The Ever Forward Club

Are you ready for our 21st Annual Community Challenge: Dance-A-Thon?! This is more than an event — this is 21 years of EFC showing up for young men! On May 24, we’re hosting our first-ever Dance-A-Thon — and we’re calling on YOU to make this moment matter. ?? Bloc 15, Oakland (or join virtually from anywhere) ?? 3 DJs. 3 Channels. Silent disco style. ?? All for one reason: to raise $70,000 for youth mental wellness, emotional literacy, and leadership programs. Here's what you can do: ? Register to dance → solo or with a team ? Donate to support our mission ? Share this and move others into action For 21 years, The Ever Forward Club has been helping young men drop the emotional masks, step into their power, and feel seen in a world that tells them to hide. This Dance-A-Thon isn’t just a party. It’s a celebration of healing. Of brotherhood. Of what’s possible when we show up. Be the reason a young man feels safe enough to be himself. Be the reason the next mask comes off. ?? Tap here to register, donate, or join the mission: https://lnkd.in/g4ECA_PY #DanceForACause #EFCDanceAThon #EverForward #SupportYoungMen #MentalWellness #YouthLeadership #MillionMaskMovement #TakeOffTheMask #OaklandEvents #JoinTheMovement

He felt, “I’ve been holding this in my whole life.” In one moment, the guard dropped. Years of silence, pressure, pain—released. No yelling. No breakdown. Just truth. Just finally being seen. Young men are taught to hold it in. To stay composed. To stay hard. But inside? They’re carrying more than we realize. This is why we create spaces where young men can take the mask off. Where they don’t have to be tough. Where they can be real. Want to help make change for young men? Join the Advocates For Young Men Community: https://lnkd.in/gcdFqFzc ?? Credit: @alloramomo @directordaddy on Instagram #MillionMaskMovement #EverForwardClub #LetThemBeReal #MentalHealthForBoys #WeSeeYou #YoungMenDeserveBetter

At Winters Middle School WINTERS JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT? we asked boys to draw their mask: ?? The front = what they show the world. ?? The back = what they hide. What came out? ?? “Sadness.” “Depression.” “Anger.” These were middle schoolers carrying heavy emotional pain—while smiling in class. After just one workshop, something shifted. They saw they weren’t alone. They opened up. They supported each other. They dropped the act. This is why this work matters. Our boys are struggling in silence, and they need safe spaces to take the mask off. ?? Want to be part of the solution? Join our Advocates for Young Men community—built for educators, mentors, parents, and leaders who refuse to let boys fall through the cracks. ?? Tools, training, and a real support network. ?? Be the advocate they need. ?? Join here: https://lnkd.in/gcdFqFzc #MillionMaskMovement #EverForwardClub #MiddleSchoolMatters #AdvocatesForYoungMen #MentalHealthForBoys #WeSeeYou

This isn’t just about dancing. It’s about showing up for young men who feel like no one sees them. For 21 years, Ever Forward has been helping boys take off the mask— The one that hides their pain, their pressure, their truth. ???? On May 24, we’re dancing for every young man who’s ever felt lost, alone, or like he had to “man up” just to survive. We're turning up the music and turning pain into purpose. We’re raising $70,000 to fund mental health support, school workshops, and safe spaces where boys learn to feel, lead, and heal. ?? Join us in Oakland or dance from anywhere. Just show up. Move your body. Move the mission. ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/g4ECA_PY ?? May 24 | 10AM–3PM PT | In-person & Virtual ?? Every step you take funds real change. #DanceAThon #EverForwardClub #MoveWithPurpose #ForTheYoungMen #MillionMaskMovement #WeSeeYou

“I Wish I Never Had You.” ?? Those words cut deeper than anything else. And he heard them over and over again. ??? Every scream. ??? Every insult. ??? Every moment she treated him like a burden. She never showed him love. Never made him feel wanted. She only made it clear—he was a mistake in her eyes. So when she got sick… he was gone. No visits. No care. No second chances. Because why would he stay for someone who never showed up for him? ?? The lesson? You don’t get to break your child for years and expect them to heal you later. Children aren’t emotional punching bags. They are people. They deserve respect. ?? Parents, mentors, leaders—listen closely. ?? ? Your words shape their self-worth. ? Your actions teach them what love looks like. ? Your relationship today determines if they’ll want one tomorrow. ?? Every young man deserves guidance, respect, and a safe place to grow. ?? Join the movement & be the advocate they need: ?? https://lnkd.in/gcdFqFzc ?? Credit: @shyviell_filmmaker on Instagram #RespectYourChildren #MillionMaskMovement #EverForward #BreakTheCycle #MentorshipMatters #YoungMenMatter #FathersMentorsLeaders #StepUp #HealingStartsNow

At the Young Men’s Conference, Charles Hawkins Charles Hawkins? looked a room full of young men in the eyes and made sure they heard what too many don’t hear enough: ?? You are loved. ?? You have purpose. ?? You have more support than you realize. Because the truth is, too many young men suffer in silence. They think they have to handle life alone. They believe showing emotion is weakness. But Charles reminded them: Strength isn’t about doing it alone—it’s about standing together. ?? This is why brotherhood matters. ?? This is why mentorship matters. ?? This is why young men need spaces where they feel seen, heard, and supported. ?? Every young man deserves to know he’s not in this alone. That’s what we’re building—a community where young men uplift each other and grow together. ?? Join here: https://lnkd.in/gKdn8daJ #Brotherhood #YoungMensConference #YouAreNotAlone #MentorshipMatters #YoungMenThrive #PositiveRoleModels #GrowthMindset #WeRiseTogether

At the Young Men’s Conference, Joe Frank (Wells Fargo Advisors) broke down a lesson most young men never hear early enough—how to build wealth, not just make money. ?? Making money is step one. Learning how to keep it and grow it? That’s the real game. Because here’s the reality: ?? A job gives you a paycheck. Investing gives you a future. ?? Spending money is easy. Building wealth takes discipline. ?? If you don’t learn about money now, you’ll spend your life working for it—instead of making it work for you. ?? Example: Start investing $100/month at 18 and, by retirement, you could have over $1 MILLION. ?? Wait until 40? You’ll need to invest 10x more per month to catch up. The difference? Financial education. Wise decisions. Taking action early. This wasn’t just a talk about money—it was a lesson in ownership, breaking cycles, and creating a legacy. ?? Are we raising young men who just earn and spend? Or young men who know how to invest, save, and build financial freedom? ?? Parents, mentors, teachers—this is where YOU come in. Young men need real financial wisdom, not just a paycheck. They need leaders who will show them the way. ?? Step up and be the advocate they need. ?? Join the community here: https://lnkd.in/gCwaZuP7 #MillionMaskMovement #EverForward #YoungMenMatter #FinancialLiteracy #GenerationalWealth #WealthMindset #FathersMentorsLeaders #StepUp #TakingOffTheMask

?? The Countdown is ON! 2 Months Until the Dance-A-Thon! ?? ???????? Get ready to move, celebrate, and make an impact—the 21st Annual Ever Forward Club Dance-A-Thon is almost here! ?? May 24, 2025 ?? Theme: Costume Party (Bring your best look & best moves!) ?? Participate Live or Virtually ?? Every step, every beat, every dance = Supporting Young Men & Our Community! For 21 years, Ever Forward Club has been empowering young men, building brotherhood, and strengthening communities. This Dance-A-Thon is more than an event—it’s a movement. ?? How You Can Be Part of the Celebration: ? Register & Join the Dance Challenge ? Donate & Help Us Reach Our Goal ? Share this with friends & family—let’s make this the BIGGEST one yet! ?? Let’s dance for a purpose. Let’s show up for the next generation. Are you in? ?? Register for the Dance-A-Thon & donate here: https://lnkd.in/g4ECA_PY #EFCDanceAThon #MillionMaskMovement #EverForward #DanceForACause #CommunityChallenge #CostumeParty #StepUp #21YearsStrong

HOW YOU STAND CHANGES HOW THE WORLD SEES YOU. At first, he stood there—shoulders slouched, head down, voice barely above a whisper. Uncertain. Small. Invisible. Then Coach Holley stepped in. Because confidence isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you carry yourself. Some young men are lucky enough to learn this from a father. Others from a mentor. But far too many? They grow up without a strong, healthy man to show them the way. ?? Every young man deserves to be taught how to step into the world with confidence. To know that he belongs. ?? The question is—who is teaching the boys in your life? ?? This is why we need more mentors. More fathers. More leaders. Not just telling young men to be strong—but showing them how. ?? Step up today. Be the example. Join the movement. ?? Join the community here: https://lnkd.in/gCwaZuP7 #CoachHolley #YoungMenMatter #MillionMaskMovement #EverForward #BreakTheCycle #FathersMentorsLeaders #ConfidenceMatters #GuidanceChangesLives #StepUp

You’ve Survived 100% of Your Worst Days. Read That Again. At Redwood High School, Redwood Continuation High School? Ashanti Branch Ashanti Branch? stood before a room full of young men and asked a question that hit deeper than most expected: ?? “How are you?”—and he didn’t accept fake answers. ?? Because "I’m fine" isn’t always the truth. ?? Because you are NOT a burden. People care about what you have to say. Ashanti knows this firsthand. Growing up in Oakland, raised by a single mother, he learned early that talking about your struggles could get you in trouble. He was scolded for “sharing family business,” taught to stay silent, hold it in, wear the mask. But silence doesn’t heal. Opening up does. ?? Young men need spaces where they don’t have to hide. Where they can be real. Where they know their voice matters. ?? The question is—who is creating those spaces for the young men in your life? ?? Parents, teachers, mentors—this is YOUR call to action. They don’t just need discipline. They need guidance. They need YOU. ?? Step up today. Join the movement of advocates who are breaking the cycle. ?? Join the community here: https://lnkd.in/gCwaZuP7 #RedwoodHighSchool #YoungMenMatter #MillionMaskMovement #EverForward #BreakTheCycle #FathersMentorsLeaders #GuidanceChangesLives #TakingOffTheMask #StepUp