unMASKing with Male Educators: Creating Emotionally Safe Classrooms & Schools for Male Students

What if the students who say they’re “good” are the ones we need to check on the most?

In this episode of unMASKing with Male Educators, Ashanti Branch pulls back the curtain on what young men are actually carrying beneath the surface, using real words, real data, and real stories from the Global Young Men’s Conference and the Million Mask Movement.

Drawing from over two decades of work with young men, Ashanti walks listeners through powerful mask reflections created by students across the Bay Area. These masks reveal a striking disconnect between what young men show the world, happy, funny, kind, and what they hide, sadness, anger, exhaustion, loneliness, fear. Through stories, statistics, and lived experience, Ashanti challenges educators, parents, and systems to stop mistaking compliance for wellness and silence for safety.

This episode is both a wake-up call and an invitation: to slow down, ask better questions, create emotionally safer spaces, and truly mean it when we ask, “How are you doing?”

• Why “I’m good” is often a mask, not the truth

• What young men’s masks reveal about loneliness, sadness, and emotional overload

• The dangerous gap between how students appear and how they actually feel

• Why emotional safety is foundational to attendance, behavior, and academic success

• How fear, violence, and instability shape students’ ability to show up to school

• The hidden emotional labor young men carry to protect others from worrying

• Why humor, kindness, and being “the funny one” can be survival strategies

• How social media, isolation, and consumption culture deepen disconnection

• What educators miss when curriculum matters more than connection

• How the Million Mask Movement helps schools get to the root, not just the symptoms

• Why listening—not fixing—is often the most powerful intervention

• A call to parents, educators, and leaders to stop staying silent

In this episode, Ashanti explores:

(0:00) Welcome to unMASKing with Male Educators

(0:41) Why this conversation matters as we head into 2026

(2:00) Data as words: listening to what young men aren’t saying

(5:04) Voices from the Global Young Men’s Conference

(6:28) Introducing the Million Mask reflections

(12:00) Why students don’t show up when they don’t feel safe

(15:12) Survival brains, fear, and school attendance

(16:30) Front-of-mask data: happy, funny, kind

(17:09) Back-of-mask data: sad, angry, tired, alone

(19:34) What “happy” students are hiding

(22:41) The emotional cost of never being asked twice

(24:55) The funny kid: humor as armor

(27:18) Social media, isolation, and identity fragmentation

(30:47) Why words matter more than spreadsheets

(33:15) Invitation to make a mask and bring this work to schools

(35:33) Speaking truth to systems and school boards

(38:00) A call to parents, educators, and advocates

(40:00) Closing reflections and what’s coming next

Resources & Ways to Engage

• The Million Mask Movement – Create a mask anonymously: https://millionmask.org
• Educator Portal – Bring mask-making and emotional data into your school
• Global Young Men’s Conference – Youth voice, belonging, and healing spaces
• Ever Forward Club – Brotherhood, connection, and mentorship

Connect with Ashanti Branch

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/

• Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/

Support the Podcast & Ever Forward Club

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support

#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #emotionalSafety #SEL #youthvoice #schoolculture #mentalhealthineducation

Welcome back to UnMASKing with Male Educators. As we reflect and look ahead, we’re revisiting one of the most personal and vulnerable episodes of the podcast, a re-release of Episode 42.

Ashanti shares an honest journey through a 30-day detox that became much more than a health reset. It became a mirror, revealing how food, work, service, and self-neglect can quietly take control when we’re carrying the weight of leadership, community care, and purpose-driven work.

This episode invites listeners to consider how toxins don’t just live in our bodies, they also live in our systems, including our schools. Ashanti connects personal wellness, burnout, masculinity, and emotional labor to the urgent need for proactive care for educators and young people, especially young men.

As we prepare for what’s next with Ever Forward Club and the Million Mask Movement, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ask an essential question:

Who takes care of the caregivers?

• How food, work, and service can become coping mechanisms

• What it means to reclaim health while leading others

• Why self-care is not selfish, it’s necessary for sustainability

• The connection between personal detox and detoxifying school culture

• How unaddressed emotional pain shows up in classrooms and communities

• Why proactive care for young men is urgent, not optional

(0:00) Reflection on re-releasing Episode 42

(2:30) Early relationship with food, family, and service

(6:45) The 30-day detox and what surfaced emotionally

(10:30) Weight, health scares, and confronting personal limits

(14:30) Why we need people who check in on us honestly

(17:50) Educator burnout and the cost of always “being strong”

(22:00) The role of Ever Forward Club and community care

(23:00) More on the 30-day detox

(28:50) Schools in crisis vs. schools doing proactive wellness work

(34:50) Why detoxifying schools requires honesty and courage

(39:15) The data behind the Global Young Men’s Conference

(43:50) The Million Mask Movement as a tool for healing

(48:30) A call to action: supporting young men and educators

(51:00) Closing reflections and looking ahead to 2026

“You can’t be of service if your body is falling apart.”

This conversation reminds us that emotional suppression, overwork, and silence come at a cost — and that healing must happen inside ourselves before it can happen in our schools.

Support the Work:

Create your own mask anonymously: https://millionmask.org

Learn about the Global Young Men’s Conference: https://everforwardclub.org

Support Ever Forward Club’s mission: https://everforwardclub.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/

As we close out the year and prepare for what’s ahead, we invite you to listen with care, reflect honestly, and consider one step you can take toward greater health — for yourself, and for the young people and communities you serve.

Thank you for being part of UnMASKing with Male Educators. We’ll see you soon!

#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement  #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator

Welcome to UnMASKing with Male Educators. As we close out the year, we’re revisiting some of the most downloaded and most meaningful conversations of the season. This replay with Dr. William (Bill) Penuel is one of those episodes that continues to resonate deeply with educators who are navigating burnout, discipline challenges, and the emotional weight of teaching in today’s schools.

Dr. Bill Penuel is a former middle school teacher, professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, and a nationally recognized scholar focused on educational change, compassion, and justice in school communities. He is the co-author of Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities, a book that invites educators to rethink discipline, grading, and leadership through an inside-out approach rooted in self-compassion and collective care.

As we prepare for a new season of UnMASKing with Male Educators, returning with fresh conversations and exciting news about where we’re headed—we invite you to slow down, reflect, and revisit this powerful dialogue. This episode reminds us that schools are often sites of suffering, and that compassion is not weakness, it’s a skill, a practice, and a path toward justice.

Wishing you and your loved ones a restful and restorative holiday season.

In this conversation, we explore how educators can cultivate compassion for themselves and their students while navigating the real challenges of classrooms and school systems. You’ll hear:

• How to shift your relationship to pain in order to best serve yourself and your students

• How educators can put self-compassion into action

• What does skillful care look like for children who are systemically marginalized?

• What is an “inside-out” approach to school change?

(0:00) Class in session

(2:00) Bill introduces himself

(3:40) Bill and Ashanti share their teacher personas

(11:20) Applying “contemplative practice” and “meditation” to teaching and education

(12:30) Getting close to your resentment

(17:20) Sitting with your pain and suffering in order to help others

(22:00) Working as a bouncer and what it teaches you about servicing others

(29:00) Finding common humanity, and how it helps navigating difficult situations

(34:50) Critical Care - an important subject in the field of education

(39:00) Deservingness gets in the way of compassion

(41:30) Bill’s approach to helping boys in schools and confirming dignity

(51:00) Bill’s book and where to find it

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Connect with Bill Penuel:

Bill’s book: https://www.colorado.edu/crowninstitute/compassionate-change-schools-book 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-penuel-8069b5/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crowninstitutecu 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrownInstituteCU 

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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 [email protected] 

Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ 

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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/

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support 

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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/

Welcome to UnMASKing with Male Educators. As we close out the year, we’re revisiting some of our most impactful, most downloaded, and most transformative conversations of the season. This episode dives into a moment that has stayed with me, traveling around the world, stepping into classrooms, and noticing something surprising: more and more young people were leaving their work blank during my workshops.

We unpack the patterns I saw, what they revealed about student emotional safety, and how those insights continue to shape my work with educators everywhere.

As we gear up for a new season of UnMASKing with Male Educators, filled with fresh voices and global perspectives, we invite you to pause, reflect, and revisit one of our most thought-provoking conversations.

(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/

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/ 

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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/

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support 

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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/

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#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement  #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator

Welcome to UnMASKing with Male Educators. As we close out the year, we’re revisiting some of our most impactful, most downloaded, and most transformative conversations of the season. This episode with Nicholas Ward is one we continue to hear about from teachers around the country, practical, personal, and packed with wisdom. It represents exactly why we started this podcast.

Nicholas Ward is a middle school history teacher and Athletic Director in East Oakland, where he has spent the last seven years making U.S. and world history meaningful, relevant, and empowering for students from underserved communities. Beyond the classroom, he is committed to mentorship, student leadership, and using sports and community-building to help young people grow.

As we look ahead to a new season of UnMASKing with Male Educators, returning in January with fresh conversations from inspiring educators around the globe, we invite you to slow down, take notes, and enjoy one of our community’s favorite episodes.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season.

In this conversation, we dive into teaching with intention, leading with love, and building systems that help every student feel seen. You’ll hear:

• 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

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Connect with Nicholas Ward:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captovader/

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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 [email protected] 

Create your own mask anonymously at https://millionmask.org/ 

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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/

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support 

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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/

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#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement  #takingoffthemask #totm #doace #UNWME #diaryofaconfusededucator

What if the secret to real learning has nothing to do with cognition, and everything to do with emotion?

In this episode of unMASKing with Male Educators, Dr. Maurice J. Elias, Rutgers University professor, psychologist, and one of the nation’s leading voices in social-emotional and character development, joins host Ashanti Branch for a powerful conversation about the emotional foundations of learning, teaching, and school culture.

Drawing from 45 years at Rutgers and decades of work in schools around the world, Dr. Elias reveals why classrooms must be places of belonging, purpose, inspiration, and shared humanity. Together, he and Ashanti unpack the masks educators wear: the pressure to be the expert, the expectation to appear confident, and the hidden insecurities and self-doubt beneath the surface. They explore how emotions shape motivation, why students crave mattering, and how educators can build the kind of climate where young people feel seen, valued, and capable of greatness.

This episode dives into the heart of school culture, why it breaks, how it heals, and what happens when educators lead with compassion, curiosity, and purpose.

• The emotional mask of the educator: confidence on the outside, insecurity on the inside

• Why emotional experiences, not cognition, are the true engine of learning

• The crisis of mattering: why kids act out when they can’t matter in positive ways

• How purpose, identity, and belonging fuel motivation and academic success

• Why students must co-create classroom culture and norms

• The power of names, stories, and authentic relationships in the classroom

• What happens when teachers feel called to serve, but systems push them out

• How school climate either nurtures or destroys learning

• Why male educators leave, and why networks of support are essential

  
  

(0:00) Welcome & introduction

(0:59) Dr. Elias on identity, humility & purpose

(2:00) The educator’s mask: confidence vs. self-doubt

(4:00) Ashanti on fear of failure and legacy

(6:00) Why students choose negative ways to matter

(8:10) Purpose, mattering, and motivation

(10:20) Why teachers tie their identity to student success

(12:00) Creating school climates people want to be in

(13:00) What it takes to build emotionally intelligent classrooms

(14:30) Co-constructing classroom norms with students

(16:20) Humanizing students: names, stories & connection

(17:50) Aspirations, index cards & seeing students’ inner worlds

(19:00) Why students love meaningful conversations

(26:00) The backstory behind greatness: work, purpose, discipline

(28:00) Systems issues in education: what schools are getting wrong

(29:30) SEL as preparation for democracy

(31:30) The emotional labor of teaching

(38:10) Why male educators leave the profession

(40:00) Networks of support for male teachers

(42:30) SEL4CA and a call to community

Connect with Dr. Maurice J. Elias

• SEL Research & Resources – Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab

• Emotionally Intelligent Parenting (multi-language editions)

• Reinvigorating Classroom Environments (new release)

• SEL4CA – Statewide SEL Network: SEL4CA.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 #SEL #emotionalintelligence #schoolculture #teacherwellbeing

We just wrapped our second Young Men’s Conference, and I’m still taking in the power, the stories, and the lessons this year brought.

From 220 registered to nearly 100 young men showing up in person, this year felt bigger, bolder, and more aligned with the work we’ve been building: helping young men normalize vulnerability, step into their strengths, and see themselves in community with mentors who truly see them.

This episode is a reflective solo cast on what went well, what surprised us, and how we’re preparing for a global expansion of the movement in 2026.

• The growth of the Young Men’s Conference from 50 to 100 participants

• What young men actually said about their experience

• Why “normalizing vulnerability” remains a radical act

• What we learned from the 100+ youth who didn’t show up, and how to reach them next year

• • The global partners activating this movement around the world
  • A call to action for parents, mentors, schools, and anyone who cares about young men
    

Timestamps

(0:00) Welcome & why this episode is a reflection on the conference

(2:30) What worked: attendance, workshops, volunteers & community support

(4:48) How we expanded to a bigger venue and deeper partnerships

(7:14) Parent testimonials and powerful stories from young men

(9:40) Why “normalizing vulnerability” is the theme—and why it matters

(11:30) What we learned from 220 registrants but only 100 attendees

(14:07) Alberto & Parth share behind-the-scenes insights

(18:00) Why this work matters even more after recent tragedies

(20:30) The “critical gap” and our responsibility to young men

(22:15) A call to action as we prepare for 2026

Join / Contribute to the Young Men’s Conference

Join/Contribute to our Young Men’s Conference 2026: https://everforwardclub.org

Join our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345

Submit Questions, Reflections, or Episode Ideas

Email us: [email protected]

Create your mask anonymously: 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 & Ever Forward Club

Help us continue creating spaces for young men to be seen, heard, and supported: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 #youngmensconference #normalizevulnerability #everforwardclub

Do you ever feel like you’re carrying the weight of your students’ futures on your shoulders?

That tension, between hope and exhaustion, between responsibility and grace, is familiar territory for Dr. José Luis Vilson, Executive Director of EduColor and author of This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education.

In this powerful episode of unMASKing with Male Educators, Dr. Vilson joins host Ashanti Branch to talk about the humanity behind teaching, the unseen emotions, the quiet anger, and the relentless faith that change is possible through education. Together, they unpack the “mask” educators wear to stay strong for their students, and what lies beneath: doubt, exhaustion, but also deep love and purpose.

Dr. Vilson shares his journey from computer science to classroom teaching, his struggle with imposter syndrome, and how he channels empathy and community to sustain his work. This is a conversation about purpose, healing, and redefining what it means to teach with heart.

• The mask of the teacher: how educators balance strength with vulnerability

• Imposter syndrome and self-forgiveness in the profession

• The moral and spiritual dimensions of teaching

• Why empathy and “actionable kindness” matter more than ever

• The legacy of teachers of color and building collective power

• How to listen deeply to students, and what they’re really saying

• What AI, democracy, and education all have in common

• Practical advice for teachers navigating burnout, self-doubt, and isolation

Timestamps

• (0:00) Welcome & introduction

  (1:00) Dr. Vilson on identity and purpose

• (3:45) The mission behind becoming a teacher

• (7:20) Teaching as spiritual and moral work

• (10:45) The mask: what students see vs. what we hide

• (18:15) Fear, insecurity, and anger behind the classroom door

• (23:30) Carrying loss and responsibility as educators

• (30:00) Teaching as spiritual and legacy work

• (33:00) Listening to young people, and learning from them

• (42:00) Helping students see themselves in the future

• (49:00) AI, forgiveness, and the future of teaching

• (53:00) Finding community and collective strength

  
  

  
  

  Connect with Dr. José Luis Vilson

  Website – www.thejosevilson.com

  EduColor – a collective for equity and justice in education

  This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education

  
  

  
  

  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

Gregory Robinson Jr. is an author, educator, and mentor currently incarcerated at the Samson Correctional Institution in North Carolina. From behind prison walls, Gregory has built a movement of healing, accountability, and creativity,  guiding other men to confront their pain, share their stories, and take off their masks.

Through his Wisdom of Creation series and the Million Mask Movement, Gregory has turned confinement into community. He’s teaching lessons on patience, mental health, and the power of choice, all from a place most people would never imagine transformation could begin.

In this episode, Ashanti and Gregory explore how healing can happen anywhere, even behind bars, when men are given permission to be honest about what’s really going on inside.

Together, they dive into:

• How the Million Mask Movement reached inside a North Carolina prison

• Why Gregory gathered “eight brothers, gang leaders, ex-gang leaders, and religious leaders” to take off their masks

• What happens when men are finally allowed to cry, to feel, and to heal

• The story behind Gregory’s children’s book The Turtle and what it teaches about patience and progress

• How creative expression became his form of restorative justice

• The daily realities of incarceration and how he uses storytelling to reclaim his narrative

• His message to young men about slowing down, listening to elders, and choosing a different path

• The truth about control, freedom, and finding peace in your own mind
  

Gregory challenges us to rethink a core truth:

“Even when you have no control, when you can’t eat what you want, or call home when you want, the one thing you do have control over is your mind and your narrative.”

This conversation is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that every man, no matter where he is, can become a catalyst for change.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome and introduction with Ashanti

(1:24) Gregory on growing up, miseducation, and missing guidance

(3:43) Discovering the Million Mask Movement from inside prison

(4:06) Bringing the mask to prison: “I sat down eight brothers…”

(5:07) Creating mental health spaces behind the walls (

6:40) The story of The Turtle: lessons on pacing, patience, and acceptance

(8:16) “The turtle doesn’t run from danger, it regroups and moves forward”

(10:32) Writing books from prison: creativity as survival

(12:39) Gregory’s message to youth: “Be patient with life. You don’t have to rush.”

(13:50) On control, mindset, and freedom

(16:08) How to follow and support Gregory’s work

(18:28) Closing reflections: healing from behind the walls

Resources mentioned:

• Instagram: wisdomofcreation2

• Facebook Page: Wisdom of Creation 2

• Books: The Turtle and A Conscious Journey of My Unfolding available on Amazon

• GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wisdom-of-creations-mission support Gregory Robinson Jr. publishing and youth outreach work
  

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/⁠

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Nicholas Bradford is the founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Restorative Justice, where he and his team help schools across the country transform discipline systems into spaces for healing, accountability, and connection.

A former teacher in Vermont and Washington and a 24-year Coast Guard veteran, Nicholas brings a grounded, compassionate, and deeply practical approach to what it means to build emotionally safe schools. His work challenges educators to replace punishment with purpose and to see conflict as an opportunity for growth rather than control.

In this episode, Ashanti and Nicholas unpack what it truly means to create restorative systems that work for kids, for teachers, and for entire school communities.

Together, they dive into:

• The difference between punishment and consequences and why most schools confuse the two

• How restorative justice actually builds accountability and belonging

• Why “slowing down” conflict helps kids (and adults) process and grow

• What it takes to shift school culture from compliance to connection

• The masks educators wear: confidence, productivity, and quiet doubt

• How identity, harm, and vulnerability show up for both students and teachers

• Why apology and repair are essential leadership skills

• How Nicholas’s own journey from teaching to restorative work reshaped his view of justice, empathy, and education
  

Nicholas challenges us to rethink a core question:

Are we trying to get even, or are we trying to get better?

And what might happen if every classroom became a space where accountability was human, not punitive?

Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & introduction

(0:22) Nicholas on his path from teaching to restorative justice work

(3:44) Why suspensions don’t change behavior, “Kids just get better at not getting caught”

(6:40) Punishment vs. consequences: Nicholas breaks down the difference

(14:06) The masks Nicholas wears: capable, caring, productive, and the doubts underneath

(19:17) How restorative circles help students take off their masks

(25:23) What restorative justice really looks like in schools

(29:56) Building connection as prevention: belonging, relationships, and safety

(34:12) Personal work before systems work: why adult regulation matters

(38:55) “An unregulated mind can’t regulate another unregulated mind”

(43:19) Accountability as an off-ramp from punishment

(46:18) Restorative justice in action: student stories of harm and repair

(48:07) Resources, books, and mindset shifts for educators

(50:31) Closing reflections: conflict as opportunity for learning

Connect with Nicholas Bradford

Website: National Center for Restorative Justice

LinkedIn: Nicholas Bradford

Book: A Real World Guide to Restorative Justice in Schools

Email us questions and comments at [email protected]

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