Father-Con, a convention with the aim to uplift and support fathers, father figures, and fathers to be in the 21st century, will host its second annual convention on Saturday, November 9 in Downey at Earl Warren High School.
Held at Long Beach City College a year ago, the convention will be treated as a communal conversation featuring presentations, including one from LBCC’s Dr. Claudia Garcia Marroquin of the Foster and Kinship Care Education Program.
Last year there were 10 breakout workshops but not all attendees were able to be present for each workshop.
“We wanted to do something different [this year] because all the information the presenters are giving is valuable,” Father-Con’s Founder Patrick Erlandson said.
“We will have shorter presentations by seven presenters. Most targeted at men, except for one,” Erlandson added.
Among the presenters will be Alan Smyth, Executive Director of Saving Innocence – a non-profit contracted by the Los Angeles County to intervene in cases of child trafficking.
“I have both a daughter and a son. For this case my presentation will focus on the father-daughter relationship and how to help potential human trafficking victims, which are mostly young girls… exposing some of the lies our little girls are exposed to by pop culture and media and give some practical tools that fathers can give to their daughters,” Smyth said.
Erlandson found that fathers and father figures alike play a significant role in the formative years of a young girl’s life.
“Girls are growing up who have never tasted a healthy male love and they become vulnerable to predators and trafficking,” Erlandson said.
Along with the men in their lives, mother’s have a responsibility to their daughters as well.
“What we find with human trafficking is they are running from home because of abuse or the mothers boyfriend. Women are bringing men home not just for themselves, but a man for the lives of their children,” Erlandson added.
Instead of focusing solely on the negative aspects of fatherhood, Erlandson said he hopes that Father-Con will get men excited about the responsibility it takes to be a father.
“As much as we ring the alarm of the negative, we want to uplift good dads. Fathercon is not just biological fathers. It’s uncles, neighbors, and so on, each hold an important responsibility,” the founder proclaimed.
Founder of mentor group Paving Great Futures, Armand King is a former human trafficker who now uses his experience to educate others as a consultant on Domestic Human Sex Trafficking and Gang relations.
“I went to the school of life. I come from experience. Not just myself but eight of my closest friends, most of which are no longer living, most of them have been killed from homicide,” King shared.
“Most of what we know has been learned on the streets… Now that I’ve lived through it hopefully people don’t have to suffer the same consequences and don’t have to bump their heads as many times.”
“It’s one thing to not have a father in the house but to set a wrong example. Because the kid is going to take on the patterns and lifestyle of that father,” King said.
King will present the impact that an absent father has on the life of a child and the connection between fatherlessness and sexual exploitation.
Erlandson hopes Father-Con will appeal to a broad range of attendees and inspire them to be present, engaged and active parts of their children’s lives.
“We also really hope young guys who are not fathers yet participate. Father-Con is not just for current dads but those looking to be dads in the future. What an incredible opportunity we have as fathers. Especially with today’s modern challenges,” Erlandson said.
“The 21st century is a whole new challenge. We want to inspire men and get them ready to be the dads they want to be and our kids need them to be,” Erlandson said.
King’s life is chronicled in his book “Raised in Pimp City”.
Smyth also runs the blog, www.myfatherdaughter.com, which has resources and community tools for fathers.
Father-Con is a free event that starts at 9am on Saturday, November 9 at Earl Warren High School. Registration is at eventbrite.com.