Dad’s Day at the Capitol

Monday, May 12th, 2025, will be the first ever “Dad’s Day at the Capitol” at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. From 8 am to 3 pm that day, more than 100 fathers from across Louisiana will converge on the State Capitol to ensure their voices are heard on issues affecting fathers, families, and children. This initiative has grown organically out of efforts by Dad-A-Port, Fathers on a Mission, Fathers Matter, Geaux Far Louisiana, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, the New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, and others who seek to:

  1. Raise awareness about the important role and powerful presence of fathers and the issues Louisiana fathers face related to their children and families. 

  2. Facilitate relationship-building and advocacy between fathers from across the state and Louisiana Legislators and policymakers.

  3. Create a space where fathers can connect and learn from each other and experience what is possible in working together across age, race, religion, and geography.

Dad’s Day at the Capitol included:

  1. A special breakfast and BBQ luncheon with Dads from across the state and legislators

  2. A press conference and resolutions acknowledging the presence & importance of fathers in families, the Capitol, and beyond

  3. Advocacy opportunities for Dad’s to learn how to use their voice for policy change, provide testimony, and sit in hearings on important legislation impacting fathers

  4. Opportunities for fathers to connect and learn from each other and meet with legislators about issues that impact them

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Dad’s Day at the Capitol: Fatherhood to the Frontlines brings together fathers from across the state from all walks of life to ensure our voices are heard on issues affecting families and children. We seek to:

  • Raise awareness about the important role and powerful presence of fathers and the issues Louisiana fathers face related to their children and families.

  • Facilitate relationship-building and advocacy between fathers from across the state and Louisiana Legislators and policymakers.

  • Create a space where fathers can connect and learn from each other and experience what is possible in working together across age, race, religion, and geography.

FATHERHOOD MATTERS

Research and our experience shows that the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children beginning during pregnancy improves the health, self-esteem, and well-being of their children and the relationships, health and well-being of both parents.

  • Children with involved fathers are twice as likely to attend college or find stable employment after high school.

  • Children with involved fathers are 80% less likely to spend time in jail.

  • Children with engaged fathers have stronger self-esteem and better peer relationships.

  • Children with actively involved fathers are 43% more likely to earn A’s in school and 33% less likely to repeat a grade than those without engaged dads.

Louisiana could do better for fathers:

Louisiana ranks 45th out of 50 states on Wallet Hub's “Best States for Working Dads” list. This list is built on 21 key indicators of friendliness toward working fathers, ranging from the average length of men’s work day to child care costs to the share of men in good health.

  • Louisiana ranks 49th out of 50 states on a recent analysis of Child and Family Service Reviews for engaging fathers in case planning in child welfare.

  • Louisiana has the highest male incarceration rate of any state in the nation.

  • Numerous other state legislatures have prioritized supporting fatherhood involvement and engagement as an important strategy to improve outcomes across family and child-focused systems in their state.

  • It is past time for Louisiana to bolster our fathers.

Thank you to our partners:

Dad-A-Port, Fathers on a Mission, Fathers Matter, Geaux Far Louisiana, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, and United Way of Southeast Louisiana.