Discover the struggles and triumphs of single fathers in “No Man’s Land” docuseries, now available at Oakland African American Museum Library.
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
By Candice Nguyen and Jeremy Carrol
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown, the Investigative Unit started following the journey of Mike Duarte and his daughter Danielle. Mike described being evicted, kicked out of homeless shelters, and denied childcare services – all while navigating his sudden new reality as a single father.
Over the course of 10 month, the investigative team led by Investigative Reporter Candice Nguyen, uncovered systemic housing and emergency services barriers that disproportionately impact single fathers and their families. Alongside Investigative Producer Robert Campos and Chief Photographer Mark Villarreal, Nguyen held public officials accountable for a complex web of anti-male biases, racism and outdated rules that often shut these fathers out.
The reporting prompted policy changes in multiple Bay Area cities and went on to win a national Peabody Award.
“I was like, wow, single fathers – especially if they’re below a certain economic threshold – they do not have the resources available to them especially compared to their female counterparts,” Wood said. “I really wanted to preserve their stories. I don’t want other young men who may become fathers in the future to have to go through that.”
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is a branch of the Oakland Library. Check out their website or visit their location at 659 14th Street, Oakland CA 94612.
To watch No Man’s Land, go to www.nbcbayarea.com/nomansland.
#NoMansLand #KNTV #OaklandAfricanAmericanMuseumLibrary #SingleDadStruggle
