Prayer Walk
& Men’s Summit
Covering our children, families & communities in prayer.
We walk. We pray. We cover. We stand together.
When
Sat. Nov 14 · 10 AM
Where
Location TBD
About Fathers Matter
What do fathers carry that no one ever asks them about?
The pressure to provide. The responsibility to protect. The things they were taught by their own fathers, and the things they had to learn without one. Grief. Faith. Regret. Second chances. The quiet decisions they make every day that shape the people watching them.
That is where Fathers Matter begins.
Seventeen Black fathers opened up about fatherhood and manhood as they have actually lived it. Not a perfect version. Not one story. Their stories move through presence and absence, family and relationships, faith, loss, healing, vulnerability, mentorship, breaking cycles, second chances and legacy.
The book grew, in part, from a father’s own experience with unimaginable loss and a realization that fathers needed space to be heard too. What began with one man’s story became an invitation for other fathers to tell the truth about theirs.
One of those voices belongs to Stanford Robinson.
In “Fathers Who Cover Their Children in Prayer,” he reflects on something bigger than the words we say to our children: the example we live in front of them. What do they learn from the way we respond to pressure? The way we love? The way we pray? The way we treat people? What are we teaching when we do not realize we are teaching at all?
That question helped inspire the Prayer Walk.
On November 14, Fathers Matter comes off the page.
The Book Launch + Prayer Walk + Men’s Summit creates a place for men to connect, reflect, pray, learn something useful and have conversations we do not always make room for.
Walk at your own pace. Spend time in the Reflection Zones. Step into hands-on experiences around wellness, relationships, practical life skills and refinement. Talk with another man. Bring your family. Learn something. Pass something on.
But November 14 is not the finish line.
The larger mission is to put Fathers Matter and its message into the hands of 1,000 fathers, including men navigating reentry, recovery, housing instability, grief and other major life transitions.
Because sometimes a man does not need someone to tell him what his story should be.
Sometimes he needs to hear another man tell the truth about his own.
And somewhere inside those 17 stories, a father may recognize a piece of himself.
Come meet the men behind the stories.
Come experience Fathers Matter beyond the book.
Help us carry the message to the next father who needs it.
The Book
Fathers Matter
A collection of stories from fathers changing the narrative on Black fatherhood.
Foreword By: Dr. Andrew A. Ray, 39th Grand Basileus, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Featured Chapter
“Fathers Who Cover Their Children in Prayer”
by Stanford Robinson, a reflection on the example fathers set through their actions, values and presence, and how the behaviors they model can shape what their children carry forward.
The Day
What to Expect
Come as you are. Bring who and what is on your heart.
A day designed for fathers, families and community to connect, move, learn, reflect and spend meaningful time together.
Arrive & Connect
Check in, get settled and meet other fathers, families and community members.
Start Together
We’ll open with music, welcome, prayer and a simple Move With Purpose warm-up.
Walk at Your Own Pace
Follow the Prayer Walk route with family, friends or on your own.
Along the way, you’ll encounter designated stops for prayer, reflection, conversation and practical experiences. Spend a few minutes at each stop, participate in what speaks to you, then continue when you’re ready.
There is no race and no pressure to keep up with a group. The walk is meant to be experienced, not rushed.
Explore the Zones
Hands-on experiences, practical conversations and useful resources around:
Prayer & Reflection
Take part in guided prayer and reflection, pray with others or simply find a quiet moment.
Stay & Connect
Meet facilitators, community partners and other families. Continue the conversation, grab something to eat and enjoy the day.
Your Prayer Walk + Men’s Summit Registration
$45 Registration Includes:
More than a walk. A day that gives you something to take with you.
Your registration includes the full Prayer Walk + Men’s Summit experience, plus exclusive items created for this day.
Fathers Matter Hoodie
Made for the mission. Built for everyday.
Prayer & Reflection Journal
Space to reflect, write, and grow.
Access to All Zones & Activities
Wellness. Legacy. Matters of the Heart. What's in Your Toolkit?
Water & Light Refreshments
Community Gathering
Connect, relax, and keep the conversation going.
Prayer is always free. Your registration covers the November 14, 2026 in-person experience and everything included throughout the day.
The Book
Fathers Matter: Changing the Narrative on Black Fathers
Real stories. Different journeys. One powerful truth: fathers matter.
Fathers Matter brings together the voices of Black fathers sharing fatherhood as they have actually lived it.
The book was born, in part, from a father's own experience with unimaginable loss and a realization that fathers need space to be heard too. What began as one man's desire to give voice to that experience grew into a collection of fathers willing to tell their own stories, honestly and in their own words.
Together, those stories challenge a familiar narrative about Black fatherhood and replace it with something more complete: fathers who love, fathers who struggle, fathers who learn, fathers who heal, fathers who show up, and fathers whose stories deserve to be heard.
Join the Prayer Walk Wall
Who or what will you cover in prayer today?
Choose what is on your heart. Offer a prayer, cover a gift, or both.
Prayer & Giving
Who or what will you cover in prayer today?
Inspired by “Fathers Who Cover Their Children in Prayer” from Fathers Matter.
Someone may be on your heart today. Your child. Your father. A friend. A family going through something. Maybe it is healing, a second chance, a new beginning, or something you simply do not have the words for yet.
Choose what is on your heart and offer a prayer. Choose one or several. You can also leave a few words of prayer or encouragement if you would like.
Prayer is free. Always.
You do not have to be at the walk to be part of what we are building. Pray with us from wherever you are, join us on November 14, or help carry the Fathers Matter message forward through your giving.
Gifts made through the prayer wall will help support efforts to place copies of Fathers Matter with men in underserved communities and programs supporting fathers through reentry, recovery, housing instability, grief, and other life transitions.
Your gift helps put real stories of fatherhood, healing, vulnerability, faith, and second chances into the hands of men who may see part of their own story in these pages.
Offer a prayer. Cover a gift. Carry the message forward.
Prayers Offered
1
1 intention lifted
Gifts Covered
1 of 100
$1 given
Sponsorship
Sponsor a moment along the journey
Sponsors help create meaningful moments along the walk. Fathers Matter approves every stop to keep the message at the center.
Prayer & Reflection Stop Sponsor
$500Hold a moment for walkers along the route.
There will be 5 available stops. Each sponsored stop gives an organization an opportunity to help create a meaningful moment for walkers.
May include
- Welcome walkers
- Provide water or refreshments
- Offer trivia or a simple activity
- Provide an encouraging takeaway
- Create a comfortable place to pause
- Participate in a brief reflection, conversation, meditation, or prayer
- Add another appropriate experience that fits the spirit of the walk
Fathers Matter retains approval over each stop's theme, content, setup, messaging, and activities. Stop themes are set together later.
Start & Finish Experience Sponsor
$1,500Welcome the community in. Celebrate them on the way out.
There is 1 exclusive sponsorship available. This sponsorship supports the signature start/finish arch and the experience around the beginning and return of the walk.
May include
- Prominent recognition at the start/finish arch
- Recognition on the Prayer Walk website
- Recognition in event communications
- Opportunity to help welcome walkers
- Opportunity to provide an approved finish experience such as water, refreshments, encouragement, giveaways, music, or another appropriate touch
- Event-day sponsor acknowledgment
The arch celebrates the walk — it is not a race, and sponsorship is never presented as a competition or timed finish.
November 14, 2026
Bring someone with you. Bring someone on your heart.
Join fathers, families, churches, and neighbors from across the DMV for a day of prayer, reflection, worship, and fellowship.
Come walk. Come pray. Come cover our families.