Founder & Executive Director
The Ever Forward Club
Ashanti Branch is a master in building healthy relationships in schools, a pioneer in education reform, and in youth mental health, with over 18 years of experience. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club (EFC), a non-profit organization dedicated to seeing marginalized students graduate high school by providing them with emotional tools and
mental health support.
Ashanti is a keynote speaker, advisor to the US Surgeon General, a Fulbright Fellow, and 4x Tedx Speaker. His work with youth has been featured at SXSW, on CNN with Lisa Ling, on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and in the documentary about American masculinity 'The Mask You Live In', which premiered at Sundance Film Festival.
Formerly a math teacher and raised in Oakland by a single mom on welfare (his father died just before he was born), Ashanti found his passion while tutoring struggling students in a school with a majority of African-American and Latino students. It broke his heart to see 40% of them want to drop out at such a young age. By fulfilling deeper emotional needs to feel safe, seen, and heard, EFC has helped 100% of its student members graduate high school, 90% enroll in higher education, and 0% incarcerated (compared to the national incarceration rate of 8% for black males, age 20-24).
EFC’s #millionmaskmovement has transformed how students connect to their schools, and how schools connect to their students, with a collection of over 65,000 masks to date, resulting in safer schools. EFC alumni are often the first to break generational patterns and go on to make healthier leaders, parents, and partners. Although EFC is based in California, it has now
impacted schools globally, with thousands of alumni stating, "I can truly say Ever Forward Club saved my life."
Ashanti’s work is crucial as we are now at an unprecedented inflection point with youth, with this being the first generation in history expected to live shorter lives than their parents. Please help Ashanti get the word out that help is available.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Monday, May 1, 2023
3:25 PM – 3:45 PM
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