Dear Colleagues,

I want to take this opportunity to wish all the fathers in our Acadia community a very happy Father's Day this Sunday. It is a time to reflect on the role of fatherhood and the incredible responsibility that comes with it.

Fathers play an inextricably important role in the upbringing and education of children in our society, as well as being partners to the mothers we celebrated on May 10. As a father myself, I feel that the dual roles of nurturing and raising children and being a loving and supportive partner go hand-in-hand. It truly makes me sad when I see incidences of domestic violence and abuse that occur all too often.

This Father's Day in 2020 is a time to renew our commitment to being good parents and partners, especially when families have been thrown even closer together than usual due to the pandemic. Supporting each other has never been more important. During ongoing struggles against racism and discrimination, it is also time to reflect on the role of fathers, and all parents and guardians, in teaching our children to recognize and stand up to racism, discrimination, and abuse.

Acadia is a learning community, and as such, we must always strive to learn more about how to live better lives. On Sunday, celebrate all that is good about fatherhood, reflect on what is not always right about how it is sometimes practiced, and let's renew our love for and commitment to our families.

Best wishes,

Peter