“The truest test of kinship is behavior not blood”
Lucian Families is dedicated to supporting organizations and programs that serve fathers, families, couples and parenting partners. Lucian Families works to stimulate what’s possible, see what’s next and leverage what matters most to people to live meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Our president, Calvin Williams, spent over 20 years in the fatherhood field as a practitioner, curriculum author, program developer, trainer and policy advocate. Mr. Williams is passionate about people reaching their aspirations, and communities being spaces that nurture possibilities, growth and positive change for all of it’s people.
Lucian Families considers it’s work to be “the work of the heart.” Our approach prioritizes using current and emerging science, research and best practices to create innovative strategies and solutions that are relevant to our client’s needs, and that truly “hit the mark”.
Skillfully designed workshops, trainings and webinars are created with the highest regard for the people we serve. Lucian Families operates from a diversity and inclusion lens, believing that all people deserve to have full agency and autonomy over their lives in the context of safe and thriving communities that support the common good.
Our expertise is used by state and county human service agencies, community, faith-based and public health organizations, as well as state and national networks and associations. We value partnership, collaboration, integrity and inclusion as necessary elements for success.
Our name “Lucian” pays homage to the father of our founder and president. It was very popular in the southern United States between the late 1800’s and the mid-20th Century. It has ancient historical lineage and usage in both France and Italy, and means “light” or “illumination.” Personified it means “one who brings light”.
OUR TEAM
Calvin Williams, CLC
President & Founder
Calvin Williams’ life and career are profoundly shaped by his experiences as a son and a father. “I am a product of what my father transmitted to me as a boy, distinctly different from what he transferred or transacted; his transmissions invaded my psyche and anchored themselves in a way that continues to feed me to this day.”
In 1994, Mr. Williams was encouraged by an employee at the restaurant he managed to join a group of Black men who were meeting regularly in the Winton Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati. It was a fellowship group, organized to provide the men safe space to discuss how they could support each other in improving their lives. With the support of two local businessmen, that fellowship became a neighborhood-based nonprofit program in 1995. Mr. Williams left his job at the restaurant to become the first Executive Director of the Genesis Men’s Program.
The Genesis Men’s program was very effective at improving men’s lives through fellowship, education and entrepreneurship. Mr. Williams departed the program in 1998, accepting a position at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. There he helped launch the Community Building Institute at Xavier University, serving as Co-Director. In 2002, he saw an article in the Cincinnati Herald newspaper about a local organization that received a grant to begin a fatherhood program. Mr. Williams applied for and was selected as the Program Director for the Services United for Mothers and Adolescents (SUMA) Fatherhood Project. In 2006, Cincinnati -based Lighthouse Youth Services received a grant from the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to launch a fatherhood program.
Mr. Williams’ success at SUMA led leadership at Lighthouse to seek him out. He accepted their offer and developed the Lighthouse REAL Dads Program. In 2010, at an ACF annual fatherhood grantee conference, Mr. Williams met the founder and CEO of Public Strategies, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was recruited there to create fatherhood initiatives to compliment Public Strategies’ existing marriage education and enrichment programs.
In 2015 Mr. Williams returned to Cincinnati and was inspired to launch Lucian Families. His desire was to use his experiences, unique gifts, passion and unquenchable thirst for knowledge to support agencies and programs working to improve the lives of fathers and families.
(Click the You Tube link on the home page to see videos of the Genesis Men’s program, the Lighthouse REAL Dads “Father-Son Retreat” and other videos featuring Calvin Williams)
Harold Howard
Senior Consultant
“One of the greatest privileges ever bestowed upon me is the honor to serve others.” Harold Howard has committed his life to being present and of service to others. His unwavering love and strong belief in the good and the potential in all people is the answer to his “Why.” Harold dedicated his life to pouring into others.
Mr. Howard said he learned the importance of sacrifice and commitment from his father. “In 1997, as a college freshman, my father dropped me off at college. As he was leaving, he turned around and said to me “son, if this is not for you, I will turn around and come back and get you”. From that day on, he understood what a special man his father was. Mr. Howard reasoned that the best way to honor his father is to give to others the way his father gave to him.
Today, Mr. Howard serves as an exceptional nonprofit leader whose record of accomplishments include creating and growing a number of community service programs in the Cincinnati area. Additionally, he has a proven track record of writing and securing federal, state, and local grants to assist at risk populations.
Throughout his journey, Mr. Howard has made it a point to share his learnings with others along the way. He’s facilitated over 1500 hours of training content to individuals, collaborations, and to community and family practitioners throughout the country. His trainings cover fatherhood, parenting, reentry, grant writing, community engagement, healthy relationships and co-parenting.
Mr. Howard currently serves as president of the Ohio Practitioners Network for Fathers & Families. He is the board chair for Elementz, an inner-city youth program in Cincinnati Ohio. He previously served as the board chair for the Consortium for Young Resilient Children, the Hamilton County Fatherhood Collaborative and the City of Cincinnati Charter Review Task Force.
Mr. Howard is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, born and raised on the Westside of town. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications from West Virginia State University, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. He enjoys spending time with his wife Mahogany and their three beautiful daughters Alexia, Tyana, and Malia. Harold Howard is a proud son, brother, husband, father, and community servant.
Gregory Long
Graphic Design, Videography, Cinematography, Marketing Strategist, Media Consultant
“The reconciliation with my dad is a key point in my personal and professional life. The things I’m doing now would not be possible or even imaginable without that healing.”
Since childhood Greg has been an artist. He developed his first logo design for a business partner and since has expanded into other areas of design, then added photography and cinematography to his repertoire.
Greg homeschooled his two boys starting from kindergarten to 12th grade, with one currently finishing high school and the other in college. During his time homeschooling Greg co-founded IMG Group which focused on marketing strategies to build relationships and facilitate company expansion in the commodities, communication and fashion industries.
From 2007 to 2017 Greg served as the Fatherhood Educator for the “Fatherhood Matters” classes at Washington Hospitals Medstar in Washington DC. Fathers supporting breastfeeding is a major focus area for Greg. Both of his sons were breastfed and his wife is president of the District of Columbia Breastfeeding Coalition.
His passion and talents became sought after by organizations like Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, Mary’s Center and others for graphic design work and speaking engagements.
In 2009 Greg arranged a meeting with the director of the District of Columbia branch of the Kidney Foundation about producing, filming and editing it’s first documentary short on kidney disease featuring an African American transplant candidate.
Greg works with Lucian Families through his company, Innerstages LLC, where he is involved with fatherhood, designing, marketing/media strategies, commercial promos and docu-shorts. He’s a founding member of the ROBE Wisdom Council, and lives in Maryland with his beautiful wife and two wonderful sons.