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.

---

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 [email protected] 

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