I’ll be honest — I’m frustrated.

For years, I’ve had this idea in my head and heart: a program to help raise our boys into men. Not the kind of “manhood” the world pushes today, but the kind rooted in respect, responsibility, and strength — physical, mental, and moral. I called it TRUE-MEN, because that’s what we desperately need to get back to.

I finally decided to stop thinking and start doing.

I launched the first Dads’ Breakfast, invited over 20 men, and promoted it for weeks. And when the day came… only one dad showed up.
Me.

Now, I’ll admit — that stung. I sat there sipping my cafecito at the back of La Carreta, wondering what in the world has happened to us. We have so many men saying “our boys need help,” but when the time comes to stand up and do something about it, we’re ghosts.

I get it — we’re all busy. But if we don’t start showing up for our boys, we’re going to lose them.
And if we lose our boys, we lose our future.

The Hard Truth: Boys Are in Trouble

Let’s call it like it is — boys today are struggling.
They’re growing up in a world where masculinity is confused, discipline is optional, and screens have replaced skills. They spend more time on devices than outdoors. They don’t know how to change a tire, swing a hammer, or speak with confidence.

They’re told “be yourself,” but never shown how to build a self worth being.

We’ve raised a generation that can scroll endlessly but can’t make eye contact. That can talk all day online but can’t hold a conversation face-to-face. That knows every video game trick but doesn’t know how to shake a man’s hand.

And I’m not blaming the kids. I’m blaming us — the men.

Somewhere along the way, we stepped back.
We got busy, tired, distracted.
And now we’re watching a world where manhood is treated like a problem to fix instead of a gift to shape.

Moms Get It — But This Is Our Job

Here’s the ironic part: almost every request I’ve gotten to launch TRUE-MEN came from moms.
They see what’s happening. They feel it. They’re begging for something like this because they know — boys need men.

But here’s where I draw the line: this can’t be a “mom-run” thing.
No disrespect, but moms can’t teach boys how to be men. That’s not how nature or design works. Moms are amazing — but there are some lessons only a man can pass down.

That’s why TRUE-MEN will stay a men-only space — dads, uncles, grandfathers, mentors.
Even if I have to start small — even if it’s just me and my two boys — we’ll keep going. Because if we don’t take back this responsibility, no one else will.

TRUE-MEN: A Return to the Basics

TRUE-MEN isn’t about lectures or checklists. It’s about hands-on lessons that build character:

Learning to work with your hands and take pride in what you do.

Serving others through community projects.

Speaking up with confidence and respect.

Practicing discipline — even when no one’s watching.

Building brotherhood through effort, sweat, and shared purpose.

It’s about teaching boys to be men who can be depended on — by their families, their communities, and one day, by their wives and children.

My Promise

I’m not giving up on this.
If no other dads show up, I’ll still show up.
If no one believes in it yet, I’ll keep building until they do.
Because I know this matters — not just for my sons, but for yours too.

One day, TRUE-MEN will grow.
It will have chapters, mentors, and young men teaching the next generation what it means to be strong, kind, faithful, and capable.
And when that day comes, I’ll know it started here — with one dad who refused to let his boys grow up in a world that forgot what being a man means.

Closing Thought

To every dad who reads this — I’m not judging you. I’m inviting you.
Our boys don’t need us to be perfect.
They just need us to show up.

If you’re ready to stop talking about what’s wrong with this generation and start doing something about it, let’s go.
Even if it’s just one step, one Saturday, one conversation at a time — it’s worth it.

Because the future depends on the men we raise today.