In this thought-provoking episode of the I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Dena Barnwell, a Doctor of Public Health candidate, health educator, and former doula, whose work focuses on making fatherhood visible in systems that often leave men out. Dena’s journey into fatherhood advocacy began with her own personal story—a deep bond with her father, followed by a decade-long absence that challenged everything she believed about paternal relationships.

Her work explores how mental health, systems involvement, and social stigma impact fathers during the perinatal period, and why public health must treat men as more than “accessory parents.” Kenneth and Dena unpack the often-overlooked role of dads in maternal health, the emotional complexity of co-parenting, and the critical importance of storytelling in reshaping narratives about Black fathers. From her powerful research in Baltimore to her reflections as a mother, Dena makes a compelling case for family-centered—not mother-only—models of care.