I shed 30 pounds, and I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a while. But it was 30 difficult days - of cravings, headaches, mood swings, brain fog, fatigue, you name it… But it was necessary, and it made me think, “What would that look like for our schools? Our school districts? Our educators and their classrooms?”
Our schools and our young people are struggling. Are we willing to go through the necessary growing pains?
(0:00) Class in session
(8:15) My 30-day plant-based detox, and shedding 30 pounds of waste
(15:30) Taking in the school board superintendent resignations and the budget shortages at school districts in the Bay Area
(19:55) Speaking at a church and telling the congregation some upsetting statistics about boys and young men, and about our upcoming Young Men’s Conference
(26:00) An invitation to contribute to your community in a way that is best for you
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
Do you ever wonder if you are doing enough? If you are truly making an impact as an educator, mentor, or leader? For Dr. Edson Andrade, those questions have been a constant companion, shaped by his journey as an undocumented immigrant, his experience with imposter syndrome, and his work training the next generation of counselors.
Dr. Andrade is a professor of counseling at California State University, Fullerton. He trains bilingual and bicultural counselors who are dedicated to serving Latinx communities across Southern California. His story is one of resilience, empathy, and creating spaces of belonging for students navigating complex challenges.
Today, we discuss:
Timestamps
(0:00) Welcome & Introduction
(0:29) Dr. Andrade introduces himself
(3:25) Ashanti and Edson share their teacher personas/masks
(5:35) Edson opens up about imposter syndrome and self-doubt
(11:16) Timeline reflections and changes in higher ed
(19:17) Helping students unmask in safe and supportive ways
(23:18) Edson shares his undocumented journey
(23:18) Social-emotional intelligence in today’s graduate students
(27:45) How Edson is navigating imposter syndrome as a professor
(32:37) A reminder for teachers: pause and see the whole student
(33:07) Edson’s message to his younger self and today’s youth
Connect with Dr. Edson Andrade:
California State University, Fullerton – Counseling Program: https://ed.fullerton.edu
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
I bet there are more ways you can create productive struggle in your classroom, and you haven’t thought of them. And I bet taking in what Jerome has to say about smartphones, dopamine, and struggle will help unlock something in you as an educator.
Jerome is an educational strategist based in Seattle, Washington, who stands at the intersection of education, policy, community engagement, and young men & boys. A TED and NPR-featured educator and community leader, this is Jerome’s third time on the show!
How Jerome works with architects and the community to design schools that promote flexibility and creativity
Why analog tools are making a comeback in schools, and digital tools are being pulled back
How digital technology erases productive struggle and interpersonal skills development
Some new research on how smartphones affect students, and a new article by Jonathan Haidt
(2:30) Jerome introduces himself
(6:45) Designing school spaces for 21st-century students, and advocating for more analog learning tools
(16:00) The disappearance of productive struggle and desired difficulty
(21:30) Ashanti and Jerome share their masks/teacher personas, and some thoughts on inclusive masculinity and bravery
(34:30) Jerome’s thoughts on how to start the school year
(38:30) Jonathan Haidt and student preferences
(40:00) Student microcognitions and how educators can tackle them
(45:15) Jerome’s words of advice for male educators
Website: https://www.jeromeleehunter.com/
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
We've been recruiting male educators to take part in our upcoming Young Men's Conference (details below), and the successes and difficulties in doing so have forced us to confront some important questions:
Where are all the trustworthy male educators?
What does it even mean to be a male? To be masculine?
We hope you take this exercise and exploration as a rallying cry to support your young male students. To empower them with the right choices, role models, and opportunities to create their own narrative. To build their own definition of "masculinity" in a healthy, prosocial way. Enjoy the show :)
(0:00) Class in session
(7:00) What we've learned from canvassing the community and building momentum for the Young Men's Conference
(9:30) What happens if your school campus does not have any trustworthy adult male educators?
(14:25) What is my definition of masculinity?
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
I travel around the world talking to young people and educators. To start the school year, I noticed a lot of young people were leaving their work blank during my workshops. What’s behind this? Something cultural? Pedagogical? Personal? Specific to each particular school? I’m going to share what I learned for future workshops, and how you can apply the lessons of these experiences to your classroom.
(0:00) Class in session
(0:40) Background on the different schools I’ve visited to start the school year and the workshops I hold
(11:30) Activity 1 that was left blank: Dear Me
(15:30) Why are students leaning on the excuse, “I don’t know what to do.”
(19:45) Activity 2 that was left blank: The Mask
(23:40) Are students “less trusting” than ever?
(25:20) Closing notes and information on the Ever Forward Club
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
Did you have a Black male teacher growing up? In high school? Middle school? Elementary school? The numbers go down as the grades get lower. But thankfully we have people like Jason.
Jason is an elementary school teacher based in San Francisco, California. He’s been teaching in some capacity for 13 plus years, and his passion for teaching is rooted in his passion for mentorship and commitment to ensuring young people have what they need for self-actualization.
Today, we discuss:
How to guide boys and cultivate a healthy relationship with anger
How Jason has achieved longevity in the teaching profession and made it sustainable
How adopting a broad definition of mentorship can be liberating and lead to impact in your classroom
Some encouraging things for male elementary school teachers at the start of this school year
(0:00) Class Session
(2:35) Jason introduces himself
(5:30) Ashanti and Jason share their teacher personas/masks
(14:00) The challenge of giving boys the space to express themselves, especially anger
(18:30) Achieving longevity in the teaching profession
(22:40) Infusing more mentoring in our communities, and embracing a broader definition of “mentor”
(32:40) Seeing former students in a mentorship role
(36:00) The role of Black male educators in elementary schools
(43:40) Jason’s message for all educators
---
Connect with Jason Muse:
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
Russell is a middle school music and movement educator, now entering his 20th year in the profession! And with so many years of experience in the field, he has a wealth of experience with teaching frameworks, student motivation, neurodivergent thinking, and mindfulness. I really hope that you can integrate what he says today into how you approach the start of the 25/26 school year.
Today, we discuss:
How Russell implements mindfulness practices to help himself and his students transition between school periods
What it’s like to be a teacher with ADHD, Inattentive Type, and how being transparent about this with his students creates a warm and productive classroom community
How Russell uses the Orff Schulwerk framework to teach music, and how it can be applied to all different school subjects
How “leveling up” in video games can be applied in baby steps, especially in school
Russell’s words of encouragement for male teachers starting the upcoming school year
The importance of having someone in the building, at your school site, to share with vulnerably
(0:00) Class in session
(2:40) Russell introduces himself
(6:30) Russell and Ashanti share their teacher personas/masks
Connect with Russell Nadel:
Website: http://www.russellnadel.com
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
I guarantee this episode will make you a better teacher. Practical advice, explicit tools, a clear perspective, and a way to move throughout your school site with intention - our conversation with Nicholas was exactly why we started this series.
Nicholas Ward is a middle school history teacher and Athletic Director in East Oakland, where he’s been teaching for the past seven years. He focuses on making U.S. and world history meaningful and relevant, especially for students from underserved communities; and he’s also passionate about mentorship, student leadership, and using sports and community-building as tools for growth, both in and outside the classroom. We discuss:
How becoming a father has impacted Nicholas’s work as a teacher
How Nicholas is intentional and consistent with his 1 on 1 check-ins with students outside of the classroom
The mentorship program that Nicholas piloted in his school to empower students across grade levels
How he instills the idea that “rigor is love” with his students and parents at the beginning of the year
How Nicholas teaches history, media literacy, and primary sources in the era of “fake news”, AI, and smartphone devices
The principles and practices that Nicholas implements to start every school year
(2:45) Nicholas introduces himself.
(4:30) Nicholas and Ashanti share their “teacher personas”
(13:00) Being both a father and a male educator
(18:30) Building relationships at the beginning of the school year
(19:00) The perfect notebook for educators
(24:50) The special mentorship program Nicholas piloted at his school
(26:20) Communicating to students and parents how “rigor is love”; pushing students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in multiple modalities
(31:55) Teaching history in the era of disinformation
(36:10) Tying civic engagement to history
(40:45) How mentorship breaks down walls - student to student, teacher to teacher, and student to teacher
(45:00) How to start the school year according to an expert
---
Connect with Nicholas Ward:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captovader/
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
—
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
This is essential listening to start the 2025-26 school year. And as an educator, you should be able to finish the title of this episode. If you can’t, you’re not doing an essential part of the work - listening and relationship building. Well… you came to the right place to LISTEN. Listen to AJ and Angel, two young male high schoolers that are here to lift the curtain on what makes modern day students tick. They are both members of our Young Men’s Health Group and members of the council that is setting up our Global Young Men’s Conference, and today, we discuss:
What exactly is on students’ minds as they navigate the beginning of the school year
What are your male students feeling but not telling you about
The ways you can gain and lose students’ trust
As a teacher, it’s not about OFFERING support. It’s about HOW you offer support.
How students are actually embarrassed to be perceived as smart
AJ and Angel do some teacher student role playing
(2:50) AJ and Angel introduce themselves
(6:40) Ashanti, AJ, and Angel share their masks.
(11:40) What teachers need to know to better serve their students
(24:40) Are young men afraid to show how smart they are?
(37:10) How to approach a disengaged student/a student facing peer pressure - an epic student-teacher role play
(43:10) Maintaining student relationships by being approachable before, during, and after class
(49:40) AJ and Angel describe their favorite teachers and the things they do that are exceptional
(52:40) Final thoughts from AJ and Angel
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
---
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
“We need safe spaces in which guys can drop into that boyhood, that kicking the ball, or throwing the ball, or goofing around and roughhousing with each other or telling jokes, whatever it is… Because being in those moments and acting that way, I believe, takes us back to a boyhood element of ourselves, which at some point was beaten out of us… ‘That’s immature. What you’re doing, you can’t be doing. Stop!’ What that does though is it cuts us off from the bridge that takes us to those other places of vulnerability where we really do need to share from. The boyhood energy is the bridge to get to the vulnerability for us.” - Noam Raucher
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Noam Raucher. As a spiritual coach, men’s coach, rabbi, classroom teacher, and father of two, Noam navigates many roles at home and in the community. Because of this, Noam is deeply reflective about masculinity, as it relates to his inner critic and the spiritual stories connected to the critic inside all of us. Please enjoy this engaging conversation!
---
(6:30) Noam introduces himself, his work in the classroom and in coaching, and his identity and Jewish faith. He and Ashanti discuss the significance of finding meaning in life, and the role education plays.
(15:00) Noam shares the front of his mask - strong, smart, compassionate.
(17:00) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - serious, intense, funny - and he and Noam discuss how they are learning to celebrate themselves and wrestle with their inner critic more often.
(29:15) Noam shares the back of his mask - depression, questionable self-worth, “stupid?”, failure.
(30:50) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - fear of failure, self-doubt, worry/letting go.
(37:00) Noam and Ashanti discuss and dissect all of the markers of traditional masculinity that are reinforced by what our culture defines as attractive.
(48:30) Then, Noam and Ashanti consider what it really means to be on a team, and what it would take for men to be more open to asking for help.
(52:00) Noam shares some last words for the listeners and how you can reach out to him.
---
Connect with Noam Raucher:
Website: RabbiRaucher.com
Facebook: facebook.com/noam.raucher
Instagram: instagram.com/noamraucher
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/noam-raucher-20933b164
---
Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org/global-young-mens-conference-2025
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
“When we can look young people in the eye, and see who they are, and tell them that they matter, and show them a book, and spark their imagination, and be right there… That’s the thing. Going through the experience with them, build up their confidence… Put a battery in their back. They need that. Everybody needs that. That little bird that’s about to jump off the nest, I’m sure the little bird needs a little bit of encouragement from big momma bird, like, ‘You got this, baby.’” - Amil Cook
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Amil Cook. As a Hip-Hop educator and technologist, Amil teaches students and educators how to use their personal and historical narratives to increase self-efficacy, well-being, and capacity through the use of new media and technology. Amil is passionate about unlocking the unlimited potential of youth. He is able to see this potential, in part, because he is aware of his own emotions and, specifically, resentments that he is harboring and processing. We hope you enjoy this episode and enjoy learning how Amil’s masks apply to his talents as an educator.
---
(1:30) Ashanti’s introduction.
(7:50) Amil and Ashanti look back on their South by Southwest experience. Then, Amil introduces himself, his work, and his mission.
(13:20) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - dedicated, determined, caring - and how he manages the big expectations he has for himself.
(16:20) Amil shares the front of his mask - thoughtful, optimistic, caring - and how positivity moves him into action.
(22:35) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - worry, getting old, fear.
(25:40) Amil shares the back of his mask - resentful, mistrustful, scared - and how he is learning to let go of some of his resentments.
(31:50) Amil and Ashanti observe and analyze certain resentments that can build up in the youth. And they discuss the flip side - all the different types of encouragement we can give kids.
(38:50) Amil shares the level of emotional intelligence he’s observing in the youth in Pittsburgh.
(44:50) Amil looks back on his youth and how he was motivated to enter the world of education. And he shares a story about his work in South Africa.
(51:05) Amil delivers a final message to the youth.
---
Connect with Amil Cook:
Social Media and Podcast: linktr.ee/amilcook
BootUp PGH: instagram.com/bootuppgh
Hip Hop Ed: instagram.com/hiphoped
---
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
“It’s been a very challenging time and my way of coping with this adversity has been through humor. I think a lot of people have been using humor as a coping mechanism because it’s a hard time, and you need to be able to laugh about it or see the absurdity in it.” - Arturo Aviña
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Arturo Aviña. As a Los Angeles-based theatre teacher, Arturo found his calling within education by first experimenting with incorporating film and theatre into his lessons. Now, he also uses his skills to create satirical content on social media to chronicle what its like working in education today. Arturo is a testament to the fact that humor has the power to get us through hard times and advocate change in our world for the better. We hope you enjoy learning about his masks!
(0:00) Ashanti’s introduction.
(7:00) Arturo introduces himself and his journey in education - specifically, how he arrived at teaching theatre.
(12:00) Arturo and Ashanti discuss how the masks of acting apply to the masks of real life.
(16:30) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - funny, serious, hard-working, caring - and how opposing characteristics occupy the front of his mask.
(21:15) Arturo shares the front of his mask - funny, friendly, creative, serious.
(24:00) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - self-doubt, fear of failure, my brother’s mental health/my sadness about it - and some of the self-evaluation that he has been doing around sharing his voice with the world and supporting his brother.
(30:00) Arturo shares the back of his mask - anxiety, doubt, fear - and gives some advice to Ashanti along the way.
(38:30) Arturo shares his perspective on humor in the classroom, education-based humor, and humor as a form of coping.
(46:30) Ashanti and Arturo take time to appreciate teachers and analyze how the public has viewed teachers.
(51:00) Arturo shares how you can get in touch with him, and shares his final message for the audience.
---
Connect with Arturo Aviña:
Instagram: instagram.com/schooledbyarturo
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/discover/schoolbyarturo
Twitter: twitter.com/schooledbyart
---
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
“Life is impermanent. And that doesn’t mean that we’re not important or what we contribute to life is not important. The institutions we create are not going to live forever. But the energy, the way we live - this will live on forever.” - Alfredo Mathew III
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Alfredo Mathew III. Alfredo is the co-founder of ESO Ventures, an entrepreneurial support organization focused on providing the confidence, competence, and capital for any Black and Brown person to become an entrepreneur. With over 20 years of experience in New York City and California public schools, Alfredo has followed in his father's footsteps, but found a path within his family's journey that allowed him to be his best self. We hope you enjoy this episode and learn more about how family heritage and legacy have shaped Alfredo's mask.
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(2:00) Ashanti’s introduction.
(6:30) Alfredo introduces himself and his heritage, and shares the best thing he’s ever written in his entire life. Then, he and Ashanti discuss fathers, the idea of a father, and how these things played a role in their lives.
(19:00) Alfredo and Ashanti look back on how they met and their teaching careers.
(32:20) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - serious, caring, dedicated.
(39:00) Alfredo shares the front of his mask - hustler, dreamer, competent.
(42:20) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - fear of failure, sadness, not enough.
(48:00) Alfredo shares the back of his mask - undervalued, fear of failure, chip on my shoulder.
(55:00) Alfredo shares how you can reach him, and talks more about ESO Ventures.
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Connect with Alfredo Mathew III:
Website: https://www.alfredomathew.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alfredomathew
Email: Alfredo@eso-ventures.com
---
Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
Original Air Date: May 16, 2023
“What keeps me hopeful is our students. Our students and our youth, they’re fearless; they’re committed; they’re open-minded. They have always been the anchor to the work that I do. When they realize that they’ve got adults that care for them and that believe in them, they give it right back. That’s something that I’m really grateful for.”
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Jerome Hunter. Jerome is the co-founder and Chief Academic Officer at Seattle School for Boys. A proponent of healthy masculinity and its importance in an equitable society, Jerome is passionate about supporting young people to dismantle systems of oppression in education and build equitable futures. This conversation is about how we achieve these goals; specifically, it’s about the things we may take for granted when trying to achieve them. A teacher may believe in this mission, but do they know themselves well enough to carry it out and lead a classroom effectively? That’s where the mask comes in…
(3:55) Jerome introduces himself and his work in schools and with boys.
(5:45) Jerome shares the front of his mask - driven, funny, kind.
(8:05) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - dedicated, serious, funny.
(12:25) Ashanti finds the through-line in all of the masks he’s made over the years. Then, he and Jerome discuss what behaviors they are seeing in young boys in 2023.
(23:50) Jerome shares the back of his mask - imposter syndrome, anxious, sad.
(31:45) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - sadness, worry, self-doubt - and he remembers his grandmother.
(37:05) Then, Jerome and Ashanti discuss how teachers, students, and administrators can bring their full selves to school and coexist in a supportive, loving manner.
(51:45) Jerome shares why he got into the field of education and how you can get in touch with him.
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Connect with Jerome Hunter:
Website: seattleschoolforboys.org
Website: jeromeleehunter.com
Instagram: instagram.com/seattleschoolforboys
Instagram: instagram.com/hunterj33
---
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
Original air date: April 30th, 2024
Video Episode: https://youtu.be/-NwPW3-a688
@donofriend or Donovan Taylor Hall, joins Ashanti Branch, a master educator with 20+ years of experience in schools, to talk about what they are reflecting on as educators and what they’re seeing in the halls of modern-day schools. Donovan is an experienced teacher and positive youth development expert who travels around the country speaking at schools and pushing into classrooms. Learn more about him in season 1, episode 152.
Topics include: video games, core values, extrinsic/intrinsic motivation, “call-out” vs. “call-in”, “book smart” vs. “street smart”, being a warm demander, and shared humanity amongst teachers and students.
(0:00) Welcome!
(1:30) Donovan and Ashanti introduce themselves.
(4:00) Student behavior, engagement, and distractions
(7:00) Video games and what they teach us about students
(11:00) Making education entertaining
(15:00) Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation
(17:00) Core values(25:00) Safe vs. unsafe schools; accountability
(30:00) Warm demander - running out of warm
(34:00) When to “call-out” students, and desire for attention(40:00) “Book smart” vs. “Street smart”
(43:00) Getting teachers more classroom management tools
(45:00) Teachers showing humanity; dropping ego
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Connect with Donovan Taylor Hall:
Website: www.donovantaylorhall.com
Instagram, TikTok, Youtube: @donofriend
---
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
#TakingOff TheMask #millionmaskmovement #youarenotalone #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #pod #podcasts #podcastlife #podcaster #teachersofinstagram #teacherlife #education #educationmatters #educationispower #vulnerability #selfimprovement #mentalhealthawareness #madeonzencastr #vulnerabilityisstrength #mensmentalhealth #menswellness #lessonplan #lessonplanning #teachingmethods #teaching #productivestruggle #highschool #highschoolteacher #socialemotionallearning #middleschool #middleschoolteacher #videogames #corevalues #intrinsicmotivation #intrinsicvalue #booksmart #streetsmart #schoolcommunity #classroommanagement
Congratulations on another school year! As you enjoy the summertime, we have somewhat of a gift for you in anticipation of what's to come... A few things that will transform your classroom and your school in the Fall.
Enjoy your time off (if you're taking it), but keep these three things on the back of your mind.
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Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
It seems to be that more often in life, we find our selves in that vicious cycle of burning out, then numbing out, only to burnout and numb out even more. It's safe to say this especially applies to teachers.
Even the PhDs of the world, like today's guest, Brendan, find themselves in that cycle. Brendan is a sociologist who specializes in the social-emotional development and well-being of boys and men, and how that intersects with the well-being of others. Brendan has a PhD in Education from the University of Edinburgh, and was formerly a highschool teacher in Vancouver, Canada.
Today, we discuss:
How each of us has dealt with (or not dealt with) burnout as we navigate the field of education
The challenge of trigger warnings, and how they undermine the courageous and dangerous conversations required to do great teaching
How students and teachers alike fall prey to smartphone soothing, and how it affects your classroom
(0:00) Class in session
(2:11) Brendan introduces himself
(5:40) Brendan and Ashanti share their masks, i.e., their teaching personas
(18:00) The guilt we develop from teaching in a wealthy school district
(24:00) Differences between college students and high school students
(27:00) Trigger warnings remove discomfort from good education opportunities
(33:00) Teachers will traumatize students, but it’s more important to know how to repair
(36:45) Smartphone soothing and numbing is dangerous
(44:00) How to find Brendan
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Connect with Brendan Kwiatkowski-Hartman
Website/Newsletter: https://remasculine.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@remasculine
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Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
---
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
“If we give our children sound self-love, they will be able to deal with whatever life puts before them.”- bell hooks
Harry Jamerson teaches 5th grade in San Francisco Unified School District, and he shared this quote with us before our conversation. After talking to him, I could tell he truly lives by bell hooks’ words. When it comes to self-love and emotional intellgence, Harry is keen on when to intervene, when to step back, and the PRESENCE required to make the right decision as an educator.
Today, we discuss:
The unique levels of fatigue that Black male educators endure
How young students are “overexposed and underexplained” to this one major societal issue, and how it affects their behavior
The importance of WAITING to intervene, so that young students learn how to process their emotions and big feelings
(0:00) Class in session
(2:16) Harry introduces himself and how he became a teacher
(7:00) How Harry and Ashanti let their students and fellow educators see them, and what they don’t let them see
(14:00) Empathy fatigue and how it affects educators, and especially Black men
(23:00) Overexposed and underexplained: how technology is affecting young students
(33:20) Students who need the most love ask for it in the most unloving ways
(37:50) Twenty-year conversations: technology, interventions, and overwhelming systemic issues in education
(40:45) Letting a student “crash out” at a kickball game
(44:30) Avoid intervening too quickly and allow students to process their emotions
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Connect with Harry Jamerson:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-jamerson-72b1672b7/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellacoolfotos/
---
Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator
As an educator in the community, how long is long enough? This past weekend was the Ever Forward Club’s Dance-A-Thon, the latest version of a community event that’s been going on every Memorial Day weekend for the past 21 years straight.
Barely anyone showed up.
Emotions from the day were polarized, to say the least - great connections, poor sense of relevance to the community and young people we are trying to serve. When is it time to turn the page for the sake of your students? And what self-talk was going on in my head the whole time, and how similar is it to the self-talk I’ve been seeing from students around the country?
---
(0:00) Class in session
(3:30) Letting go of a 21-year-old community tradition
(14:55) The positive side of our community event and the young men I met
(20:30) Self-talk - what students say to themselves affects their ability to be their best at school
(26:50) Through this work for students and educators, we are going to…
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Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
A rush of memories are flowing through my head. They’ve arrived for one reason in particular - on May 28th, 2025, I’m releasing a book that I’ve been dreaming of writing for 15 years. And though it’s been 15 years, the book is really 21 years in the making - 21 years as an educator.
I’m going to read three passages from different stages of my teaching career - selected because this book release has sparked a these particular memories. The last passage is from the upcoming book, “Diary of a Confused Educator.”
(0:00) Class in session
(1:15) Book announcement, and my experience teaching at a well-resourced school while my heart was still in Oakland
(15:30) First reading - My first day and my first semester ever as a teacher
(20:00) Second reading - The founding document of the Ever Forward Club - inviting students to join a school club
(30:50) Third reading - “The Five Paragraph Essay” - chapter 4 from my new book “Diary of a Confused Educator”
Contribute to our Dance-a-thon fundraiser: https://charity.pledgeit.org/EFC-DanceAThon
Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345
Email us questions and comments at totmpod100@gmail.com
Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/
---
Connect with Ashanti Branch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/
Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/
---
Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support
---
Connect with Ever Forward Club:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub
Twitter: https://twitter.com/everforwardclub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/
