Dads

Mission

Single Dad Defined rewrites society’s narrative about Black single dads and creates an inclusive, supportive space for all single parents.

Background

In 2018, Single Mom Defined Founder Heather Hopson Googled “Single Black Mom.” Horrible search results popped up on her screen, saying single moms were damaged goods, trash, and not fathers. Upset at what she reads, Heather decided to turn her anger into action and produced Single Mom Defined, a photo essay and video series. Fifty mothers wrote a more accurate definition of single parenting, and more than 100 children described their moms using words like joyous, kind, phenomenal, and affectionate. The exhibit inspired an online and in-person platform to elevate the voices of single mothers and redefine public perspectives. Along the way, Heather discovered that single Black fathers reputations were even worse, even though studies found that they were more active in the lives of their children’s than fathers of other races.

Share Your Single Dad Story

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Black dads were the most involved with their children, no matter if they lived with them or not. When compared to white and Latino dads, a higher percentage of Black fathers spent time with their children daily–eating meals, reading books, playing games, feeding, bathing, diapering, or dressed their kids. Single Dad Defined aims to tell such stories. In addition, the group hopes to help heal the relationships between single parents through informative articles, single dad spotlights and events, such as the annual co-parenting picnic. If you are a single father with an inspiring story to share,  complete our survey to be featured!