#47 | Behind Prison Walls: Healing, Brotherhood, and the Power of Masks w/ Gregory Robinson Jr. (Samson Correctional Institution)

Gregory Robinson Jr. is an author, educator, and mentor currently incarcerated at the Samson Correctional Institution in North Carolina. From behind prison walls, Gregory has built a movement of healing, accountability, and creativity,  guiding other men to confront their pain, share their stories, and take off their masks.Through his Wisdom of Creation series and the Million Mask Movement, Gregory has turned confinement into community. He’s teaching lessons on patience, mental health, and the power of choice, all from a place most people would never imagine transformation could begin.In this episode, Ashanti and Gregory explore how healing can happen anywhere, even behind bars, when men are given permission to be honest about what’s really going on inside.Together, they dive into:How the Million Mask Movement reached inside a North Carolina prisonWhy Gregory gathered “eight brothers, gang leaders, ex-gang leaders, and religious leaders” to take off their masksWhat happens when men are finally allowed to cry, to feel, and to healThe story behind Gregory’s children’s book The Turtle and what it teaches about patience and progressHow creative expression became his form of restorative justiceThe daily realities of incarceration and how he uses storytelling to reclaim his narrativeHis message to young men about slowing down, listening to elders, and choosing a different pathThe truth about control, freedom, and finding peace in your own mindGregory challenges us to rethink a core truth:“Even when you have no control, when you can’t eat what you want, or call home when you want, the one thing you do have control over is your mind and your narrative.”This conversation is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that every man, no matter where he is, can become a catalyst for change.Timestamps:(0:00) Welcome and introduction with Ashanti (1:24) Gregory on growing up, miseducation, and missing guidance (3:43) Discovering the Million Mask Movement from inside prison (4:06) Bringing the mask to prison: “I sat down eight brothers…” (5:07) Creating mental health spaces behind the walls (6:40) The story of The Turtle: lessons on pacing, patience, and acceptance (8:16) “The turtle doesn’t run from danger, it regroups and moves forward” (10:32) Writing books from prison: creativity as survival (12:39) Gregory’s message to youth: “Be patient with life. You don’t have to rush.” (13:50) On control, mindset, and freedom (16:08) How to follow and support Gregory’s work (18:28) Closing reflections: healing from behind the wallsResources mentioned:Instagram: wisdomofcreation2Facebook Page: Wisdom of Creation 2Books: The Turtle and A Conscious Journey of My Unfolding available on AmazonGoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wisdom-of-creations-mission support Gregory Robinson Jr. publishing and youth outreach workConnect with Ashanti Branch:Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/⁠Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaks⁠Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/BranchSpeaks⁠LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/⁠Website:⁠ https://www.branchspeaks.com/⁠Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club:⁠ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support⁠Connect with Ever Forward Club:Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclub⁠Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclub⁠Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/everforwardclub⁠LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/⁠#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #mentalhealthmatters #healingbehindwalls #educationjustice #restorativejustice #masculinity #emotionalwellness #everforwardclub #schoolculture #brotherhood #teacherwellbeing