On July 31, 2017, DaRel and Charles first met their future son, Braeden, when he was only 5 days old and still in the hospital. After nine months, Braeden would officially become part of their forever family.

DaRel and Charles, better known as Daddy and Poppa to their three-year-old, want to instill the importance of Black History Month in their son from a young age so he can celebrate his culture and have pride in his heritage.

During the month of February, reading Braeden a children’s book written by an African American author is a daily occurrence, and the dads cook family recipes with their son that have been passed down by previous generations. 

But they don’t limit their celebrations to just February. “We try to teach you about your culture all year round,” Charles says.

While Braeden, the “strong-willed Leo”, is only three years old, their words are clear: “respect each others differences and treat everybody with kindness”.

Watch DaRel and Charles’ heartwarming message to Braeden in the full video above.

Watch “Dear Lyla” video here.

Watch “Dear Avery” video here. 

Watch “Dear Harper & Knock” video here.