELLING THEM, BUT I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D HAVE TO TELL A 6-YEAR-OLD THIS KIND OF THING, ABOUT BEING CAREFUL AND HANDLING CERTAIN SITUATIONS, AND LATER ON, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POLICE. AND SOME OF THE MOST FRIGHTENING MOMENTS OF MY LIFE HAVE BEEN WHEN MY SONS WERE PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE AND CALLED ME AND SAID, "THE POLICE HAVE PULLED ME OVER." ONE OF THEM HAD HAD A WRECK AND SAID, "THE POLICE ARE HERE." I WAS MORE AFRAID OF THE POLICE THAN I WAS THE WRECK. NONE OF US ARE EXEMPT FROM THAT HORRIFYING FEELING THAT MAYBE THE POLICE WILL MISREAD A MOVEMENT THAT HE MAKES AND BEAT HIM OR SHOOT HIM OR KILL HIM. AND I SAID, "KEEP ME ON THE PHONE. KEEP ME ON THE PHONE. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT HE'S SAYING." THANKFULLY, HE GOT ONE OF THE GOOD ONES. BUT THE TERROR THAT I FELT WAS NAUSEATING. OF ALL THE THINGS THAT I HAVE EVER DONE... ...AND ALL THE PLACES AROUND THE WORLD THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN... ...THE THING THAT I AM MOST PROUD OF IS MY FAMILY. IT HAS BEEN THE JOY OF MY LIFE TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF LOVING YOU. THAT'S ALL I CAN HANDLE. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF BEING A FATHER. DO YOU HAVE A JOB? YES. A JOB TO BE A KID. WHAT? TO BE A KID -- THAT'S MY JOB. ONE, I DON'T KNOW IT ALL. THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU WAKE UP IS WHAT? MAKE YOUR BED. THANK GOD FIRST, AND THEN YOU MAKE UP YOUR BED. WASH YOUR FACE, GET YOUR CLOTHES ON. WHAT WAS THE ORDER AGAIN? AND, TWO, NOBODY REALLY CARES IF YOU DO. MY KIDS DO NOT THINK IT'S A HOLIDAY UNTIL I AM COVERED IN FLOUR IN THE KITCHEN FOR HOURS AND THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELLS LIKE FOOD. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M LEARNING AS I GO. YOUR TURN. WE NEED THOSE DOWN THERE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE A DANCE. YOUR KIDS TEACH ME A LOT ABOUT HOW I SHOULD BE PARENTING. YOU START TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT THEY DO OR THINGS THAT THEY ASK FOR. MY KIDS WILL LET ME KNOW WHEN I NEED TO BE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THEM OR THEY WANT MY ATTENTION. I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ALL THE BIRTHS OF ALL MY BOYS, AND THERE WAS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT. I KNOW WE'RE LIVING IN A DIFFERENT WORLD. IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME. BUT, LIKE, MY APPROACH TO BEING A DAD IS STILL THE SAME. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT MY CHILD HAS TO SAY. YOU REMEMBER HOW TO USE THAT? YES. ALL RIGHT, NOW. LET'S DO IT. YOU PRESS THIS BUTTON. YES. YES. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT HER THOUGHTS ARE. LIKE, WHY ARE YOU SAD? YOU KNOW, LIKE, OKAY, SO HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT? YOU KNOW? CAN WE SWITCH SIDES? YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. ALL RIGHT? BUT FOR THE MOST PART, LIKE, I JUST -- YOU KNOW, MY REASON FOR BEING HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT WAY AND TO ALSO BE A FANTASTIC LISTENER. IT'S MY JOB TO SERVE MY CHILDREN. IT'S MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE IS BETTER BECAUSE OF MY PRESENCE. KNOWING THAT YOUR FATHER DID BLESS YOU WITH THIS INCREDIBLE HEIGHT THAT I'VE NOW PASSED ON TO MY TWO CHILDREN. ALL MY KIDS. HUH? THERE ARE TIMES THEY'RE GONNA NEED THEIR FATHER. THERE ARE TIMES THEY'RE GONNA NEED THEIR DAD. AND SO TO BE BOTH IS AN INCREDIBLE SKILL THAT ONE MUST LEARN TO HAVE. TO THIS DAY, IF I POST THAT I'M COOKING DINNER, THEIR CARS WILL START COMING UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. THEY'LL START RUNNING TO THE HOUSE TO EAT. AND I LOVE TO COOK FOR THEM AND TO HEAR THEM BRAG ABOUT THE FOOD, WHICH MAKES ME COOK MORE FOOD, SO THAT THEY'LL BRAG ABOUT THE FOOD. AND THE CYCLE HAS LED ME TO WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. I WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING, AND I'M GONNA BE AROUND. TO ALL YOU DADDIES THAT ARE OUT THERE MAKING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE AND MASSIVE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES SIMPLY BY BEING THERE, SIMPLY BY CONTINUING TO SHOW UP, AND CONTINUING TO CARE, AND BY CHANGING DIAPERS, AND BY BEING THOSE PROTECTORS AND THEIR LEADERS, THANK YOU. I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FATHERS WHO ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB, THE FATHERS WHO ARE THERE AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE. AND I KNOW SO MANY AMAZING FATHERS. I KNOW THAT WE ALL DO. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHT THOSE THAT ARE DOING WELL. I LOVE BLACK MEN, AND I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM. WE NEED YOU. YOU MATTER. WE NEED YOU IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE NEED YOU IN OUR HOMES. AND WE DON'T NEED THIS PERFECT VERSION OF WHO YOU ARE EITHER. WE JUST NEED YOU. WE NEED YOU HONEST. WE NEED YOU AUTHENTIC. WE NEED YOUR EFFORT. YOU BEING PRESENT, EVEN IF IT'S IMPERFECT, IS BETTER THAN NOT HAVING YOU AT ALL. BABE, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I AM SO VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU. YOU'RE THE WORLD'S BISHOP, BUT YOU'RE OUR DADDY. THE TYPE OF DAD THAT YOU ARE TO OUR CHILDREN IS THE DAD THAT I COULD ONLY DREAM AND HOPE FOR. HE DOES THINGS OUT OF LOVE, AND HE NEVER EXPECTS ANYTHING IN RETURN. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME FIND MY OWN PATH. HE SUPPORTS ALL OF MY DREAMS AND ALL OF MY GOALS, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL THEY ARE. OUR RELATIONSHIP IS THE MOST SPECIAL, UNIQUE BOND THAT THERE IS. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SELFLESSNESS. THANK YOU FOR EVERY GAME YOU'VE MADE, EVERY EVENT YOU'VE MADE, THAT YOU HAD TO SACRIFICE EVEN YOUR WORK TIME FOR. Together: WE HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD. I LOVE YOU, DADDY.
