There are moments in our lives that shift our perspectives on parenting, life and all the in-betweens.
Tabitha here: I had one of those precious moments hearing Ashanti Branch speak at the Marketing to Men Summit in New York City. Ashanti Branch, Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club, is a leader in youth mental health and education reform with 20+ years helping schools build safer, more connected communities. A 2023 U.S. Surgeon General Medallion recipient, 4x TEDx speaker, podcaster, and Fulbright Fellow, he champions healing and authenticity through workshops, media, and storytelling. When I heard Ashanti speak about healthy masculinity, his clarity, his work and his powerful presence were notable and I was left with a profound feeling that I needed to shift some of the ways I was parenting our son.
Adam here: We’re parents to a young boy that we’re raising in the age of social media, toxic masculinity, and the impact of folks like Charlie Kirk. He’s being raised during a time when trad wives are being framed as the response to feminism, where white supremacy seeks to teach young men-particularly young white men- that they’re owed something by society and they have a right to be resentful against women and people of color when their expectations don’t get met. So when Tabitha met Ashanti, we knew we had to have him on the Raising Anti-racist Kids podcast to talk about the intersection between healthy masculinity and antiracist parenting.
Take a listen to the episode and hear Ashanti talk about his upbringing by a single mother, his career pivot to education, and a simple but powerful tool he uses to help boys and young men get in touch with their emotions.
Some links to check out:
Thanks so much for listening. Let us know what’s coming up for you after you listen. Love up on your kids and enjoy your week, okay?
Tabitha & Adam
