Arrested Development (AD) is an American hip-hop group formed in the late 1980s by rapper/producer Speech and turntablist Headliner. My brothers and I used to borrow their breakout 1992 debut album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of… from Wollongong Music Library (yep, those were a thing back in the day). Their music was a great introduction to boom bap hip-hop for me, an appreciation which continues to this day.

AD is still active, and though I don’t agree with all their politics, they offer an ‘Afrocentric’, refreshing alternative to so-called ‘gangsta’ rap, a genre that’s had a pernicious effect on culture. Their classic track “People Everyday”, which samples Sly & the Family Stone’s funk-laden 1968 hit “Everyday People”, is well worth a listen.

Celebrating Everyday People

Much like Arrested Development’s music celebrated ordinary people, at Dads4Kids, it’s everyday people who inspire us to help fathers be the best they can be for their children.

A few weeks back, Claudia Atutolu, a dedicated grandmother from Brisbane who loves what Dads4Kids does, reached out. Originally from New Zealand, Claudia works in the construction industry and is currently part of the team at Lendlease delivering upgrades at Brisbane Airport.

Claudia had the great idea to run an Easter-themed colouring-in competition fundraiser for Dads4Kids at her workplace. She created some colouring activities for children, incorporated the Dads4Kids logo, and worked with colleagues to set up a colourful Easter ‘carrot patch’ table in their workplace (pictured below).

Not only did Claudia’s fantastic initiative bring some colour and joy to the workplace, and a smile to children’s faces, but she also raised some much-needed funds for Dads4Kids. I call that a win-win-win!

I asked Claudia what inspired her, and she explained how she works with many dads at Lendlease, some of them single fathers. In her words, dads don’t get much support these days, and she wants to be part of supporting and encouraging dads. How good is that‽

I’m inspired by Claudia and others like the amazing Chris Woods, who in 2024 trekked 3,100 km from Darwin to Adelaide to raise much-needed awareness and funds for men’s mental health. As Chris said at the time, ‘we need to step up and get more help for men’. Indeed. Reporting on Chris’s incredible bravery, my colleague Samuel Hartwich wrote:

Chris began putting one foot in front of the other on 1 May 2024. She completed her course in Glenelg, a beachside suburb of Adelaide, on 24 August 2024. The Lions Club of West Adelaide set up a welcome banner along with a community barbecue… Her 125-day journey, with a few day’s break to do the washing, is monumental.

Thanks to Samuel, Dads4Kids’ friend Rod Hall, and former Senator for South Australia the Hon. David Fawcett, you can watch Chris being presented with a courage award here. Dads4Kids’ intrepid co-founder, my father Warwick Marsh, wrote these inspiring words:

Whenever you get despondent or feel like giving up, remember the incredible courage of Chris Woods. Each day, she got up and put one foot in front of the other for us. You can do it. I can do it. Together, we can make this world a better place for our children.

Dads4Kids’ friend Martin Stevenson is another great, everyday, inspirational Australian. An accomplished businessman, Martin is also a motorsport enthusiast, a dedicated drag racer, and the NSW distributor of quality Powerplus race fuels. It’s been a pleasure getting to know Martin over the last several years, and he’s a wonderful, valued supporter of Dads4Kids work. You can read more about some of his many achievements here, here and here.

The best thing about Martin? Every day, with zero fanfare, he diligently goes about making the world a better place. Through his businesses, car clubs, and political advocacy, Martin is a humble, vital force for positive change.

I’m so thankful for people every day like Claudia, Chris and Martin. It’s brave people like them who make the world a better place and enable Dads4Kids to do what we do. I hope their example inspires you, and remember if you’re a dad reading this, keep on being the best you can be for your kids. One day, they’ll thank you.

Lovework

Never, ever underestimate your ability to be a part of positive change. As Canadian psychologist and author Jordan Peterson once said, “one person can change the world, and that person is you”.

If you’re inspired by Claudia Atutolu, Martin Stevenson, or Chris Woods, I’d love to hear from you! Dads4Kids would not exist without everyday, heroic people like them. If you have an idea or initiative to support the much-needed work of Dads4Kids, please email me by clicking here. By working together, we can indeed make the world a better place for our children.

Yours for people every day,
Nathaniel Marsh

P.S. If you enjoy receiving weekly encouragement, insights, news, and stories from Dads4Kids, please consider supporting us on a monthly basis.

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Image via Reddit.