A national radio personality, an “Empire” star, and “Walking Dead” cast member will all take part in an annual weekend of special events in Central Virginia aimed at fostering father-daughter relationships. Tom Joyner, host of the nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” and actor Malik Yoba, who most recently starred on the FOX-TV series “Empire” and is best known for his role in the 90s drama series “New York Undercover,” will join Richmond native Chad L. Coleman, who recently starred on the top-rated cable-TV series “The Walking Dead,” at the 2016 Date With Dad Weekend, presented by Girls For A Change, Friday, March 11-Sunday, March 13, 2016 in Richmond, Virginia.Featured events during the weekend will include its traditional father-daughter dances for the community and in a correctional facility, interactive events, and charity walk, as well as a special event for mothers, and a camp fair with celebrity guests throughout the entire weekend. Date With Dad Spokesperson, Coleman, will attend the entire weekend of events with his daughter and Joyner, a supporter of the event for several years, will be the special guest MC at the Date With Dad Dinner and Dance. Meanwhile, in a separate event, Yoba, who will attend the weekend with his daughters, will also present a special screening of his documentary “Daddy Don’t Go.”
Thankful for the celebrity support, Girls For A Change CEO Angela Patton says she hopes it will further the goal of expanding Date With Dad to more cities. Exposure in national media like the recent feature “Fatherless Towns” on CNN’s “This Life with Lisa Ling,” as well as on “World News with Diane Sawyer,” in The Washington Post, and on “Inside Edition,” has been steady since Patton’s 2012 talk at TEDWomen. Requests from people wanting to host Date With Dad in their city have also been steady. Now, Patton says “we are inviting relevant national partners to continue this dialogue about dads and daughters and advance the initiative started by the teen girls in a Camp Diva Girl Action Team by joining the movement.”
Those interested in bringing Date With Dad to their cities are being encouraged to go online to www.girlsforachange.org/dwdpartnership. Proceeds from Date With Dad Weekend will go toward Girls For A Change’s Camp Diva Scholarship fund, allowing teen girls to attend the camp free of charge, and grooming more girls to create change as was done when Date With Dad was created. More information about Date With Dad Weekend, March 11-13, 2016 in Richmond, Virginia can be found online at www.datewithdadweekend.org.