President Obama pictured with Minister Joshua DuBois, leader of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. WASHINGTON, D.C.- Fatherhood has been an important part of President Obama’s childhood narrative, growing up with an absent father. It was the cornerstone of a historic speech he delivered last year, assailing men who run away from their parenting responsibilities. And now it’s a priority for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnership, with the launch of the national fatherhood tour.

Obama’s faith-based office will go around the country holding town hall meetings to discuss the importance of fatherhood and speak with community organizations about what policies best work to build strong families. Joshua DuBois, a 27-year-old Pentecostal minister, heads the office. DuBois served as the director of religious affairs for the presidential campaign.

Fatherhood is one of the top four priorities for his office. Others include working to reduce the number of abortions and unwanted pregnancies.
“[Obama] grew up without a dad in his own home, but he also saw the impact of father absence when he was working in Chicago,” DuBois says.

“So he started this national conversation about responsible fatherhood.” The issue of absent fathers is big in African-American families, where nearly two-thirds live in single-parent homes. Children who grow up without a father are more likely to drop out of school, commit crimes, live in poverty and go to prison.
The fatherhood initiative is not just targeting African-American families. “This is about kids who are growing up without responsible role models in their families, and that is for all American families regardless of their background,” DuBois said.