My "Why" As a Father
I was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 11th, 1988, to Jacques and Bernita Brice. My parents were born and raised poor in Haiti. Life as children for my parents was completely different from my childhood. My parents didn’t have the option to work—they had to work, as the survival of their family depended on it. When my parents got married, they had a vision for a better life for their kids (one being deceased), so they devised an audacious plan to emigrate to New York City in the hope of providing a better life for their children.
My parents worked two or more jobs to make ends meet. I remember sitting with my mother recently while in Haiti as she recounted their journey from Haiti to America. I remember seeing the tears in her eyes as she attempted to describe the pain, fear, and challenges they endured to survive. I remember my dad walking in during our conversation and saying, “We were hard on you because the deck of cards was stacked against you. So we had to prepare you for life.”
My parents disciplined us. They instilled a bold faith in God within us. They invested a perspective of life that shaped us to work hard, to believe in ourselves, and to go after our dreams. As a result, the man and the leader I’ve become is a product of a father and mother who prepared me for life. Because of my parents, I am educated, having been through the world of academia, and I now teach undergraduate Bible courses at Abilene Christian University. I am the founder and CEO of three organizations and businesses: Yoga 4 The World (a 501[c][3]), Hii Brand LLC, and Brice Enterprise LLC. I am one of the leaders and preachers for The Table Philadelphia, which is a church of house churches. I am the operations coordinator for the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, where we bail people out of jail and work to put an end to the cash bail system. I am a re-entry specialist for The Liberation Foundation, where I work and walk alongside groups of men who are waiting to be released from prison; I assist them with ensuring that they do not return to prison. I sit on my local Police Department Advisory Committee as a liaison between the community and the police department. It is because of my parents that I know my purpose in life today: to be liberated and to liberate for a better social world.
But most importantly, I am a dad. I am the father of two beautiful, strong-willed, smart, highly energetic kids. I now understand my parents’ passion, intention, and relentless pursuit as it has been transferred to me. My parents sacrificed their entire life for their children, and now I live for my children. Everything that I do in the world is designed to make the world a better place—for my children. I may not end police brutality, but if I can impact my local police department, then my kids will be able to be stopped by law enforcement without the internal fear and trauma that was passed down to me. I may not end gun violence, but if I can use yoga and meditation to impact the lives of those who are hurting, poor, and desperate, then maybe my kids will be able to walk down the street without fear of a stray bullet connecting with them. I may not abolish the criminal legal system, but if I can work to inject a restorative approach to justice, then maybe my kids can live in a world filled with grace and restorative justice.
So my “why” as a father is to live for my last name more than to live for my first. I sacrifice my life for my children, my children’s children, and my children’s children’s children—all for a better world. Happy Father’s Day to my father and to all the dads who work tirelessly to provide, protect, and pave a future for their family.
Before I let you go, I would like to hear from you. What is your why for living?
