From the Desk of the President Bishop Garland Hunt – June 2024

Friends,

Did you know that America is home to approximately 24 million fatherless children, or about 1 in 3 of all American children? Roughly 80% of these homes are led by single mothers.

The fatherlessness crisis has devastated the black community—as nearly 70% of all Black babies in America today are born to unmarried mothers and 64% of all Black children grow up in a single-parent home. This predicament breaks my heart because it leads to so many other negative outcomes including behavioral disorders among children and teens, child substance abuse, criminal justice issues and beyond. Fatherlessness is also tied to abortion—as one in three pregnancies in a fatherless home end in abortion.

The gravity of these challenges seems almost insurmountable. And yet, I do believe there is hope. That’s why, as president of the Douglass Leadership Institute, I am dedicating our time, energy and resources to Strengthening the Black Family, which touches on so many much-needed initiatives such as protecting the unborn, education, economic empowerment and opportunity and faith-based criminal justice reform—all under the canopy of a Biblical worldview. You see, without God’s viewpoint as a light to guide us, we are doomed. To strengthen our families, especially during this season, we must have contrite hearts, cry out to the Lord and seek His guidance and direction—now and in the future.

At the Douglass Leadership Institute, with a Biblical worldview as our covering, we are committed to leveraging these initiatives to help us strengthen the black family:

• Teach biblically based values and principles of civic engagement that empowers citizens to impact government and public policy
• Equip and empower black faith-based leaders to influence the marketplace
• Produce and distribute culturally relevant resources that direct leaders toward biblical values and community engagement.

These initiatives are intrinsically linked to our core values: integrity, justice, virtue, transparency, respect and responsibility.

In the days ahead, I will share more with you about relevant issues and how we are sifting them through the word of God. We will boldly talk about how we can fight together against the attack on the family—as we know it is a spiritual battle.

I hope to meet you in communities across the country at roundtables, training sessions, at our annual conference and other venues where we will gather to strategize about how we can join hands and hearts to strengthen the black family. I can’t do it without your support. Please join me, pray for me and the Douglass Leadership Institute as we work together to leverage the teachings of Frederick Douglass and the incredible power of the word of God to transform our culture—and strengthen the black family. “Without struggle there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass

Thank you for joining me to do God’s divine work as we trust in the Lord with all our hearts—leaning not unto our own understanding. In all our ways we will acknowledge Him so that He will direct our path. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Fighting for the Black Family,

Bishop Garland Hunt

President, Douglass Leadership Institute