Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Malcolm Dydo, the Director and Co-Founder of Freedom Within Project. In this conversation, Ashanti’s passion for working with youth is equaled by Malcolm’s drive to create environments that allow the incarcerated population to heal. Recorded on the eve of Father’s Day weekend, Malcolm holds space for Ashanti as he shares his perspective on the holiday.

(1:55) Ashanti's introduction.

(6:42) Malcolm introduces himself, his work supporting the incarcerated population, and his belief in the collective’s ability to heal.

(11:48) Malcolm shares the front of his mask - competent, smart, caring. He shares how these positive elements of himself are motivated by some of his wounded elements.

(14:33) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - funny, serious, hard-working. He then breaks down how these traits affect his interpersonal dynamics while working.

(19:43) Malcolm shares how the concept of emotional masks plays a role in the incarcerated populations he works with, and how understanding the duality of the front and back of the mask is important.

(23:33) Malcolm shares the back of his mask - ashamed, afraid, inadequate. Ashanti shares - fear of failure, Father’s Day is hard, sadness about…

(26:28) Malcolm and Ashanti look at Father’s Day from a perspective outside of the traditional holiday, and Ashanti digs deep into his past with a story about his mother and her husband at the time.

(35:18) Malcolm looks back at his childhood, and how wounds from his 1st-grade self continue to impact him today.

(38:58) Ashanti and Malcolm take time to honor the front of the mask, and how it functions as a protective shield for us as we navigate different spaces.

(42:54) Malcolm likens his and Ashanti’s work to “moving at the speed of trust” and creating a “laboratory of humanity”. He and Ashanti explore these metaphors.

(50:58) Malcolm and Ashanti reflect on how the work of Ever Forward is connected to the work of Freedom from Within. Both organizations support men’s capacity to have internal and external dialogues.

(54:48) Malcolm shares some final thoughts, and how the conversation conjures up the faces of the men he works with.

(58:38) Malcolm shares how you can get in touch with him.

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Connect with Malcolm Dydo:

Instagram: instagram.com/freedomwithinproject

Facebook: facebook.com/freedomwithinprisonproject

Website: freedomwithinproject.org

Email: [email protected]

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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

Website: branchspeaks.com

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Send in a voice message:

anchor.fm/branch-speaks/message