Celebrating and Calling to Action “Dads” on Father’s Day

By Loria Yeadon   

President and CEO  

YMCA of Greater Seattle 

My dad was my hero, and he deeply cared about our community. He was our family’s provider and protector, and our concerns were his concerns. He was a fierce advocate for community and champion of fairness, and always willing to help those who needed it, even when self-sacrifice was required. That’s who my dad was, and covering his family and community was his superpower. 

Even though I lost my dad just after graduating from college, I still draw strength, courage, and inspiration from his life and example. He worked every day to provide for us, secure our future, and courageously stand up for us when seemingly insurmountable challenges arose. He never tired of working towards better tomorrows for our family and community. Today, we celebrate him and all fathers who labor in love and make sacrifices every day for their families and communities. 

To all the fathers, stepfathers, fathers-to-be, grandfathers, and father figures who step up every day as role models, fierce advocates, and heroes for our youth, anchors for our families, and pillars for our community, thank you. On this Father’s Day, we celebrate you and all fathers and father figures, past and present, who inspire us every day to build our own legacy. We feel your unwavering support. We are lifted by your mentorship, strength, stick-to-itiveness, and perseverance as you nurture and care for others.  

As you nurture and care for your family and community, we also need your voices, along with others, as champions and advocates on the frontlines of the critical issues before us in this moment that will shape our future forever. Hate-motivated violence, challenges to women’s reproductive rights, gun violence, LGBTQIAA+ rights, threats to our democracy, climate changes, and more confront our families and communities.  

The rights and safety of our friends, neighbors, moms, daughters, sons, elders, immigrants, minoritized communities, LGBTQIAA+ youth, those subjected to weaponized false conspiracy theories, and more, are at stake. All dads have an opportunity and responsibility through their example, to model the central, proactive role we all must play in these conversations, not just as allies, but as key influencers and solution partners. We need you now more than ever.    

To all dads, we invite you to take a moment to lift your voices and share your wisdom, hopes, and dreams for your family and community on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you.  

For those of us fortunate to have a great dad or father figures in our lives, let’s show them our love and appreciation and celebrate them today and all year long. Let’s begin today by sharing a heartfelt thank you or posting a shout out of gratitude to the dad in your life on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Please also consider volunteering or making a gift to the Y in honor of their contributions and legacy.   

Thank you for being a part of the Y family.  Please be well and kind to yourselves and others.    

From our Y family to yours, Happy Father’s Day.  

In community and gratitude,  

Loria Yeadon  

President and CEO   

YMCA of Greater Seattle  

Loria Yeadon is President and CEO at YMCA of Greater Seattle. She is an accomplished nonprofit and corporate leader, engineer, and patent attorney, with more than 35 years of demonstrated commitment to serving community. Yeadon is the first woman, as well as the first person of color, to serve as CEO in the 146-year history of the YMCA of Greater Seattle.