unMASKing with Male Educators: Creating Emotionally Safe Classrooms & Schools for Male Students
Only 23% of K-12 educators in America are male, a gender gap that has serious ramifications for male students - who often face DISPROPORTIONATE disciplinary action.
This podcast is for male educators who want to embody a necessary change in schools, via healthy social-emotional outcomes. Come away with actionable lesson plans, relatable stories, and a renewed purpose.
The US Surgeon General says the mental health of our youth is the "crisis of our time." Male educators are uniquely positioned to address this - because real men teach.
Join our community: "Advocates for Young Men" at Skool.com
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 49 minutes
- Episodes
- 262
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
198. Football, Fathers, & What it Takes to be a Great Teacher
This week we welcome David Reese, a high school English teacher with an unparalleled zest for life, to the show. David, the youngest of ten children, has been surrounded by strong women and extraordi…
197. Four Years to Life - with Antwone Johnson, Author, Speaker, Coach - Growing with Diirt
In this episode, host Ashanti Branch welcomes Antwone "Diirt Da Dreamsaver" Johnson, a motivational speaker and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to helping individuals understand the importanc…
196. A Bird in a Cage - TOTM Face to Face #23 - with Wenceslao and Lucian
In this episode of "Face to Face," Wenceslao, a high school sophomore, welcomes Lucian, a 7th grader who has been part of the Ever Forward Club since the 4th grade. Lucian shares his experiences and …
195. Education Monthly #4: Rapid Fire Questions, Teacher Burnout, & the 20th Annual 5k Relay
We just celebrated our 20th Anniversary! At the anniversary, Bilal, who you can get to know better in episode 161, went around and asked guests a series of rapid-fire questions. Listen to the questio…
194. Confronting Grief, Avoiding Grief, and Everything in Between - with Blair Daly, Writer, Advocacy Leader, Founder
Ashanti Branch is joined by Blair Daly, a dedicated advocate for boys and men in Washington state. As the founder of the Washington Initiative for Boys and Men, Blair leads efforts in advocacy journa…
193. Anniversaries: Hoop Dreams, Warrior Films, and the Ever Forward Club - with Frederick Marx, Filmmaker, Author, Public Speaker
Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Frederick Marx. Frederick, best known for Hoop Dreams (1994), is an acclaimed Academy Award and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of 40 years. Throughout his ca…
192. Fathers, Films, and Freedom of Expression - TOTM Face to Face #22 - with Wenceslao and Andres
Two high schoolers come together in this TOTM Face to Face conversation. Our host, Wenceslao, is joined by Andres, a senior at Skyline High School in Oakland, CA, and a member of Youth Beat. ➡️➡️➡️ Y…
191. Education Monthly #3: Video Games, Core Values, and Designing School for Students who Hate School
Donofriend, or Donovan Taylor Hall, joins Ashanti Branch, a master educator with 20+ years of experience in schools, to talk about what they are reflecting on as educators and what they’re seeing in …
190. College Roommates, Dorm Room Snakes, & Self-Esteem, with Charles Smith, Recruitment Manager, PhD Candidate, & Lifelong Learner
Charles is a Christian, a father of two, a Recruitment Manager, and Ashanti’s COLLEGE ROOMATE! Charles loves helping people advance in their careers and developing a strategy for life. He’s currently…
189. Self-Talk, Ketamine, Border Wars, & Everything In Between - w/ Johnny Cole, Men's Work Leader, Community Builder, Mentor
Johnny is the 26-year-old founder of Hey Brother Co., a men's work organization committed to reshaping the contemporary narrative of masculinity to promote a safer, more abundant world for all. As a …
188. The Code-Switching Alchemist - with Wesley Spence, Entrepreneur, Barber, Clothing Designer
In this episode of Taking off the Mask, host Ashanti Branch welcomes Wesley Spence. Wesley is a 19-year-old entrepreneur, barber, and owner/operator of a clothing brand called iconicc22. Is compariso…
187. Trevor Taylor - on Nonviolent Communication, Process over Outcome, Think-Feel-Do, & Becoming a Leader
This is one of the rare episodes where we did not make or share masks… But we sure did feel them come off. Trevor Taylor is back for part 2! (Listen to Part 1) Join Ashanti and Trevor as they explore…
186. LIVE from SXSW! - Education Monthly #2: What’s up with young men?! / The cultural disconnect between adults and youth at schools
Live from SXSW 2024! Ashanti Branch, Wenceslao Soto Sanchez, Johnathan Pugh Jr., and Ryan Louie take the stage and the education landscape head-on by considering the questions: What’s up with young m…
185. Talking to your Nervous System - with Matthew Sloane, Author & Men’s Group Facilitator
Join Ashanti and Matthew in a candid conversation about self-awareness, emotional/nervous system regulation, fatherhood, and the complexities of personal growth. Matthew has been a father since 2016 …
184. Performative Vulnerability - with Solomon Adams, Musician, Writer, & Educator
Embark on a journey into the depths of vulnerability as Solomon Adams, a deeply talented musician, writer, and educator, unearths the intricate layers of his emotional landscape in this episode. From…
183. Does it hurt more to leave somebody or to be left? - TOTM Face to Face #21 - with Wenceslao and Ryan Louie
Join Wenceslao, the Ever Forward Club’s Youth Host, in an insightful conversation with filmmaker and educator Ryan Louie. Together, they explore the profound lessons learned from love, relationships,…
182. EDUCATION MONTHLY! - Productive struggle, trying out new lesson plans, high school vs. middle school, and staying curious
Are you a teacher? An educator? Administrator? We’re excited to launch a new series under the Taking Off The Mask podcast feed: Education Monthly - with Donofriend!
Donofriend, or Donovan Taylor Hall…
181. Minding the Gap (Boldness vs. Fear) - with Kevin Cho Tipton, Healthcare Reform Advocate & Military Medical Officer
“When I was younger, being bold was mistaken for being arrogant or a know-it-all all. If I’m honest with myself, I think I was arrogant or a know-it-all all. But I’d like to hope that it was out of a…
180. Ruben Rojas, Artist - on Love and Valentine’s Day
“Ultimately I’m just trying to simplify this human journey into, ‘We either operate out of love or we operate out of fear.’ … Love is a verb. It’s an active choice. And instead of reacting, let’s res…
179. The American Dream: TOTM Face to Face #20 - with Wenceslao and Eloy Castro
"Everyone’s dream is having the “American Dream” right? Own property, own big cars, have a big family. But for me, that dream is fading away a bit. Hopefully, I’ll get part of that dream… having a go…