I am reunited with my longtime friend and colleague Ashanti Branch as we discuss his work with young men and his realization that radical self-care and rest are ways to replenish and resist.
Ashanti Branch, was raised by a single mother on welfare in Oakland, went on to study engineering at California Polytechnic - San Luis Obispo. A Civil Engineer in his first career, Ashanti found his passion for teaching while tutoring struggling students. In 2004, as a first year teacher, Ashanti started The Ever Forward Club to provide a support group for African American and Latino males, who were not achieving to the level of their potential. The Ever Forward Club has helped 100% of its members graduate high school. Branch is on a mission to change the way that students interact with their education and the way schools interact with students. After being featured in The Mask You Live In documentary, and Fellowships at the Stanford d.school, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, and The Gratitude Network, Ashanti has launched the #MillionMaskMovement to connect people all over the world in a self-reflective experience that helps people visualize and realize, “I am not alone.”
To learn about Ashanti's organization, The Ever Forward Club:
