Group puts focus on fathers
act as mentors and friends to the men that come to them. They call, text or email to check up on them. They are available to talk when the men are struggling. They even provide help navigating the family court system or the criminal court system if necessary.
Bojorquez said it’s this extra help that has allowed him to a successful father. He said when he’s fighting with his girlfriend or feeling frustrated with the responsibility of parenting, he can call one of the Fathers New Mexico men and vent, allowing him to overcome the emotional highs and lows of his situation.
Bojorquez’s daughter is now 4 years old. His relationship with her mother has been bumpy and he said the two are currently on a break but through it all he has stayed involved with his daughter. With the help of his Fathers New Mexico mentors, he learned techniques to communicate better and practice patience.
“I’ve learned to communicate what I feel and what I need,” he said. “They taught me to share responsibility.”
Wilson said from May 2017 to April 2018 they group helped 200 fathers in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and central New Mexico.
“A father gets the message from a lot of places that he’s not as good as a mom when it comes to parenting,” Wilson said. “Those messages can be discouraging.”
The group also created the Future Men Project in 2014, which is aimed at middle school boys who are flagged as being “at risk” because of academic or behavioral problems. The program is a weekly mentoring group offered to boys in grades five to eight.
“We want to challenge social messages about manhood,” he said. “Challenge things like not being able to ask for help or not expressing emotions.”
Today, for Father’s Day, the group is hosting a day at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. A portion of admission will go to the organization.