A Black Father’s Radical Acceptance of His Son

The SonRise Project creator Kelli Richardson Lawson introduces her husband, Keith Lawson. He shares his personal journey as a father of two sons, including one with addiction and mental wellness challenges. He says while there is no parenting instruction book or roadmap, there are many tools to utilize, including therapy and the support of a loving community. Keith reflects on his own difficult childhood. He was raised by his single mom in Baltimore. His father struggled with alcoholism. Keith and his siblings had few resources available to them. Keith says he realized long ago that he wanted to create something different for his own family. Today he’s paradigm-shifting and pivoting to a new normal. He’s also learning to practice what he calls "radical acceptance” of his son and himself. Keith says he’s committed to transforming his pain into passion by speaking out and making more discussions about mental health possible.