Reclaiming Love: Self, Brotherhood, and Community

From the team that created the gun violence intervention & documentary film Trigger and the live events Letter to My Father, Letter to My Son Parts 1 & 2, Engaging Males of Color Beyond Expectations is excited to present a bold new event just in time for Father’s Day: Reclaiming Love: Self, Brotherhood, and Community. This evening of live storytelling highlights the real lives of men who will share their experiences centered around three interconnected forms of love: self-love, love for your brother, and love for our community. Through vulnerability onstage, this event will serve as a night of courage, truth-telling, and healing.

Men on the mic boldly sharing their stories include: Radio and TV personality Quincy Harris, artist E the poet-emcee, community advocate John Chin, DBHIDS Staff/Bridge Builder Octavius L. Blount, poet Abdullah Khafra, and architect Jovanny Ramos.

The event will showcase powerful stories from the poet-son whose late father is his “ghostwriter,” the boy who believed the lies then defied the odds to become the man he knew he could be, the sinner transforming self-hate into self-love, and more. Reclaiming Love is a gathering of the village to affirm the bonds of brotherhood that help carry one another through struggle and triumph. This event is not just a Call to Action but a Call to LOVE. On June 17, they will share that love with audiences.

The post-show talkback will be moderated by national expert on Race, Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the event starts at 7 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public. Discount parking is available at The Old City Parkominium Garage located at 231 N. Second St., Philadelphia for $5 per car. First come, first served.

Directed by David Acosta and produced by First Person Arts. This event is presented by the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) – led by Interim Commissioner Dr. Marquita C. Williams – and its EMOC initiative.

The DBHIDS EMOC initiative aims to improve the mental health and wellness of males of color in Philadelphia. In partnership with First Person Arts (FPA), Philly’s premier storytelling organization, we aim to amplify, share, and archive the stories of males of color in Philadelphia to challenge and change misperceptions, reduce the stigma of accessing services, and highlight their brilliance and resilience.

You can learn more about this program here: https://firstpersonarts.org/emoc-beyond-expectations/ and here: dbhids.org/emoc.