Black Fathers Gathered in Chicago To Take a Part in a "Daddy Stroll"

Finally, a TikTok trend we can get behind! Hundreds of fathers in Chicago came together to take part in an organized "daddy stroll." The event was marketed as a place where Black fathers could show up to a daddy and me walk with their little kids, showing off what it's like to be a present father.

The walk appeared to be a huge success and ended up going viral both on TikTok and Reddit, where people celebrated the idea and all of the participants who came out to strut their stuff.

While there were some people who were upset about the idea that something like this needed to be showcased, many people posted on Reddit about how they appreciated the positive representation, especially when it comes to fathers who are the primary parent and don't get the support they believe they should, since society still associates so much of parenting with "women's work."

With all the excitement surrounding the walk, we're hopeful this will become an annual thing!

The event took place in 2025, according to a TikTok video about the walk where fathers could be seen milling about with their little ones, many of them so younger that they were still in strollers (hence the nickname).

"Black Fathers holding it down," a viral video shared by @radiokinkyle said in the caption. "Big shout to all the Dad’s that participated in the “Daddy & Me Stoll” with @daddyvictoryclub over the weekend in Chicago!"

"It was a good look for solidarity and support amongst fathers who sometime don’t always get recognized for the sacrifice and work we put in," his post continued. The comments were full of people who loved the stroll, with on person even asking if it was too late for her to get involved, writing, "Is there an age limit cuz I’m 30 and my dad would love to participate."

A compilation of the videos were shared on Reddit, by user @candlemonster.

There, some fathers explained why this was so needed, with one person saying they were hoping more positive recognition like this would reduce the number of times that they get patronized by people when they are out parenting their children alone. "You know how many times I got the, is daddy babysitting today? Or is it daddy daughter day? Giving mom a day off? And so forth," one person asked.

"I'm the default parent and it's so annoying when people assume I'm giving mom a break," another wrote.

While the Chicago stroll highlighted Black fathers, there is a growing number of dads getting more involved in their children's lives across all backgrounds. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, the number of kids growing up with a father in their home was at a 30-year high as of 2023, with about 75.9 percent of kids reportedly living with their pops.

That increase is largely due to the increase in Black fathers living at home as well, according to the report.

As of 2023, only 47.5 percent of Black children lived without their fathers, which the National Fatherhood Initiative says is the lowest that figure has been since 1973.

Hopefully, the news of the Chicago daddy stroll will continue to spread so that more fathers can be celebrated for taking an active role in their children's lives.