Derek Harper is Radio One Program Director for Majic 107.5 and Majic 97.5.   Majic 97.5, on-air for only nine months, is the fastest growing program in Atlanta.  Praise 102.5 has the largest listening audience of any gospel show in the country.

Derek, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received Congressional nominations to attend both the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy.  He was the first African American male to receive these honors.  After attending the Air Force Academy Prep School for one year he accepted a scholarship to Florida A&M.  While there he began his radio career.

He and his wife have four children, two girls and two boys.  They reside in Atlanta.

(Interview with Flaimahmy, September 9, 2009)

FM:  Do you think moms and dads could be on a collision course with more working moms demanding equitable division of the household and child care responsibilities?

DH:  Do I think they are on a collision course?

FM:  Yes.

DH:  I tend to be an idealist. I think that all the responsibilities of the household can be adequately divvied up between both adults.  Oftentimes, there is a point of contention between who’s doing what and who’s main responsibility what is.  If  both parents are out of the house, they have their nine to five, or the way the economy is their nine to seven, or whatever it is, and whose responsibility is it to pick up the kids, whose responsibility is it to make sure that dinner is set for the household for the enitre week… it’s more about communication really I think.

FM:  Do you believe in traditional men and women roles in committed relationships or marriages?

DH:  I believe that whoever is the main breadwinner probably gets a little bit more leeway because being the main breadwinner they need to probably be outside the house a little bit more whether that’s the man or the woman.  In terms of whether this is a woman’s role or this is a man’s role I don’t  believe in that.

FM:  How do you feel about “girls night out” for mothers?

DH:  I think it’s awesome.  Girl’s night out fosters more boy’s night out.  Seriously, I think everybody needs a break at some point in time.  You should treat the household just like it’s a  full time job.  Just like you need a vacation from work you need a vacation from your work at home sometimes.   I think girl’s night out usually accomplishes that.

FM:  In the work environment do you believe that men have it easier than women?

DH:  No, I don’t.  I’ll tell you why.  Because society is still caught up in a lot of traditional roles and a lot of times I think we as a society choose traditional roles when they are convenient for us and when they are not convenient for us then we have a problem.  A lot of times women may say well in the workplace I’m not regarded for certain jobs that they would regard a man for, which I think in this day and age is rapidly coming to a close.  I’ve worked for a number of women and I hold them in high regard.

But with men, you know what, there’s been no change, there’s no empowerment.  First of all, men are viewed a certain way by society and by the work force and if they don’t react in that way then sometimes they are viewed as less than men.  It’s not the men viewing themselves that way it’s society viewing them that way.  I think a lot of men, for instance, wouldn’t have a problem being stay-at-home dads if the woman is the main bread winner or even if the woman is the main bread winner and her job pays more than his the man usually doesn’t have a problem with it, it’s society which causes the man I guess to go ahead and question his work.

I think women a lot of times in this day and age feel the same way especially women who have been out in the work force.  When they decide to start a family they take some time off.   A lot of women I have talked to get antsy because they are used to running a department and now they are at home with the little one.   All their energy… they were used to going ahead and creating projects…now to be at home managing that household…a lot of times they long for some of the inter-activities that they had with the workplace.  So, I think it cuts both ways really.  Men and women in their views are not as different as they want each other to think.

FM:  Do you think women in general put too much pressure on men?

DH:  No, I think men put pressure on men.  That’s just simply the way society has trained us.  I think in the conventional roles of  men and women we sometimes pick and choose when it’s convenient  for us.  There are some women who if it’s convenient for them subscribe to the idea of  this is a man’s role, but if it’s something that they are passionate about then they question whether they are being short-changed even if  society has traditionally said that’s a man’s role.   To wrap that up in a nutshell, I don’t think women as a whole are too hard on men.  Men are harder on themselves and some women who have bought into the idea of  the traditional male roles of society.

FM:  Who are two women that you really admire?

DH:  Living or dead?

FM:  It can be either.

DH:  My grandmother I admire because all the issues that single working moms face today she was doing that and excelling back in the sixties.  She got a nursing degree in the south when there were not a lot of black nurses.  She was running an operating room back in the sixties and still raising three kids on her own and doing it well and successfully.  I admire her.  She would be my main woman that I would admire and I admire my wife for putting up with me and running our household.

FM:  What household chore do you hate doing?

DJ:  You know what, I hate organizing socks.  I hate it.   I would rather go buy everybody new socks rather than try to find matches for the socks we have.  Especially when you have kids and their socks are all over the place; you’ve got to match them.  It’s just the biggest headache.   I can deal with everything else.

FM:  Who’s smarter, men or women?

DH:  OK.  Uhhh…I don’t believe that any particular sex is smarter than the other.   It’s the way they go about it.  I think women are very coy about being smart; men want you to know that they are smart immediately.

FM:  We consider you to be a Fly-Daddy.  In your own words  could you tell us what makes you a Fly-Dad?

DH:  Uhhh…you know I think…what makes me a Fly-Dad?  You know I handle what my responsibilities are which is what men should do.  Just what would make a Fly-Mommy… how do you juggle all of the things that you do…you juggle spending time with the family plus juggle your career.  I think that’s what makes me a Fly-Dad.  I try to keep both in balance.

FM:  Is there anything else that you would like to share with us, any upcoming events sponsored by Majic?

DH:  Oh yes, don’t forget our Masquerade Party on October 31 from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. at Pearl Bistro. Go to our website MajicAtl.com for more details and ticket prices.