On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with Kenny Braswell, Executive Director of Fathers Incorporated, and author of ‘Daddy, There’s A Noise Outside.’
Braswell is no stranger to finding ways to help his community address sensitive subjects. His professional career is currently grounded in running his 11 year old not-for-profit in an effort to build the capacity of fathers to be build stronger families. Fast-forward thousands of articles, three books and two documentaries later, Braswell has turned his attention to children’s literature. Braswell’s newest venture ‘Daddy, There’s a Noise Outside,’ takes the complex issue of protesting and breaks the conversation down so that a 1st grader can understand.
According to Braswell, the idea came when his 6-year-old son asked his wife why was he in Baltimore on the day that the indictments were issued on the six police officers in the Freddie Gray case. That explanation transformed into a 24-page children’s book focused on helping 1st thru 3rd graders understand the nuances of protest.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Braswell is the father of four children. He was the Director of the New York State Fatherhood Initiative - where he managed over $11 million in programs. With more than 24 years of community development experience, Braswell is the Executive Director of Fathers incorporated, a not-for-profit organization that serves as a leader in the promotion of Responsible Fatherhood and Mentoring.
Additionally, Braswell serves as the Director of the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. The NRFC is a widely recognized resource for fathers, practitioners, researchers and policymakers. Earlier in his career, Braswell was a radio broadcaster for 15-plus years and a community newspaper publisher for 10 years.
