Happy Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, and the men who contribute to the lives of young people, even if they are not biologically related. There are so many memes about how Mother’s Day is the holiday where people go all out with the flowers and gifts and handmade cards and Father’s Day is the forgotten holiday where dad gets one card from “the group” and possibly spends the entire holiday working the grill. Well, hopefully this small column will help recognize the quiet labor of so many dads who contribute to the health and wealth of their families.

I have been blessed to have a dad who was, and continues to be, a steadfast supporter of my sister and me. My dad, Theodore Greer, is quick to bring me fresh oxtails from the Amish market in Delaware. Yes, I have my own personal oxtail runner who comes to NYC just to deliver me fresh meat. He delights in our accomplishments as well as the time he spends with my nieces at their various sporting events or at his favorite French restaurant, marveling at how quickly these little ones can take down a steak frites or escargot. He is the one who taught me about good rums and cigars. But most importantly, he helped model what being a true friend should be.

My dad loves his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, and has had longstanding friendships from the 1960s to the present. These men have become my uncles and their children are my Que cousins. I am as close to these people as I am to my own family. My father has always made it clear that friendships will sustain you through all facets of life, the dark moments and the occasions to celebrate.

I recently became a full professor, a promotion which puts me in a very small percentage of Black PhDs in the world. I consistently think of my father’s mantra when my sister and I were growing up, attending some of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the country. He would say, “Education is the only thing I can give you that no one [ever] can take away.” He was right about providing a solid educational foundation and so many other life lessons I think of on a daily basis. “Don’t wear cheap shoes or drink cheap liquor” ranks high up there as well.

I am blessed to have time to continue to learn from my dad and laugh at his tall tales from his days growing up in Miami. I am at an age where many of my friends can no longer celebrate Father’s Day with their dads. Whether in person or with memories, I am wishing everyone a peace-filled Father’s Day.

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.