Latest news with #JohnnyWilson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Father's group aims to help young, struggling dads
Diego Lozano became a habitual heroin user at age 18, shortly after his son was born. The habit led to a downward spiral that ended in homelessness for his young family and time behind bars for him as he awaited trial on several criminal charges. Now free as part of a plea deal, Lozano is getting help rebuilding his life from Fathers New Mexico, a Santa Fe-based organization dedicated to managing the cases of struggling dads and to connecting families with resources they might otherwise not be able to access. For Lozano, that has meant an array of services, including providing basic needs like milk and diapers. Fathers New Mexico hopes to dispel assumptions that fathers like Lozano are not and cannot be enough for their children, said executive director Johnny Wilson. Oftentimes, dads are not expected to be a part of their children's lives or are not taught to seek help when they need it — a result of misguided ideals about masculinity, Wilson said. 'How we talk about what masculinity is needs to change,' Wilson said in an interview. 'Also, the assumptions that many people make about men's willingness and eagerness to parent their children are pretty negative," he said. When people tell men they aren't expected to be present and invested in a nurturing relationship with their children, "that's very discouraging. It's very, very discouraging,' Wilson said. His organization seeks to connect struggling parents with legal aid, parenting mentorship and education to advance their careers and opportunities. Wilson estimated Fathers New Mexico reaches 200 to 300 people per year. At the center of the work is a goal to improve the lives of children, who stand to benefit from fathers who have cleaned up their act and fostered healthy relationships with them, Wilson said. 'Engaged and involved fathers improve outcomes for children. Period. There's no qualifier to that,' he said. Hector Aveldaño, a case manager with Fathers New Mexico, considers Lozano one of his foremost success stories, although the 23-year-old strayed and dropped off his radar at times. With Aveldaño's help, Lozano is working through a legal case to get more time with his son. The boy's mother was recently granted sole custody because of Lozano's lengthy criminal record, but Lozano will still get supervised visits with the boy under the court order. Aveldaño works with different types of families, including fathers who are incarcerated or who have recently immigrated to the United States. For the former, that includes making trips to New Mexico Corrections Department facilities and holding group meetings. Aveldaño said he often guides incarcerated fathers through peer support groups, parenting classes and sometimes custody cases. For recently immigrated fathers, Aveldaño said help might consist of getting their children enrolled in school and in child care. Aveldaño said he believes fathers can overcome any obstacle in providing their children the support they need. 'If people get the help and resources they need, they can get to a point where they can fully support their children,' he said. 'And we've definitely [had] plenty of situations where people are not doing great.' Currently, Lozano is staying in transitional living housing through The Life Link's Reintegrating into Society Equally, or RISE, program. He's working at McDonald's and taking an information technology class through the program. He said he's focused on spending more time with his son — and on staying clean. 'It's either I've got to do this, or I don't, and if I don't, there's a really good chance that I'm going to die,' he said. 'So I use that as a motivation every day to not go back.'
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Recent mock draft gives the Eagles the game changer they've been coveting
2026 mock draft gives the Eagles the offensive weapon they keep seeking but never seem to find. Sometimes, the mind wanders to intriguing thoughts. For example, what would it be like to be a fly on the wall in Howie Roseman's office, or to follow the Philadelphia Eagles' general manager for a day? Over time, it has become clear that no matter how much he is analyzed, predicting his next move remains increasingly impossible. We've observed some trends. Regardless of how effectively Philadelphia runs the ball, Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie prefer to see their team throwing long passes and scoring touchdowns. They want the offense to be exciting, but they also appreciate a touch of physicality. This has led to an experiment they have been conducting on and off for several seasons. Remember Tyree Jackson? Sure you do! He was the six-foot-seven, 249-pound quarterback the Eagles worked to turn into a tight end. It didn't work, but every so often, they try to find his upgrade, usually with little to no success. They added Julio Jones and wanted him to be a possession receiver. They tried to develop Noah Togiai. In 2024, they drafted Johnny Wilson, and if ESPN's recent theory is correct, they might revisit an old idea. Eagles land Denzel Boston in an ESPN 2026 NFL mock draft Philadelphia loves A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They're without question the best wide receiver tandem in the game, but based on recent acquisitions and signings, the Eagles also seem intent on finding two more weapons. They want a speedster who can go deep. They want a big-bodied possession receiver who can serve as a mismatch. ESPN may have the answer. In Matt Miller's 2026 mock draft, they land Washington Huskies star Denzel Boston. He stands at six feet four and tips the scales at 209 pounds. He's two inches shorter than Johnny Wilson and 19 pounds lighter, but Boston has better hands. Miller offers his take: "The Eagles have thrived on finding top-20 players who slip through the cracks. Boston could fit that mold, as the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder had 63 catches, 834 yards, and 9 touchdowns last season. His physical, above-the-rim style is a lot like Tetairoa McMillan's style. Philadelphia has two bona fide star receivers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but there isn't much behind them. With Brown entering his age-28 season, it's worth taking a young receiver like Boston for three-wide sets now and to eventually replace Brown later." Miller's mock, interestingly enough, has Philadelphia picking 31st, one spot ahead of the Buffalo Bills. It sounds like he has the Birds getting back to the Super Bowl and losing vs. Josh Allen and company? Let's return to Boston. We discussed his height, but he has also put significant effort into his resume. Last season, in 16 games, he accumulated 834 yards and scored nine touchdowns while making 63 tackles. He will definitely be a player to watch throughout the season as we begin building the draft board for next April.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles GM Howie Roseman Feeling Unusual Heat Over Draft Class Criticism
Eagles GM Howie Roseman Feeling Unusual Heat Over Draft Class Criticism originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the Philadelphia Eagles gear up for training camp, cracks are beginning to show in general manager Howie Roseman's 2024 draft strategy—particularly among the six players he selected on Day 3. While Roseman remains one of the NFL's sharpest minds when it comes to early-round talent acquisition, last year's late-round haul is in danger of becoming a rare misstep. Advertisement Eagles analyst Josh Davis of the Philly Special Show reports that three of those 2024 selections—fifth-round wide receiver Ainias Smith, fifth-round guard Trevor Keegan, and sixth-round wide receiver Johnny Wilson—may be on the chopping block as the 2025 roster begins to take shape. The trio is reportedly struggling to gain traction amid fierce competition from veterans and practice squad standouts. Smith, who benefited from a 2024 injury stint and Britain Covey's absence to stay with the team, now faces long odds. With A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson and Avery Williams all but locked into roles, only a few spots remain—and Smith hasn't shown enough this offseason to cement one. Wilson's situation is more surprising. At 6-foot-7, the Florida State product logged over 400 offensive snaps as a rookie and carved out a niche as a reliable run-blocking presence. With new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo emphasizing a physical ground game, Wilson seemed like a natural fit. But absences from OTAs and a troubling case of the drops have opened the door for others. Practice squad holdover Danny Gray has been a standout this spring, and free agent signing Terrace Marshall Jr. has received public praise from quarterback Jalen Hurts, further muddying Wilson's outlook. On the interior line, Keegan's climb has been no easier. With a crowded room that demands positional versatility, Keegan hasn't yet shown the flexibility or consistency to lock down a second-team role. If he can't prove valuable at both guard and center, his roster spot is far from secure. Advertisement All of this adds up to potential embarrassment for a front office that prides itself on squeezing value from the back half of the draft. If Keegan, Wilson, and Smith are all cut, only two of Philadelphia's six Day 3 selections from 2024—running back Will Shipley and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.—would remain. That hit rate would be well below Roseman's usual standards and calls into question the effectiveness of his recent strategy to flood the roster with late-round 'lottery tickets.' The Eagles doubled down on this approach in 2025, drafting eight players in Rounds 4-7. But if last year's results are any indication, Roseman may need to rethink whether quantity over quality truly fits a roster already stacked with elite, entrenched talent. With training camp looming, the fate of these fringe players will be decided not just by raw talent, but by availability, versatility, and trust—three pillars that can make or break an NFL career. For Smith, Keegan, and Wilson, the margin for error has all but disappeared. Related: Eagles' Jeremiah Trotter 'Is On The Trade Block' Per Report Related: Adoree Jackson Embraces Old-School Coaching Style in Eagles Secondary This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
"The First Homosexuals" art exhibit at Wrightwood 659 in Lincoln Park explores early modern LGBTQ+ identity
Today, it's known as the LGBTQ community, but years ago, members were just called "homosexuals". Even though the term might seem outdated, the creation of the word was a major shift in the way people thought about sexuality. A new art exhibit in Lincoln Park called "The First Homosexuals" explores LGBTQ history. "This is that pivotal turning point, where the terms homosexual and heterosexual are first coined," Johnny Wilson, assistant curator of "The First Homosexuals," said. The first time the words "homosexual" and "heterosexual" were used in print, they appeared in a letter written by a European activist in the 1860s. The words established sexuality as an identity, not just an action. The collection of art shows people in the gay, lesbian, and trans community in the years following the creation of the term. "It's about how art captures that transition," Wilson said. And the meaning of that art was often coded. For example, there is a sculpture from French actress and artist Sarah Bernhardt. "She's depicting herself as a chimera. She has the wings of a bat," Wilson said. "For her, a bat was a symbol of her lesbian dissonance. The exhibit features hundreds of pieces from collections worldwide. It took staffers like Wilson years to put it together. He says it's much more than just an exhibit. "I feel like this is my version of protest," He said. "In this political moment, at a time when queer and trans are facing attacks, it's simply surreal and invaluable to share this history. Wilson says he's tried to get other museums in the U.S. to show the exhibit as well. But so far, there have been no takers. "Museums are afraid of doing exhibits like this, this is the uncensored history of queerness," He said. "This is an exhibit that at times challenges you, but that's what art is all about." The exhibit runs through July 26 at the gallery Wrightwood 659. A book on the exhibit will come out next month.
