Alumni Feature
Father Figure
Gabriel Fonseca ’ 99 Is Working to Change the Culture of Fatherhood and Family in Massachusetts Community
Gabriel Fonseca ’ 99 is a father figure , both at home and at work . As the fatherhood coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital ’ s Chelsea HealthCare Center in the suburbs of Boston , he helps men become better fathers to their children and develops programs to promote what he calls the “ fatherhood movement .”
“ My focus is helping fathers care for their kids ,” said Fonseca , who received his bachelor ’ s degree in psychology from Siena Heights University . “ I didn ’ t even know there was even professions like this out in the world .”
After earning his master ’ s degree from Rhode Island University , he expected to enter the field of gerontology . But then he said he “ followed his heart ,” taking a parent leadership trainer position in Hartford , Conn . before eventually coming to MGH to continue his work with fathers and families .
“ I ’ ve been on the edge of leading fatherhood movements in Connecticut and here in Massachusetts ,” Fonseca said . “ I ’ ve been in the fatherhood movement for almost a decade now . If you just turn on the TV you will see much more social change around fatherhood . … We are trying to change the norms of what it means to be a dad .”
He uses evidence-based curriculum to work with fathers who are first-time parents . His program offers home visit programs for parents who want that extra support , such as how to soothe a baby , keep them happy and safe , and even how to change diapers .
“ When dads are healthy and strong and able to respond to their babies with a nurturing approach that helps their children and helps our community ,” he said .
Chelsea , an immigrant resettlement community of approximately 36,000 people — 90 percent of whom speak Spanish — is dealing with major violence and drug abuse from Central American gangs . Fonseca said he continues to be a part of a community-wide effort to combat this growing problem through strengthening families .
“ The reality is that Chelsea is known as a resettlement community ,” said Fonseca , who served as MGH ’ s refugee health program coordinator from 2014-15 . “ But we are also known as a community that has a strong gang membership . Small gangs as well as worldwide gangs are here . … The worst part of this phenomenon is Chelsea is a place where the kids felt they were running away from the gangs , but they are here in the United States . These gangs have a strong foothold here in Chelsea , and we are working to create some solutions .”
Fonseca sits on a community coalition called The Hub , which mobilizes service providers from a variety of areas to address high-risk and immediate-risk cases . “ It ’ s a collective approach ,” he said of the coalition . “ The murders that have happened here in Chelsea just in the last six months have been extremely brutal . On average , the kids who have been killed are 14 years old . … Our city is in mourning right now , but also focusing on solutions . It ’ s heavy lifting .”
Fonseca said his work with the fatherhood movement becomes that much more important , especially those in underserved populations like the Latino and African American communities .
“ I am leading efforts around family violence ,” he said . “ We have to stop the violence from being appealing . The norms of being a young kid need to change . … I just think youth identity needs to be more positive . As a community we need to celebrate and give identities to youths , not paint a broad stroke that youth are troubled and youth are lost . … I just wish we could come together and reconstruct the identity of what it means to be a teenager in the United States .”
Fonseca said he is starting with his own 6-year-old son , Bodhi , whom he calls his “ pride and joy .”
“ Just living fatherhood is nice as an experience , but it ’ s so much more enriching since I ’ ve had my son ,” he said . “ The overall culture change is a daunting task . I can do that with my own son , and I think that ’ s where that starts . Health and positive identity starts in the home . That ’ s why I ’ m focused on being a good dad and helping others be good dads .”
Fonseca , who is proud of his Latino roots , said Siena Heights nurtured his passion for helping people .
“ I was given opportunities at Siena that sparked my identity development ,” said Fonseca , who was a member of the Saints ’ baseball team as well as the TRiO and McNair Scholars Program . “ Siena gave me the opportunity to just follow my heart .”
He said he is determined to continue his work in Chelsea .
“ I love the work I do in the community ,” he said . “ We have much more work to be done . I want to stay here until this work is no longer needed .
“ I always knew I wanted to do something for people because I couldn ’ t go to sleep at night not doing something good for people . That ’ s what I want to be known for , as someone who reached out a hand . … All this started at Siena Heights .” u
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