Larry Washington shared french fries with his two sons in the shade at the African-American Festival on Saturday and said it's an experience he never had with his dad.
Washington, 39, of Baltimore said his father was not involved in his life. It's one of the reasons he relishes spending time with his 11- and 5-year-olds.
"I don't want my children to be without a father," he said on Father's Day weekend.
At the African-American Festival, many families perused merchandise or grabbed a snack, clutching diaper bags, pushing strollers or holding small hands as they walked through the crowds. Many, like Washington, said there is a need for strong male role models in the community.
Earlier this year, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake urged black men in Baltimore to do more to help curb violence in the city by becoming involved as mentors, tutors and community leaders. City homicides, she said at the time, often involve black men killing black men.
Washington said he strives to be a positive influence in his children's lives so that they can make better choices. "I just know how to change my children's lives," he said. Having children forced him to change his lifestyle, he said, for the better.
The trio, all wearing tank tops and mesh gym sports, often play basketball together and like to cheer on the Orioles, he said.
On Father's Day, he said, his family planned to picnic at National Harbor for the outdoor "Movies on the Potomac" series.
Darcell Hardaway, 27, was at the festival with his wife and their 22-month-old son, Jordan. He said he doesn't have plans for his first Father's Day. Last year, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the National Guard.
"I think it's important for us as a culture" to be involved, he said. He said he is close to his father, whom he described as strict growing up, which he said made him more responsible. He said he hopes to pass that on to his own son.
Lori Williams, who sat at a picnic table with her 1-year-old grandson, described how her father was an integral part of her life. She recalled how he would wake her and her eight brothers and sisters for school, cook them big breakfasts on the weekends and make ice cream, "things that are very important at that time, when we are little."
"Men need to know how important their role is," said Williams, who is from Pennsylvania and was visiting her daughter, a student at Morgan State University. "They don't realize how valuable that relationship is."
Several events at the festival emphasized successful African-American males.
Porter Braswell, the CEO of Jopwell, a tech start-up based in New York that connects companies with minority recruitment, was scheduled to speak at the BE Modern Man panel. He said his own father was key to his success in business because his father served as his role model from a young age. He said it's important for the African-American community to see successful role models.
Calvin Otis, 25, who also works at Jopwell, added that the event will help promote accomplished black men outside of sports, showing there are other ways to be successful, which is not always portrayed in the media.
Actor and comedian Chris Spencer, who is hosting the festival for a second year, described an "epidemic" in the country of single women raising children and said young men need to step up.
He planned to take an earlier flight back to Los Angeles to spend Father's Day with his two children, but after a morning round of golf with friends, he said with a smile.
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