Dads in prison in Virginia are learning how to parent through a unique initiative which has been ongoing for six years. They have taken part in a father-daughter dance program that culminated on Sunday, March 19, at the Richmond Justice Center.
Eleven incarcerated fathers danced with their daughters for the sixth annual father-daughter dance, which was also known as Date with Dad, according to WTVR. Before this big day, these dads sat through 30 hours of parenting classes to help them build better relationships with their kids.
Dad and inmate Courtny Price does not regret joining the program. He has three daughters and he got the chance to dance with all of his girls last Sunday.
He said the opportunity has helped turn his life around and so now he's looking forward to his prison release in a few months. "I've got something that means more to me waiting on me," Price said referring to his family.
Another dad and inmate Heath Taylor, who has two daughters in the ages of 18 and two, said the program helped him become accountable for his children's future. His goal now is to provide stability for his girls.
"I know that they're not going to grow up to be like me, but I don't want them to find a man, have a man in their life that was like me," the dad said, according to WRIC. "I want them to know that God has given me the strength to protect them and the good sense to never neglect them."
The organization Girls For Change made the dance possible with the help of Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody. The sheriff said they wanted to help the dads become not just better citizens once they have completed their prison sentence, but also become better fathers.
"Today we just want to instill how important family is," Woody said. "[To acknowledge] the importance of each and every dad knowing that while they can't protect their daughters in here, they can protect them out there, and they can keep them from coming here."
