Mr. Eric Legette created Fathers With Voices in the summer of 1996 after learning a childhood
friend was experiencing difficulties within the family court system. When his friend did not receive the proper assistance
from family court regarding maintaining a relationship with his child, he decided to walk away to avoid causing any trouble.
Mr. Legette asked himself, “How many men were forced to make a similar decision?” Further, he wondered, “How
many programs in New York City could assist someone like my friend?” To his surprise, many fathers were having difficulty
navigating the family court system and there were no programs to assist fathers.
During
the time Mr. Legette was laying the foundation for Fathers With Voices, his own daughter was two years old. In between working
at times two jobs and attending college full-time at night, he made time to bond with his daughter. In September of 1996,
Mr. Legette’s time with his daughter was threatened. Mr. Legette became involved in a seven-month visitation case in
order to maintain a relationship with his daughter. The experience was a life-changing event because it led Mr. Legette to
develop a passion to help fathers who really desired to be involved in their child’s life after a separation or divorce.
At times, the experience left him feeling he was a man without a voice. However, he also learned if a man conducted himself
in the proper manner, consistent in attending his court appointments and dressed appropriately, a judge would consider a father
more favorably. It is these lessons that he has shared with men to be successful within family court. His original visitation
case was successful and he later found it necessary to file for custody of his daughter. After three years of litigation,
Mr. Legette was awarded full custody.
Mr. Legette found the most pressing
need for men was information and resources. Mr. Legette created a library of resources including free or low cost consultation,
contact numbers to local family courts, legal referral services, child support assistance programs and much more. Mr. Legette
also researched the emotional importance of consistent father involvement so fathers would know they have more to contribute
to their child’s life than child support payments. Since starting Fathers With Voices, men have been able to:
Establish legal paternity
Win court ordered visitation rights including holidays, vacation
time, telephone contact and school involvement
Win custody cases
Settle child
support disputes
Learn more about the family court process
Fathers With Voices have helped men manage the stress and “drama” of being involved in difficult
family court cases.
The information and resources have:
Reduced the threat
of men committing acts of domestic violence
Deterred men who wanted to abandon their responsibilities
Deterred men from committing suicide
Deterred men from abusing drugs/alcohol
Encouraged
men to focus on their responsibilities and not parental conflicts (“the drama”)
Fathers With Voices primary focus have been to assist men involved in family court cases. However, the program
has also assisted many mothers. After speaking to thousands of men and women involved in the “drama”, Mr. Legette
learned individuals engaged in intimacy too quickly without the benefit of getting to know each other and neglecting to ask
questions before undressing. These actions were a direct link to the reasons they became involved in the “drama”.
Mr. Legette has always felt, “In order to begin to address a social problem that is impacting the lives of so many people,
there is no greater place to begin the process of change than with the next generation”. Mr. Legette developed Success
Is Your Right Services to motivate young people and individuals to address issues that could prevent them from reaching
their maximum potential. His fear is, young people will become involved in this problem before being properly educated and
prepared. By educating, Mr. Legette strives to assist in protecting the untapped and limitless potential of our young people.
By addressing this problem now, we can truly “close the curtain on the drama” in the future.
Department of Corrections
Mass Transit Authority
National
Football League
Lehman College
Medgar Evers College
John Jay College
York College
Media
Appearances/Magazines/Newspapers/Speaking Engagements/Presentations
June 2008 issue- Ebony Magazine
The
New York Times
The News and Record-Greensboro, North Carolina
The Tom Joyner Morning Show
The
Michael Baisden Show
“Conversations with J Yvonne“-WAA 90.1 FM-Greensboro, North Carolina
Community
Focus with Renee Vaughn 97.1-Greensboro, North Carolina
The Busta Brown Show-97.1 WQMG-Greensboro, North Carolina
“The
Buckley Report” FOX 8 NEWS hosted by Bob Buckley-Greensboro, North Carolina
“In the Community“-WPEG
POWER 98FM-Charlotte, North Carolina
“Straight Talk”-hosted by Amos Quick-102JAMZ FM-Greensboro, North Carolina
“Power
Talk” hosted by Lorraine Jacaues-White-1380 AM WAOK-Atlanta Georgia
“Teen Talk” WNYC Television-New
York City
“Teen Talk Radio” on WNYE 91.5 FM-New York City
“Education Dialogue” WNYE Channel
25-New York City
Dr. Jeff Gardere Show-WWRL 1600 AM-New York City
The Steve Harvey Morning show-WBLS 107.5 FM-New
York City
Power Talk” hosted by Lorraine Jacaues-White-1380 AM WAOK-Atlanta Georgia
“Issues”
with Ed Jones KB“ 105.9 FM-Louisiana
Keynote Speaker at the 2008 Indiana Fatherhood Coalition
Presentations
at Department of Corrections, Mass Transit Authority and the National Football League
Publications
Author
of Closing the Curtain on Baby Mama Drama
Articles contributed to:
Empowernessmag .com,
mybroth.com, empressmag.com and solemag.com
