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Beyond Expectations: Reclaiming Love – Self, Brotherhood, and Community is a powerful storytelling event hosted by DBHIDS Engaging Males of Color (EMOC) in collaboration with First Person Arts.
In a world that often defines men and boys of color by limits rather than potential, this evening is a radical act of truth-telling, healing, and reclamation. Through the transformative art of storytelling, men of color and community members will share lived experiences centered around three interconnected forms of love: self-love, love for your brother, and love for our community.
This is not just an event, it is a gathering of the village. We come together to explore what truly means to love ourselves in a society that often teaches us not to. We affirm the bonds of brotherhood that help us carry one another through struggle and triumph. And we ask the village: how do we love our children, especially our boys, so they feel seen, valued, and protected? We ground this gathering in the wisdom of the African proverb: “If the child does not feel the warmth of the village, he will burn it down just to feel it”. This event is not just a Call to Action but a Call to LOVE.