The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
+8 The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
Alfiia, Rose, Keith, Kevin, Becky, Shelly, Mark, Kara, Orissa, Vicky, Belem, Raul by TreVoy Kelly
Alfiia, Rose, Keith, Kevin, Becky, Shelly, Mark, Kara, Orissa, Vicky, Belem, Raul by TreVoy Kelly
Source: Alfiia, Rose, Keith, Kevin, Becky, Shelly, Mark, Kara, Orissa, Vicky, Belem, Raul by TreVoy KellyThe Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
The Fatherhood Effect Opens at the Health Museum
Nearly 100 guests gathered at The Health Museum on Friday, August 14, for a special preview party celebrating The Fatherhood Effect, the museum’s newest exhibition exploring fatherhood through the lens of art, health and community. The evening featured live entertainment by the Melvin Johnson Collective and the presentation of six awards recognizing artists whose work offered compelling perspectives on fatherhood, caregiving, family and community.
Presented as part of The Health Museum’s Healing Arts Program, The Fatherhood Effect features artwork selected through an open call that invited artists to explore fatherhood as a pathway to healthier living. Through powerful local stories and lived experiences, the exhibition considers how fatherhood has evolved over the past three decades and highlights the role meaningful, engaged fatherhood can play in creating healthier children, stronger families and more connected communities.
The exhibition challenges traditional stereotypes that define fathers primarily as providers, instead shining a light on fathers as nurturing, emotionally connected and actively involved caregivers. Through the intersection of art and public health, The Fatherhood Effect celebrates care, connection and shared responsibility as essential elements of healthy families.
During the preview reception, six artists were recognized with special awards:
- Museum’s Choice Award — Lizz Gurrola-Maye for My Father’s Hand (2026)
- Real-Time Award — Kara Crowly for Soulja (2025)
- Roles Changed Award — Vicky Gooch for Some of the Pieces Together (2012)
- The Padre Award — Mark Francis for A Moment Away (2025)
- Houston Father Award — Orissa Bey for Where Abundance Begins (2025)
- The Color of Coffee Collective Award — Omari Maynard for We Are Blessed (2024)
The artwork was juried by a group of Houston community leaders and fathers, including Joaquin Martinez, Houston City Council Member, District I; Daniel Santamaria, Director of Harris County Boards and Commissions; Jorge Olvera, Director of Community Engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association; Keith Hawkins, Founder and CEO of The Color of Coffee Collective; and Kevin Barnett, Founder and Director of CoolxDad.
The Fatherhood Effect opened to the public on Saturday, August 15, and will remain on display at The Health Museum through January 27, 2027.
