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REAL DADS NETWORK'S PROGRAMS

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Timeline

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Timeline

Real Dads Network Historical Timeline

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2000

Derek Phillips and Nikki Dees Directed and co-Produced the award winning documentary, “Real Dads-Black Men on Fatherhood”, with commentary by the late Ossie Davis.  The documentary explores fatherhood through the eyes of black fathers who are present.

This was the first documentary ever done that focused on entirely positive black fathers.

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Real Dads Network was founded by Derek Phillips and

was the outgrowth of the documentary

Real Dads-Black Men on Fatherhood

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Launch of website

Monthly newsletter “Real Dads News” to promote

positive images and stories about Black fathers and

share fatherhood information & resources

2004

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2005

Real Dads Network, hosted its 1st annual Black Fatherhood Summit, moderated by the legendary James Mtume, and included a panel that consisted of Kurtis Blow-one of the first rappers to have a hit record (“The Breaks”) in 1980; Barry Mayo, Senior Vice President and station manager of Kiss FM; Bill Stephney, co-founder of Def Jam Records and the group Public Enemy; Nation’s of Islam’s Kevin Muhammad; Fatyn Muhammad, producer of Kiss FM’s Open Line talk show; and Fatherhood Activists Thabiti Booneand Peter Holoman from Medgar Evers College.  This event received a full- length commentary in the Wall Street Journal JULY 6, 2005.

Donated “Real Dads- Present and Accounted For” T-shirts to the “Father Child Basketball Tournament". Hosted by Fatherhood Activist Thabiti Boone at PS 273 in East NY. Event appeared in the NY Post, June 19, 2005.

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2006

2nd  Annual Black Fatherhood Summit

moderated by Bill Stephney

(CEO of Step-Sun Entertainment; former board member of the National Fatherhood Initiative and former president of Def-Jam)

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Panelists:

Alicia Crowe (Author “Real Dads Stand up” and lawyer)

Thabiti Boone (National Fatherhood Activist)

Peter Holoman (Medgar Evers College Male Development Empowerment Center),

Minister Kevin Muhammad (Power 105.1 and NYC Nation of Islam Rep.)

Rev. Donald E. Chapman (Minister and Counselor)

Derek Phillips, founder of RDN,

has feature article in Proud Poppa magazine.

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2007

3rd  Annual Black Fatherhood Summit

hosted by RDN and Family Images

moderated by

Dr. Veronica Thomas (Howard University)

Panelist:

Christopher Lighty (CEO of Violator Management)
Dr. Sheldon (AppleWhite-Healthy Start Brooklyn)
Rev. Dr. Fredrick Johnson
George R. Barnes
Kayode Bentley

One of the organizers for “Meeting the Fatherhood Challenge Conference” held at the Apollo.  Realdadsnetwork.com was the official website for the event.     

Co-host of touring exhibit, BABA: Black Artists’ Expression of Father, debuting at Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia. “BABA: Black Artists’ Expression of Father” provides an alternative approach to viewing and discussing Black Fathers.  This exhibit gives voice to the Black males and provides healthy images of Black men.

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2008

Real Dads Network, in conjunction with Proud Poppa Publications, New York State Fatherhood Initiative, and Kiss-FM, hosted the 1st Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance, held at Landmark on the Park, Manhattan.  The Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance is a celebration of the special relationship between fathers and their daughters and a tribute to that bond they share.

  • Special guest actress Aleisha Allen from “Are We There Yet.”

  • Author of “Daughters of Men” Rachael Vassel

  • Radio personality Jeff Fox received celebrity Award

Following the model of Carter G. Woodson’s Negro History Week (1926), Real Dads Network hosted its first “Celebration of Father’s Week”

RDN hosted its first Real Dads Awards banquet.

Awardees

  • Ron Mincy -Pioneer Award

  • Rev Run-Image Award

  <- Rev Run acceptance speech​

  • Rev Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood - Community Father Award

  • Dominic Carter - Media Award

  • Thabiti Boone - Activist Award

  • Gary B. Clifton - Organization Award

  • Reyvon Steele - Stay Strong Award

  • Patrick Alvarez - High School Senior received Real Dads Network Scholarship for college.

  • Rev Alfonso Wyatt - Keynote Speaker

Special guest on 98.7 Kiss FM’s Rev. Al Sharpton’s “Hour of Power”.

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Panelist along with Dr. Jeffrey Gardere, Clifford Simmons. And Shawn Dove

 

Fatherhood Comedy Night with comedian Talent

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2009

RDN Host 2nd Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance

  • Allan Houston receives Obama Award

  • Priscilla Star Diaz from Electric Company is special guest

RDN hosted its 2nd Real Dads Awards banquet.

Awardees:

  • Actor John Amos -Lifetime Image Award

  • Rev Dr. Calvin O. Butts-Community Father Award

  • Maurice Carver from Black Men Screaming-Media Award

  • Bill Stephney-Activist Award

  • Forestdale – Fatherhood Organization Award

  • Batin Ashante-Real Dad Award

  • Donnell Rushin- High School Senior received Real Dads Network Scholarship for college.

  • Marc Lamont Hill -Keynote Speaker

RDN host fatherhood discussion at Next Level Barbershop in Staten Island


Featured in New York Daily News “Spotlight on Great People.”


Panelist at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference on Fatherhood by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

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2010

RDN Host 3rd Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance

Impromtu performance by Freedom Williams of C&C Music Factory

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Real Dads Awards celebration at York College. 50 dads are nominated for Real Dad awarded

 

Recognition in Congressional Record for Outstanding Service to Community 

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Certified as a 501(c)(3) Charitable Non-profit Corporation

 

Launch of monthly Real Dads Club meetings

 

RDN recognized in Ebony magazine as a resource for dads

 

Concerned Women of Brooklyn, Inc. Humanitarian Award (2010)

 

New York State Assembly Proclamation

 

RDN Host screening of Eric McKay “For Our Sons” documentary

 

Began discussion around Shared Parenting Bill with Bill Stephney, Thabiti Boone, Ned Holstein and Glen Sacks from Fathers and Families (today National Parents Organization)

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2011

RDN Host 4th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

  • Multi-Grammy Award winner, songwriter and producer, Shannon Sanders performed his hit song “Daddy’s Little Girl"

  • Jordyn and Maya, (Derek’s daughters) designed “I Love My Heart” bracelet as dedication to their mom who had heart surgery that year. The bracelet was distributed to the girls in attendance.

Real Dads Week

RDN Hosts 4th Real Dads Awards banquet.
introduced Real Dads Fraternity Awards

  • Steven P. Cuffey - Alpha Phi Alpha Real Dad of the Year Award

  • Ron Johnson - Kappa Alpha Psi Real Dad of the Year Award

  • Domnick Boyce - Omega Psi Phi Real Dad of the Year Award

  • Gary P. Jenkins - Phi Beta Sigma Real Dad of the Year

  • Harry W. Lopez Jr.- Iota Phi Theta-Real dad of the Year Award

 

Other Awardees

  • Richard R. Buery-Community Award

  • Alicia Crowe- Real-Activist Award

  • Youth At Risk-Fatherhood Organization Award

  • Kiss FM Open Line Team-Media Award

  • Kwasi Nyantakyi-Scholarship Award

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2012

RDN Host 5th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

  • The daughters host the event

  • Len E. Burnett Jr. -Uptown Media Group is Chair for the dance

Real Dads Week

  • Fathers and Children picnic at Roy Wilkins

  • Collaborated with Assemblyman William Scarborough

  • The Play “Growing Up Daddy”

  • Urban Impact community event sponsored by The Hope Center Development Corporation, RDN and The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation

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2013

RDN Host 6th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

  • The daughters host the event

  • Len e. Burnett Jr. -Uptown Media Group is Chair for the dance

Real Dads Network initiated the First Annual National Father Daughter Dance. Fatherhood organizations from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Miami joined together, shared resources and worked collaboratively to coordinate all the daddy daughter dances on Saturday of Father’s Day Weekend.

Real Dads Awardees:

  • Noel Linton Allen

  • Che Baraka

  • Eliezer Berrios

  • Ronald Black

  • Mike Bobbitt

  • Sean Bodden

  • Christopher Boone

  • Nah’Shon Brown

  • Hamlet “Tato” Campos

  • Kenny Carter

  • Sgt. James Clarke

  • William Coleman

  • Jerry Craft

  • Ernest Apostle Dorsey

  • M. A. Dudley

  • Julson Fabien

  • Maurice Fair

  • James Felder

  • Lavell Finerson

  • Jose Garcia

  • Shawn Gill

  • Craig Grant

  • Joseph Harris

  • Will henry

  • Dale Hitch

  • Rick Holman

  • Gerald Ingram

  • Kenneth Jackson

  • Michael Johnson

  • Will Johson

  • Gregory Kennedy

  • Tylon Layne

  • Javarro Long

  • Carl McCaskill

  • Jerome Moye

  • Bryant Nicholas

  • Jesus Nieves

  • Wilfredo Pagan

  • Ramon Payano

  • William Perez

  • Wayne Phillips

  • Charles Powell

  • Raul Rodriguez

  • Raymond Singleton

  • William Thompson

  • Louis Torres

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2014

RDN Hosts 7th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

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RDN Hosts 6th Real Dads Week

Real Dads Awards

  • 103.9 Radio Personality Marc Clarke-Honorary Real Dad Award

  • ALL Hip Hop Chuck Creekmur-Honorary Real Dad Award

  • Marlon Greer-Honorary Real Dad

  • Alan S. Farrell-Community Real Dad Award

 

Other Awardees:

  • Kenneth Alexander

  • Kenneth Armstead

  • Theodore Attles

  • Daniel Attmore

  • Dennis Chambers

  • DaShaun Crittenden Sr.

  • Glen Garcia

  • Andrew Grant

  • Todd Gray

  • Will Henry

  • Barry Holness

  • Clarence Joseey

  • Scott MeBane

  • Reginald Mitchell

  • Stephen Roberts

  • Raul Rodrigues

  • Kenyatta Rouse

  • Russell Rowe

  • James Santiago

  • John David Smith

  • Larry Thompson

  • Leon Tulton

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2015

RDN Hosts 8th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

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RDN Hosts 7th Real Dads Week

  • Fathers and Children picnic at Roy Wilkins

  • Collaborated with Assemblyman William Scarborough

Real Dads Awardees

  • ​Kwane Andrews

  • Devon Bandison

  • David Barron

  • Carlyle Bigby

  • Kurt Brown

  • Joseph Clephon

  • Zachary Fletcher

  • Paul James

  • Andre Johnson

  • Robert Jordan

  • Rudyard Ledgister

  • Edwin Mendez

  • Dr. Rev Kevin Miller

  • Robert Robinson

  • Luis Salinas

  • Charles Simmons

  • Johnnie Stevens

  • Eldruid Theagene

  • Dennis Rahim Watson

  • Jonathan Williams

  • Bervin Harris

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2016

RDN Hosts 9th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

  • ​Cartier Conway-Tap Dance

  • Charlie Campbell-Magic Man

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2017

RDN Partners with Youth on the Move to do Real Dads Awards

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RDN initiate Power of the Vote workshops at Turo College

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2018

Real Dads Network creates Partnership with Allan Houston Legacy Foundation and New York Knicks as a sponsor of “The Tickets Together” Program.

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2019

RDN Hosts 10th Annual Daddy Daughter Valentine’s Dance​

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RDN Hosts 8th Real Dads Week

Real Dads Awardees​​

  • Kangol Kid - HONORARY REAL DAD AWARD

  • Sean Williams (Dad Gang) – REAL DAD SOCIAL MEDIA AWARD

  • Ron Hartridge – COMMUNITY REAL DAD AWARD

 

Other Awardees:

  • Prince Albert-Hudson

  • Omari Gay

  • Darryl Harrison

  • Cliff Jean-Michel

  • Shamel Lawrence Sr.

  • Marques Payne

  • Shelton Peeples

  • Derek Perkinson

  • Andre Peterson

  • Sgt. Major Jackie Wilson

Raising Strong Sons: Discussion and Basketball Clinic led by Fathers and Men of Professional Basketball Players, Inc
Panel Included:

  • Charles Paul (Father of Chris Paul)

  • Ed Gordon (Father of Aaron and Drew Gordon)

  • Karl Anthony Towns Sr. (Father of Karl Anthony Towns)

  • Marvin Williams (Father of Marvin Williams)

  • Anthony Randolph Sr. (Father of Anthony Randolph Sr.)

  • Lance Stephenson Sr. (Father of Lance Stephenson Jr.)

  • Rod Ivey (Fatherhood of Royal Ivey)

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2021

RDN Hosts 9th Real Dads Week

Real Dads Awardees​​

  • Scholarship Recipient (Emmanual Abodunrin)

  • Real Dads Image Award (Dondre’ Whitfield)

  • Real Dads Media Award (Craig Melvin)

  • Real Dads Community Father Award (Don Felder)

  • Real Dads Legacy Award (Kenny and Shawn Porter)

  • Real Dads “Super Hero” Awards (Robert Selby)

  • Real Dads “Super Hero” Awards (Tabari Wallace)

  • Real Dads “Super Hero” Awards (Gregory Thorpe)

  • Real Dads “Super Hero” Awards (James Lopez)

  • Real Dads “Super Hero” Awards (Tim Carr)

  • Real Dads Lifetime Activist Award (Abiodun Oyewole)

Spoken Word: A Father’s Worth in Word – A Tribute to Black Fathers

Spoken Word Artists:

  • Kraal “Kayo” Charles

  • Paul Mcintosh

  • Suzen Baraka

  • Hayden Greene

  • Tarishi “Midnight” Shuler

  • Advocate of Wordz

  • Ramya Ramana

  • Tahani Salah

  • David “D-Black” Roberts

  • Special Guest: We’ McDonald

Basketball Clinic video with Fathers of Professional Players (Queens)

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2023

Real Dads Week 2023

 

Scholarship Recipient (Alyra Alkrenga)

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2024

Real Dads Network celebrates 20 Year of Service

Opening of Fatherhood and Family Center in East Harlem and Family Enrichment Center in Lower East Side.
Ch 11 video with Monica Morales

Real Dads Week 2024


Real Dads Awards

  • Scholarship Recipient (Nyla Evans)

  • Real Dads Social Media Award (Ishmael Street)

  • Real Dads Community Leadership Award (Nina Saxon)

  • Real Dads Legacy Award (Ben Vereen)

  • Real Dads Unsung Hero (Monica Morales)

  • Real Dads Fatherhood Pioneer Award (Dr. Jeffery M. Johnson)

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2025

Heart Check with Event with Mount Sinai

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Click here to watch WPIX Channel 11's coverage of the event

Grand Opening of Family Enrichment Center

Click here to watch WPIX Channel 11's coverage of the event

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© 2026 Real Dads Network

1445 Madison Avenue

NYC, NY 10029

(212) 875-7725
realdadsnetwork@gmail.com

1445 Madison Avenue

NYC, NY 10029

(212) 875-7725
realdadsnetwork@gmail.com

  • Facebook
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  • Youtube

© 2026 Real Dads Network

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