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    Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities
    Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities
    Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities
    Audiobook8 hours

    Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities

    Written by Jorja Leap

    Narrated by Randye Kaye

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In 2010, former gang leader turned community activist Big Mike Cummings asked UCLA gang expert Jorja Leap to colead a group of men struggling to be better fathers in Watts, South Los Angeles. These men, black and brown, from late adolescence to middle age, come together each week to help one another answer the question "How can I be a good father when I've never had one?"

    Project Fatherhood follows the lives of the men as they struggle with the pain of their own losses, the chronic pressures of poverty and unemployment, and the unquenchable desire to do better and provide more for the next generation. Although the group begins as a forum for them to discuss issues relating to their roles as parents, it slowly grows to mean much more: it becomes a place where they can share jokes and traumatic experiences, joys and sorrows.
    By immersing herself in the lived experiences of those working to overcome their circumstances, Leap not only dramatically illustrates the realities of fathers trying to do the right thing but also paints a larger sociological portrait of how institutional injustices become manifest in the lives of ordinary people. At a time in which racial justice seems more elusive than ever, the group's development over time demonstrates real-life movement toward solutions as the men help one another make their families and their community stronger.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 14, 2015
    ISBN9781494585396
    Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities

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    Reviews for Project Fatherhood

    4.5/5

    32 ratings13 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The destruction of families in the US over the past half-century or more has had tremendous, detrimental effects on society in uncountable ways. And in "Project Fatherhood", Jorja Leap demonstrates how the loss of fathers has been a crucial factor in that destruction. And yet, this book carries a message of hope: that there are men out there who want to reverse the trend, to take responsibility for their actions and to step up to be the father figures that all children so desperately need. The characters who appear in Leap's narrative are real, fleshed-out men, each of whom brings his own heavy past, current struggles, and misconceived assumptions into their meetings. That the fatherhood group is able to overcome these obstacles and discover a sense of unity and purpose bodes well for the next generation.
    • 4/5
      This very readable book details the creation and maintenance of the Project Fatherhood movement in Watts, South Los Angeles. The men's stories are compelling and speak of many truths: 1) growing up without a father can lead to similar fatherhood issues for those growing up without a male role model, 2) poverty and hopelessness breed crime, 3) each of us is shaped by our environment in ways that are often unrecognizable, and 4) even within those that we consider hardened criminals can lie a complex and caring person. I greatly enjoyed this book, but did sometimes find the fact that everything was told from the perspective of the author a bit distracting. Even though Dr. Leap recounts the stories of the men and uses quotes from them, I found myself wondering if having the men tell their stories themselves might have made the work even more powerful. Regardless, this was a moving read!
    • 3/5
      Dr. Jorja Leap, the author of Project Fatherhood, A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America’s Toughest Communities, is an internationally recognized expert in gangs and violence. She, in partnership with Michael Cummings, a previous drug dealer and gang member, runs a community group in Watts for men who want to learn how to be better fathers. The group meets weekly and explores issues that include their own fatherless upbringing, their prior involvement in gangs, drugs, and violence, and their need to impact the community so the young men coming up can have different, better lives than they had. Funded by the Housing Association of South Central Los Angeles and leaned on by both The Nation and the police force, the group struggles with their past, the problems facing the ghettos today, and their concerns for the future. The story of the evolution of the group was an engaging story and Dr. Leap is a competent writer. I would have appreciated if the story had been more outcome focused; has there been any changes in the violence in the Jordan Downs housing complex that could be attributed to the group’s meetings? Perhaps that information is still in the future. The group has only been in existence for 2 years and the fact that the men are coming regularly, talking candidly about their regrets and their hopes for the future, and supporting each other is progress enough to applaud.
    • 4/5
      This is a feel good book about a father's group in Watts, one of the toughest neighborhoods in the US. The group seems to make a real difference in the lives of the men of the community. And the men in the community begin to become advocates and learn to help others in the community. Some of the men, especially the leader Big Mike, appear to be so impressive. While the content of the book was interesting, I had trouble with the author Dr. Jorja Leap clear prejudice. She dislikes Republicans and makes it very clear. For example, "There is enough antigovernment sentiment in the room to make a Republican blush." (pg. 48). In addition, at times she comes off as a self-hating white woman. "I feel like the group is acting more white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant than black in its complete denial of any problems." (pg. 63). I would have liked the book more if she had left out those type of comments.I would recommend this book because it does tell a story that is not often told of the good in a community like Watts. But at the same time, I would caution that there seems to be some bias and to read it with a critical eye.
    • 5/5
      Project Fatherhood chronicles the project of the same name in the violent Watts neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Men from the Jordon Downs housing project come together every week to talk about the challenges they face in being fathers to the troubled young men in their community. Most of the men involved never knew their own fathers and want to break the cycle of incarceration and gang violence created by the lack of male role models in their community. Dr. Jorja Leap, a “master social worker,” helps form and sustain this vital program with “Big Mike” Cummings. Each chapter focuses on an issue, a person, or a topic brought to light during these sessions. As it continues, this project grows from an ambitious idea greeted with skepticism by men who have seen too many similar programs disappear. Abandoned by their fathers, they have been abandoned by the political and judicial system that too often looks for easy fixes and gets railroaded by politics and lack of funding. The organizers’ passion and dedication ensures Project Fatherhood’s future and the community begins to accept it. As time goes on, it takes on a life of its own as the men it is designed to help make it their own. The book does not skirt the many complicated issues facing the black and Latino residents of Watts. The author, an anthropologist by training, lays out the complicated loyalties and relationships between the rival gangs, and within family structures. These men are dedicated to improving their own situation, often without the support of mainstream political processes. This book is heart-breaking and uplifting and shows how change can happen, though it is never easy.
    • 5/5
      Project Fatherhood tells the story of the relationships that form the basis for mens future in a touching and relatable way while also drawing important connections to larger issues in society.
    • 5/5
      In Project Fatherhood Jorja Leap accomplishes several extraordinary feats, not the least of which is documenting the beginnings and growth of the Project Fatherhood group in the Jordan Downs housing project of Watts. Each chapter does not only move us along chronologically but also thematically, each managing to both center around a particular meeting/theme while also moving outward (geographically, temporally and theoretically) then back in again to enrich our understanding.The aspect of Leap's writing I found most appealing was its ability to touch on sociological theory (as well as other areas) without getting bogged down in theory. In fact, not only does she keep the book devolving into yet another theoretical discourse but she manages to let theory become manifest in the trials and tribulations of these men and the communities they represent. These men may represent the same community geographically but also many overlapping and oftentimes confrontational communities based on color, ethnicity, age and all of the same communities we all belong to.This is a story of a housing project (Jordan Downs), a larger neighborhood (Watts), a city (Los Angeles) and so on. The difference between this work and many others is that the larger stories are told by telling the (far too often recurring) stories of the individuals who make their homes here.Perhaps the single phrase that sprang to mind repeatedly while reading is from Patricia Hill Collins about the "overlapping systems of oppression" at work within communities like Watts. When I say "like Watts" I mean in a broad and inclusive sense to include any lower socioeconomic area, especially where people of color are concentrated. In these communities there is no simple answer to the problems because there is no single isolated cause but rather a matrix of oppression/domination that works to maintain a depressed community.If one reads this with an open mind without jumping too quickly to any preconceived stock "solutions" to the problems, I believe many of the mistaken stereotypes of poverty will be dispelled and replaced with a more nuanced appreciation of the many forces which come together in these communities to help create and perpetuate the many myths of the poor.Highly recommended for anyone and everyone willing to try to bracket his/her preconceived ideas long enough to engage with the text. There will be moments of discomfort and a reader must be willing to accept some discomfort in order to come to a better understanding.Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via LibraryThing.
    • 5/5
      Dr. Jorja Leap's account of the importance of fatherhood in the Watts neighborhood of LA is an important examination of the systemic difficulties facing poor families of color. Dr. Leap gives the reader nuanced understanding of these complex problems, placing it in cultural, local, and bureaucratic context in a deeply personal and moving way.
    • 5/5
      My eyes are poor so I struggled against the very small print to read a fascinating book of lessons that men coming from Jordan Downs in Watts taught themselves. This book pulled me into the world of the men of Watts and would not let me go. Each chapter seems like an intimate group therapy session as the men worked hard to define what a good father was and how to keep their children from making the mistakes that they had made. Years ago, the author stayed in her uncle’s home and they watched Watts burn and being looted. Her uncle taught her about the system being against them and that the riots were expected. Many years later, Jorja Leap and Big Mike Cummings co-lead the original group of Project Fatherhood. The men signing up could get gift cards and information on how to parent.Not having a father was the norm in this area. The men asked themselves, how could they know how to be a father without ever having one? As many sad stories of neglect, absent fathers, and child abuse poured out, the men were challenged to find out what being a good father means. And it was very difficult so they had to help each other. They had to learn to trust each other and to feel that they were fathers in group. The author had to learn their lingo and also realize that their mores were different. She had to push them to help themselves.This book is very inspiring, it shows that together, even there were no best solutions to the problems, the group could work together to find alternatives that would work better than those tried before.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in what makes a good father and how difficult the problems are when living in a poor area without job opportunities and enormous challenges every day.I received a finished copy from the publishers as a win from LibraryThing in exchange for a fair review. That in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
    • 5/5
      Very inspiring. Project Fatherhood addresses the very complex issues facing inner city youth such as poverty,violence, crime, and gangs. This book addresses the importance of young people having a mentor in order to end the cycle of hopelessness that prevails in many of the impoverished and crime infested areas of the country.
    • 4/5
      As a white police officer, this book gave me great insight into the lives of black males today. It has given me a different approach to my policing especially with black youth. While the content of the book was beneficial, I believe it could have been more concise and to the point which is why I only gave it four stars.
    • 5/5
      This is not the kind of book that I could read every day. I had to take frequent breaks because the story is as disturbing as it is hopeful. Dr. Jorja Leap shows us the hearts and minds of Watts with grace. She focuses on Project Fatherhood and its members’ successes while considering their almost overwhelming obstacles. “Almost” only because they somehow manage to succeed, to change, to help each other by choosing to be there for their children, by fathering the youth in their community whose biological fathers are absent and by supporting each other.

      Dr. Leap’s courage goes unspoken as she crosses racial and cultural lines in order to serve these people. When I saw the cover and looked inside to the back flap, I wondered “What is this white lady trying to say about Watts?”

      Parts of this book read more like a novel than the contemporary history that it is. We come to care for the men and their families as we care for our own.

      Bravo, Dr. Leap and congratulations to the Project Fatherhood community.
    • 5/5
      Ironically, I finished reading “Project Fatherhood” on Father’s Day weekend. This is an interesting look into the sociology of fatherhood. While set in a Watt’s housing project its participants are Latino or African American fathers. However it tells a larger story and that is one of fatherhood affected by poverty and class.The project was funded to get fathers to come to sessions with a social worker and community leaders as well as Housing Authorities. In exchange for their participation, they would receive gift cards and information about parenting. What they got was much greater – the participants empowered themselves to create a support system for fathers. They also opened a window into what it means to be a father living in poverty.In each chapter, the fathers discuss different concerns about their position in the family, in the community and in society. One thing that comes through crystal clear is the honest voices of the participants. They do not shy away from making statements that are at times confrontational or frank and at odds with what many middle and upper class people would consider proper social mores.Everything is covered: abuse, raising daughters, baby mama’s, the after effects of prison on themselves and their families, social supports, the roles of elders in the community and employment. In fact, the single most important running theme for all the men was the need for job creation in impoverished communities. If there is one fundamentally important message here it is that those who are poor and perhaps socially disadvantaged in many ways want to work. Employment provides people with a sense of identity, a role in the family and adds a measure of respect from the community. With one voice they ask over and over if this program and others introduced to their community will bring jobs.This is an important book for anyone to read. It dispels myths about poverty; it provides important cultural insight into the African American community in particular and most importantly for those professionals wanting to assist impoverished communities it answers one of the most important questions “What can we do to help?” In their own words, the fathers in this program are telling you in plain English: Bring jobs to these communities. Real, long lasting employment for people who are not necessarily college educated and who have families (both nuclear and extended) to support. This is one of those great sociological studies. If you loved “Nickel and Dimed” this is another entry in the social and cultural interest category worthy of public and academic interest.