In a conference room on the fourth floor of City Hall on Friday, councilmen Kenyatta Johnson and Curtis Jones Jr. bestowed Father’s Day citations on 27 patriarchs in a celebratory luncheon. Johnson, a Point Breeze native, seemed to have done the primary picking of honorees.
A few familiar faces were present, namely, 2013 South Philly Review Difference Maker Tyrique Glasgow, whom Johnson said “represents the best of what South Philly has to offer”; and Jahmall Crandall, a “fine character” who helped to pioneer the installment of the Ralph Brooks Tot Lot at 20th and Tasker streets. 1st District Councilman Mark Squilla, quickly offered words, saying “we need people to stand with you and stand behind you,” which he finds with Councilman Johnson. “We know we have that with each other.”
Johnson was tickled to read that Father’s Day was founded by a woman, namely Sonora Smart Dodd, an Arkansan who pushed for its celebration on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, WA.
A new father himself, Johnson stressed that all kinds of folks could be celebrated for Father’s Day – “a step-father or a big brother or mentor relationship for someone else’s child – that’s what it’s all about, all the hard work and dedication.”
A handful of the honorees were natives of South Philly, men Johnson has been interacting with since childhood. One such father was Terry Carpenter, for whom the Councilman told a story about Washington Avenue acting like “the tracks” one doesn’t cross. Or Albert Custis, whom Johnson said is a “fine example of what a person can do when they change their life; he used to be a terror in the neighborhood.”
Philadelphia Tribune writer Damon Williams had covered City Council for more than 20 years before being honored as a father.
“You don’t shout you’re a good father, you can never be too good of a father,” the Overbrook Park resident said. -Bill Chenevert
Photo by Bill Chenevert
