Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Aaron Jackson. Aaron is a student at the University of San Francisco. Based in Oakland, CA, he was recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle’s coverage of the Bay Area’s 2020 graduating high school senior class. Ashanti and Aaron make masks together, and share their similar experiences with the passing of family members.

(1:12) Ashanti’s introduction.

(4:13) Aaron shares what his southern background means to him, and why he enjoys living in the Bay Area.

(10:33) Ashanti walks Aaron through the mask-making process.

(13:27) Aaron shares the front of his mask - a can-do attitude, optimism, enthusiasm, resilience.

(16:15) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - hard working, caring, serious.

(18:20) Aaron shares the back of his mask - past experiences, anxiety. He shares how he believes in focusing on a brighter future as opposed to dwelling on the past. And he reflects on how he tends to overthink in certain situations, which can be overwhelming.

(20:03) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - fear of failure, childhood trauma, sadness about death. He shares with Aaron how he is overcoming his fear of sharing videos with his followers, how he is only just recently confronting his childhood traumas, and how his father’s and grandmother’s passing have affected him.

(23:06) Aaron opens up about how he has had similar experiences with trauma and death. These experiences cause him to not share his past with many people he meets. He recalls the pain he has felt over not being able to speak with his mother one last time after his parents divorced, since she passed away soon after Aaron and his father left for California.

(26:31) Aaron reflects on the mask-making experience, relates this experience to restorative justice circles, and shares how other men his age need to do this type of work more.

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Connect with Aaron Jackson:

Instagram: instagram.com/aaron.jjr

SF Chronicle Feature: projects.sfchronicle.com/class-of-2020/summer

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Create your own mask anonymously at www.100kmasks.com

If you are interested in being on the Face to Face podcast, email us 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

Email: [email protected]

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Send in a voice message:

anchor.fm/branch-speaks/message

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Connect with Ever Forward Club:

Instagram:    instagram.com/everforward

Facebook:  facebook.com/everforwardclub

Twitter:   twitter.com/everforwardclub

LinkedIn:    linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club