“We see a lot of the fighting, but if you actually look at some of the famous martial artists, they’re also well-known for their healing abilities. So a complete system is martial arts and healing arts - the yin and the yang. We can’t only just be fighting; we’re going to get hurt. This is part of the healing arts that we need to have in our arsenal.” - Justin Zhu

Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Justin Zhu. Justin is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Stand with Asian Americans, the largest coalition of business, activist, and non-profit leaders fighting for Asian American safety, justice, and equity. Justin was also formerly the Co-Founder & CEO of Iterable, a marketing technology platform that powers communications to billions of people globally. In this conversation, Ashanti and Justin discuss and apply balance - and the principles of yin and yang - to the masks we wear and the stresses that burden us in this world.

(1:35) Ashanti’s introduction

(5:20) Justin introduces himself, his background, his business career, and his transition to activism.

(8:50) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - excited, passionate, serious - and how he wants to translate his passion so that it is received in the right way.

(12:20) Justin shares the front of his mask - compassionate, competent, courageous - and how his family background shapes this mask.

(17:05) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - worry, growing pains, fear/doubt - and a recent moment where he needed to allow himself to hurt.

(24:35) Justin shares the back of his mask - uncertain, stressed, depressed.

(30:40) Ashanti and Justin discuss the many ways that we deal with stress and transfer positive and negative energies.

(43:00) Justin shares how you can get in touch with him.

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Connect with Justin Zhu:

Website: standwithasianamericans.com 

Twitter: twitter.com/hjzhu 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stand-with-asian-americans

Instagram: instagram.com/standwithasianamericans

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Create your own mask anonymously at millionmask.org

Email us questions and comments at [email protected] 

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

Instagram: instagram.com/branchspeaks

Facebook: facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

Twitter: twitter.com/BranchSpeaks

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch

Website: branchspeaks.com

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: anchor.fm/branch-speaks/support