E20. Leveraging Self-Awareness - with Jordon Hodges, EFC Alumnus and HR Coordinator

Taking Off The Mask

English - January 13, 2021 00:35 - 47 minutes - 109 MB
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Previous Episode: E19. TOTM Face to Face #2: Breathe a Sigh of Relief - with Darnell Waters and Marcel Vasquez

Next Episode: E21. Still Swimmin’ - with Big Bruh, host of the podcast "Live with Big Bruh"

Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Jordon Hodges. Jordon is an alumnus of the Ever Forward Club, a former student of Ashanti at San Lorenzo High School, and a UC Irvine graduate, who now works and lives in Orange County, California. The two men discuss how one's expression of anger can change over the course of one's life, and they look back on their experiences at San Lorenzo High School from the perspectives of identity and emotional intelligence.

(1:15) Ashanti’s introduction.

(3:45) Jordan introduces himself - an Oakland native, a father, the first black valedictorian at San Lorenzo High School, and an HR Coordinator in the cannabis industry.

(5:40) Ashanti recollects his experiences with Jordon as his teacher at San Lorenzo High School. He remembers seeing himself in Jordon, and how Jordon had an impact on EFC, bringing more young men into the club through financial literacy training.

(10:20) Ashanti and Jordon make their masks together.

(14:16) Jordon shares the front of his mask - strong, funny, confident, and Ashanti shares his front - hard working, serious, funny. Jordon reflects on what it means to be black in Orange County, while Ashanti reflects on how the front of his mask plays a role as Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club.

(18:29) Jordon shares the back of his mask - sadness, anxiety, anger. He shares the good and the bad of how he has learned to convert sadness into anger, how he can be “active” with anger, whereas he cannot be “active” with depression.

(22:06) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - sadness, fear of failure, trauma. He reflects on how giving back to young men so much allowed him to avoid examining his own mask. He also shares what it was like to transition from engineering to teaching, and how giving up the prospects of financial success pushed him to strive for a deeper impact on the world.

(25:45) Jordon shares his family’s bouts with anger, and how it stemmed from being an emotional child. Over time, his anger matured into more calculated responses, and now, he is learning to let go of his anger.

(31:50) Ashanti and Jordon further examine their past at San Lorenzo High School. They discuss what it was like to be the first black male valedictorian, and how Jordon forged an identity based around a friend group diverse in identities and points of view.

(40:00) Ashanti shares a final story from the day of graduation, before restating his mission to build a space that helps men find peace and navigate their emotions.

(43:28) Ashanti and Jordon share their final thoughts.

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Connect with Jordon Hodges:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jordon-hodges-49138b4b/

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Create your own mask anonymously at www.100kmasks.com

If you are interested in being on the Face to Face podcast, email us at [email protected]

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

Instagram: instagram.com/branchspeaks

Facebook: facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

Twitter: twitter.com/BranchSpeaks