The Masks We All Wear | Ashanti Branch | TEDxMarin

Can we share our authentic selves while negotiating the often rigid pressure of cultural roles? There is surprising power in unveiling what we often hide, deny, repress or ignore. What if we showed the world what’s behind our masks?

The Ever Forward Club and Ashanti were featured last year in the documentary, “The Mask You Live In,” which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Ashanti Branch works to change how young men of color interact with their education and how their schools interact with them. Raised in Oakland by a single mother on welfare, Ashanti left the inner city to study civil engineering at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo. A construction project manager in his first career, his life changed after he tutored struggling students and realized his passion for teaching. During Ashanti’s first year teaching high school math, in 2004, he started The Ever Forward Club to provide support for African American and Latino males who were not achieving to their potential. Since then, Ever Forward has helped all of its more than 150 members graduate from high school, and 93% of them have gone on to attend two- or four-year colleges, military or trade school.

[MnLRockaZ]

a person once told me that life is a journey to the inside. I feel like after birth every day we stray further away from ourselves and the hardest part is to find a way back to our self. The problem however is when im leaving the house in the morning im getting overfloated with informations. Input everywhere and in the evening im to tired to look inside myself. It is so important to make yourself little space everyday and try to feel yourself. when do we really ask ourself " How do i feel?" and being real not only to me but to other people aswell is a huge step to our true nature. im so happy to see this guy teachin the importans of being authentic !

[bradg.]

I believe the documentary, "The Mask You Live In" is a must see for anyone who has boys or works with them. It literally changed my life.

[ericocavalcanti]

Love this man since I've watched The Mask you live in for the first time

[adamrosendahl]

Incredibly powerful talk. This man is a legend in our community. The world is a better place with you in it Ashanti.

[JustinBench]

So good, so spot on. Its happening, but we have to be open to holding that safe space, for ourselves, and then for others. Authenticity and non-judgement has been the best medicine I've ever found. Thank you Ashanti!

[OutlierAudio]

Love it! I found that community in The ManKind Project. I have learn all the things that I thought everyone else already knew.

[MarquitaHerald]

What a wonderful talk. I will definitely share because Mr. Ashanti expresses such an important message. Thank you!

[MFBOOM]

Loved this totally, simple yet very powerful and very genuine. Thank you Mr. Ashanti and God bless.

[astrellax]

I'm going to show this to all the people I care about because it's so true, especially for men. I was just talking about this today how men aren't allowed to express themselves because it's deemed as "weak" and it's so sad. I could talk about this forever.

[jennifersantosuosso]

So much yes to everything in this talk.

[bettystouffer]

A boy 18 at my son 14 school just committed suicide 4 days ago. As a mother i feel so sad cz he was lost to us and all who loved him. Feel so helpless to the next kid who gets this desperate and takes this exit. I wana help and i dont want my son to ever EVER feel that way. I am so sad.

[-fi]

This is amazing this man is amazing this message is amazing

[AndrewThomasAPT]

Amazing talk Ashanti! I want to live in that world too.

[kosher]

Deadass this dude is terrible at storytelling and getting his point across. all I got outta this was he let his mother get beat while he sat in a car crying about it. And he become a bad teacher decided to invite students to lunch to try and get better but apparently they told him "school not cool" now he says they all got mask on? This dude just need to work on his story telling cuz this ted talk could of been amazing but he made it terrible