📅 Thursday, April 16 - JOIN HERE

Raised in foster care and overcoming homelessness as a teenager, Fisher transformed his life experiences into the bestselling memoir Finding Fish, a powerful story of survival, healing, and the search for belonging.

His newest book, Reflections Beneath the Buckeye Trees: Notes from a Life, offers thoughtful reflections on forgiveness, memory, and the lessons learned across a lifetime.

Antwone Fisher’s story reminds us that even in the hardest circumstances, transformation is possible.

This will be a deeply personal conversation about resilience, storytelling, identity, and what it means to reclaim your life narrative.

📅 Thursday, April 16 🕖 7:45 PM ET - REGISTER HERE

📅 Thursday, April 16 🕖 7:45 PM ET - REGISTER HERE

Raised in foster care and overcoming homelessness as a teenager, Fisher transformed his life experiences into the bestselling memoir Finding Fish, a powerful story of survival, healing, and the search for belonging.

His newest book, Reflections Beneath the Buckeye Trees: Notes from a Life, offers thoughtful reflections on forgiveness, memory, and the lessons learned across a lifetime.

Antwone Fisher’s story reminds us that even in the hardest circumstances, transformation is possible.

This will be a deeply personal conversation about resilience, storytelling, identity, and what it means to reclaim your life narrative.

📅 Thursday, April 16 🕖 7:45 PM ET - REGISTER HERE

Antwone Fisher is a New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter whose life story inspired the acclaimed film Antwone Fisher. Raised in foster care and overcoming homelessness as a teenager, Fisher transformed his life experiences into the bestselling memoir Finding Fish. His newest book, Reflections Beneath the Buckeye Trees: Notes from a Life, reflects on forgiveness, memory, and the lessons learned across a lifetime.

Join the Conversation

Soul Thursdays has always been about more than listening — it’s about learning together, sharing experiences, and building community through honest conversation.

Whether you’re caring for family, reflecting on your own life journey, or simply seeking deeper understanding, these conversations are for you.

JOIN NOW for BUILD — Brotherhood, Unity, Integrity, Leadership & Duty

Our guest, Curtis Pitts, brings a perspective grounded in community leadership and real-world responsibility. His message is simple, but powerful: strong communities don’t happen by accident — they are built by men who understand their role in them.

We’ll talk about what it means to surround yourself with the right men, how to lead without a title, and why integrity matters more than image. We’ll also explore the idea that manhood isn’t just about personal success — it’s about what exists because you showed up and took responsibility.

If you’re a parent, mentor, or someone raising a young man, this is one of those conversations that can create a shift. And if you’re a young man between 18–28, this is an opportunity to hear what leadership and responsibility actually look like in practice.

📅 Thursday | 8 PM ET
🎤 Guest: Curtis Pitts
📍 Live Session

You can reserve your spot here:
1828academy.com

If someone came to mind while reading this — a son, nephew, or young man in your life — invite him to join you.

Because at some point, every man has to answer the question:

Young Man, What are You Building? - Register at 1828academy.com

It’s no longer just, “What can I achieve?”
It becomes, “What am I building?”

Most young men are taught how to pursue success — how to get a job, make money, and compete. But very few are taught how to build something that lasts. A strong family. A trusted reputation. A community that’s better because they were part of it.

That shift — from achievement to responsibility — is where manhood really begins.

This week at Manhood Academy, we’re continuing our kickoff series with a conversation centered on that idea:

BUILD — Brotherhood, Unity, Integrity, Leadership & Duty

Our guest, Curtis Pitts, brings a perspective grounded in community leadership and real-world responsibility. His message is simple, but powerful: strong communities don’t happen by accident — they are built by men who understand their role in them.

We’ll talk about what it means to surround yourself with the right men, how to lead without a title, and why integrity matters more than image. We’ll also explore the idea that manhood isn’t just about personal success — it’s about what exists because you showed up and took responsibility.

If you’re a parent, mentor, or someone raising a young man, this is one of those conversations that can create a shift. And if you’re a young man between 18–28, this is an opportunity to hear what leadership and responsibility actually look like in practice.

📅 Thursday | 8 PM ET
🎤 Guest: Curtis Pitts
📍 Live Session

You can reserve your spot here:
1828academy.com

If someone came to mind while reading this — a son, nephew, or young man in your life — invite him to join you.

Because at some point, every man has to answer the question:

Young Man, What are You Building? - Register at 1828academy.com

JOIN NOW

A Conversation with Dr. Berry Pierre

Our guest speaker is Dr. Berry Pierre, a board-certified physician, health educator, and advocate who has spent years helping people understand the real impact of everyday health decisions.

But this conversation is not just about medicine.

It’s about ownership.

Ownership of your body.
Ownership of your habits.
Ownership of the future you are building.

Because long-term leadership doesn’t begin in the boardroom.

It begins in daily discipline.

Join the Conversation

📍 Manhood Academy Session

Vitality & Longevity — Why Young Men Must Protect Their Future

🩺 Guest Speaker: Dr. Berry Pierre
Board-Certified Physician | Health Educator | Advocate

Young men ages 18–28 are encouraged to attend.

Parents and mentors are welcome as well.

Reserve your spot:
1828academy.com

JOIN NOW HERE

Leadership Beyond Titles

A Different Kind of Conversation

Join the Conversation

Become a Speaker:
👉 1828academy.com

If you know a young man between 18 and 28, invite him to join the conversation.

Because sometimes the most powerful lessons about manhood come from simply hearing how another man chose to live.

At State of the Black Man, we believe these conversations matter. Not as abstract debates about masculinity, but as real discussions about how men live, lead, and influence the generations behind them.

That’s why this week we continue the Manhood Academy 18–28 Kickoff Series with a conversation titled:

Measure of a Man

Our featured guest is Maurice Spencer, a technology leader, mentor, basketball coach, and proud girl dad whose journey reflects many of the values that shape strong communities.

The Role of Mentors

For many Black men, mentorship has always been a powerful force.

Sometimes it’s the coach who demanded discipline.
Sometimes it’s the elder who offered wisdom at the right moment.
Sometimes it’s a leader who showed that success and character could exist in the same space.

Maurice often speaks about the coaches who shaped him during his basketball journey growing up in Martinsville, Virginia — a small Southern town where community, sports, and mentorship often intersect.

Those mentors taught him lessons that extended far beyond the court: accountability, teamwork, respect, and perseverance.

Today, Maurice continues that legacy by coaching youth basketball — including his daughter’s AAU team — and investing in the development of young athletes who are learning life lessons through sport.

Because leadership often begins with example.

Leadership Beyond Titles

Professionally, Maurice has spent more than two decades building teams and leading organizations in the technology sector.

But for him, leadership isn’t about titles.

It’s about responsibility.

It’s about creating environments where people can grow, where fairness and opportunity matter, and where leaders understand that their actions influence everyone watching them.

For young men navigating adulthood today, those lessons are invaluable.

A Different Kind of Conversation

The Manhood Academy initiative was created because many young men today are searching for guidance but lack consistent access to mentorship.

Parents are doing their best.
Communities care deeply.

But structured spaces where young men can hear wisdom from experienced leaders are becoming increasingly rare.

Through the State of the Black Man platform, these conversations aim to highlight real examples of leadership and character.

Maurice Spencer represents one measure of a man.

Not the only measure.
Not a perfect blueprint.

But a real example of how leadership, mentorship, humor, discipline, and fatherhood can coexist in one life.

Join the Conversation

This week we continue the 18–28 Manhood Academy Kickoff Series with:

Measure of a Man

Featuring Maurice Spencer

We’ll explore:

• Leadership beyond titles
• The influence of mentors and coaches
• Lessons from sports and fatherhood
• Character, responsibility, and accountability
• Preparing the next generation of men

📅 Thursday
🕗 8 PM Eastern

Register here:
👉 1828academy.com

If you know a young man between 18 and 28, invite him to join the conversation.

Because sometimes the most powerful lessons about manhood come from simply hearing how another man chose to live.

🔗 Join Now: Click Here

How Young Men Show Up in the Room.

Our first guest speaker, Terrence Waller, will lead a conversation on professionalism, presentation, and presence — covering:

• How attire communicates before you speak

• Preparing for interviews and leadership spaces

• Reading professional environments

• Carrying yourself with clarity and confidence

This is not about respectability politics.
It’s about giving boys the tools to navigate rooms with awareness and intention.

This event is an Open House + Community Conversation.

We’ll share:

• Why Manhood Academy was created

• What the survey data revealed

• The 4-week kickoff plan

• How parents and community members can stay involved

If you care about a son, nephew, grandson, or young man becoming grounded and prepared — this space is for you.

📍 Live Open House
🎙️ Speaker: Terrence Waller
🎓 Topic: Professionalism, Presentation & Presence
🔗 Register here: Click Here

Let’s build this — together.

—
Calvin Rich
Author | Founder, 1828 Manhood Academy
Creator of the 32 Flavors Identity Framework
AudacityBook.com - From survival to stewardship.

LIVE — JOIN (CLICK HERE) NOW

🔗 LIVE NOW AT: SoulThursdays.com - A free community wellness conversation.

Real Dads. Real Data. Real Change.

For generations, the story about Black fathers has been told for us and about us — rarely with us.
This Thursday, we’re changing that.

The truth is simple: Black fathers have always been more than the stereotypes, and now the research finally reflects what our communities have known all along.

This conversation is for every dad, bonus dad, uncle, mentor, mom, grandmother, teacher, and anyone who cares about how our boys and families grow.

🔥 What We’re Diving Into:

• The real numbers behind Black fatherhood (not the myths, not the headlines)

• Why dads shape emotional and academic outcomes in ways we rarely talk about

• How culture, systems, and community either support or limit father involvement

• Practical habits every father, uncle, mentor, or bonus dad can start using immediately

• A new blueprint for confident, connected, community-rooted fatherhood

📅 Thursday

⏰ 7PM CT / 8PM ET
🔗 Register: SoulThursdays.com

A free community wellness conversation.

💬

Let’s shift the narrative.
Let’s uplift the truth.
Let’s build fathers — and fathers will build the world.

#Fatherhood #BlackFathers #SoulThursdays #TheDadEffect #CommunityWellness #HealingForTheCulture

FRIDAY — Marriage Rewired Live Presents:

HOLEY • WHOLLY • HOLY

Same sound.
Very different experience.
Which one is shaping your love story?

On Friday, Dec 12 @ 8 PM ET, we’re stepping into a deeper conversation about relationships — not the fluffy stuff, but the interior work most people never talk about.

Whether you’re single, dating, married, navigating heartbreak, or rebuilding trust… this night is going to move something in you.

✨ HOLEY

When unhealed places leak into love.

✨ WHOLLY

When identity, alignment, and self-awareness create emotional maturity.

✨ HOLY

When partnership becomes purpose, peace, and covenant.

This isn’t a lecture.
It’s a full experience — rooted in healing, humor, and truth.

🎶 Music by DJ Calvin

🎙️ Live panel • Games • Open Mic • Real transformation

🔗 FREE Registration:

SoulPodShow.com

#MarriageMinded #SinglesWhoPray #KingdomMarriage #MarriageMinistry
#ChristianSingles #HealthyLove #RelationshipReadiness #LoveLessons

Closing Note

Two nights.
Two conversations meant to strengthen our families, deepen our healing, and reconnect us to each other.

If Soul Thursdays has taught us anything over these last five years, it’s this:

Community changes everything.
And we grow better when we grow together.

Let’s get into what’s coming.

THURSDAY — THE FATHER EFFECT

Real Dads. Real Data. Real Change.

with Christopher A. Brown

For generations, the story about Black fathers has been told for us and about us — rarely with us.
This Thursday, we’re changing that.

The truth is simple: Black fathers have always been more than the stereotypes, and now the research finally reflects what our communities have known all along.

This conversation is for every dad, bonus dad, uncle, mentor, mom, grandmother, teacher, and anyone who cares about how our boys and families grow.

🔥 What We’re Diving Into:

• The real numbers behind Black fatherhood (not the myths, not the headlines)

• Why dads shape emotional and academic outcomes in ways we rarely talk about

• How culture, systems, and community either support or limit father involvement

• Practical habits every father, uncle, mentor, or bonus dad can start using immediately

• A new blueprint for confident, connected, community-rooted fatherhood

🎙️ Featuring

Christopher A. Brown
President, National Fatherhood Initiative
Author of The 24:7 Dad: 12 Habits of Confident Fathers

📅 Thursday

⏰ 7PM CT / 8PM ET
🔗 Register: SoulThursdays.com

A free community wellness conversation.

💬

Let’s shift the narrative.
Let’s uplift the truth.
Let’s build fathers — and fathers will build the world.

#Fatherhood #BlackFathers #SoulThursdays #TheDadEffect #CommunityWellness #HealingForTheCulture

FRIDAY — Marriage Rewired Live Presents:

HOLEY • WHOLLY • HOLY

Same sound.
Very different experience.
Which one is shaping your love story?

On Friday, Dec 12 @ 8 PM ET, we’re stepping into a deeper conversation about relationships — not the fluffy stuff, but the interior work most people never talk about.

Whether you’re single, dating, married, navigating heartbreak, or rebuilding trust… this night is going to move something in you.

✨ HOLEY

When unhealed places leak into love.

✨ WHOLLY

When identity, alignment, and self-awareness create emotional maturity.

✨ HOLY

When partnership becomes purpose, peace, and covenant.

This isn’t a lecture.
It’s a full experience — rooted in healing, humor, and truth.

🎶 Music by DJ Calvin

🎙️ Live panel • Games • Open Mic • Real transformation

🔗 FREE Registration:

SoulPodShow.com

#MarriageMinded #SinglesWhoPray #KingdomMarriage #MarriageMinistry
#ChristianSingles #HealthyLove #RelationshipReadiness #LoveLessons

Closing Note

Two nights.
Two conversations meant to strengthen our families, deepen our healing, and reconnect us to each other.

If Soul Thursdays has taught us anything over these last five years, it’s this:

Community changes everything.
And we grow better when we grow together.

Out of our conversations, a new vision is emerging: The Manhood Academy.

This 6-week program (ages 18–28) will equip young Black men with the tools for:

• Mental health & emotional regulation

• Money management & financial growth

• Communication & healthy relationships

• Leadership & community responsibility

• Career direction & education planning

👉 Speaker/Mentor Signup Link

Share

Our recent survey confirmed what we already knew:
✔️ Mental health, finances, and communication are top priorities.
✔️ Mentorship is non-negotiable — 91% called it “very important.”
✔️ Parents want structured curriculum, accountability, and trusted mentors.

That’s where you come in.

We are inviting coaches, mentors, and speakers to submit interest in shaping this program. If you have a message, a method, or a story that can empower young men to stand tall, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Speaker/Mentor Signup Link

Let’s build this together. The next generation is watching — and waiting.

In brotherhood,
Calvin
Founder, Manhood Academy, Soul Thursdays, State of Black Man

🧠 STATE OF BLACK MAN PODCAST
Coming This Week: Reclaiming Black Health with The Black Body Coach

“Most Black professionals aren’t lazy—we’re just stuck in broken systems.” — The Black Body Coach

🔥 New episode dropping soon! This week on State of Black Man, we’re diving deep into a topic that affects every brother trying to thrive: our health—and why reclaiming it means unlearning hustle culture, rejecting toxic systems, and building from a place of rest, nourishment, and power.

Our guest is none other than @theblackbodycoach, the self-proclaimed—and widely celebrated—#1 Black Health + Systems Coach. In this episode, we unpack his personal transformation, the method behind his movement, and the real stories of Black professionals who have reclaimed their bodies, minds, and confidence through his approach.

🧩 What to Expect:

🛤 His Story: From burnout to breakthrough—how his own journey from exhaustion to holistic health became the blueprint for helping others.
🔧 Systems-Based Health: Why diets don’t work and how most Black professionals are trapped in systems that reward overwork and ignore wellbeing.
💪🏾 The Black Body Method™: What it is, who it’s for, and why it’s changing lives.
📈 Real Results: From 25-30 pound weight losses to reclaiming energy, sleep, and self-worth—what these changes really mean beyond the scale.
🎭 Performance Meets Purpose: How his background in acting and coaching creates a truly embodied, culturally attuned approach.
🧠 Tools You Can Use Today: He’ll break down one of his weekly “Black Wellness Tools” and show you how to put it into action immediately.
👁 The Vision: His long-game for transforming not just health, but wealth, identity, and intergenerational possibility.

🎧 Why You Don’t Want to Miss This

This isn’t just another “get healthy” episode. It’s a deep, liberating conversation about reclaiming your body as a sacred site of power, rest, and resistance. Whether you're feeling stuck, tired, or ready to level up, this episode will leave you with clarity, strategy, and real hope.

🎥 Click here to join the livestream
Make sure you’re subscribed to State of Black Man so you don’t miss it.

💡 Until then, follow @theblackbodycoach and think on this:
What systems have you unconsciously adapted to—at the expense of your health?

Want early access and behind-the-scenes notes from the episode?
Subscribe now to State of Black Man on Substack and be part of the conversation.

Subscribe now

✊🏿
This is more than wellness. It’s freedom work.

This episode explores personal experiences, cultural stigmas, and the importance of vulnerability and community support.

We emphasize the need for therapy as a healing tool and the role of the church in advocating for mental health awareness.

This discussion highlights the significance of rest and self-care in maintaining mental well-being, urging listeners to challenge societal norms around masculinity and emotional expression.

Support - Community Exploratory Journalism - Buy us A Coffee!

• Become a Speaker - Join a Group of Esteemed Speakers

• Register - Join the LIVE Episodes - Register

• Donate - Subscribe Monthly | Make a Donation

Follow us on Social Media

• YouTube | Instagram | TikTok

🎥 Click here to join the livestream now:
👉 [Live Zoom or Website Link]

Join us for a real-time community conversation on:

• Supporting Black businesses beyond the hashtags

• Sharing your own business in the chat

• Networking with a like-minded crew

• AND learning how we’re building a Better Black Business Experience

✅ If you’ve got a biz — drop your link in the chat
✅ If you support Black biz — come meet your new favorites

🎥 Click here to join the livestream now:
👉 [Live Zoom or Website Link]

It’s not just talk — it’s action.
Let’s build something better, together.

See you inside,
— BlackManPod.com

Join us this week for a powerful State of Black Man live episode:
“Rethinking Black Business - Boycotts, Buy-Ins, and Better Business: A Community Discussion.”

Become Part of Our Trusted Black Business Network

📅 Date: This Thursday!
🕗 Time: 8:00 PM EST (Zoom opens 7:45 PM)
🎙️ Where: [Registration link]

Share

Subscribe now

Why This Conversation Matters:

Supporting Black businesses isn’t just about wearing a T-shirt or posting a hashtag — it’s about building sustainable systems of trust, quality, and accountability.
However, let’s be honest: sometimes supporting Black businesses can be daunting.

In this open, honest community dialogue, we’ll explore:

• Why supporting Black businesses is more critical now than ever.

• The real challenges that need to be addressed.

• What it could look like to normalize supporting Black businesses.

Sign Up Now: Be Seen. Be Supported. Be Celebrated.

What to Expect:

✅ Real stories, Real solutions
✅ Join our Black Business Directory
✅ A powerful community conversation about how we can do business together.
✅ Opportunities to connect, share your business, and be part of shaping a stronger economic future.

Don't miss this pivotal conversation.
Bring your voice, your experiences, and your vision for the future.

📅 Date: This Thursday!
🕗 Time: 8:00 PM EST (Zoom opens 7:45 PM)
🎙️ Where: [Registration link]

We are stepping into 2025 with a new reality—one where political tension, social conflict, and uncertainty dominate the landscape. Many in our community feel overwhelmed, unheard, and unsure of what comes next.

At State of Black Man, we believe it’s time to channel these emotions into power.

That’s why we’re inviting you to Poetry & Politics—a space for Black men and our allies to express, reflect, and organize through poetry, storytelling, and real conversation.

🗣️ Poetry & Politics – A Special State of Black Man Event

📅 Date: 3/6/25
🕒 Time: 8 PM Eastern
🔗 RSVP Here: BlackManPod.com

This is more than a discussion—it’s a movement. A space to break free from the cycle of doom-scrolling, stress, and inaction and transform our experiences into art, empowerment, and solutions.

• Express the emotions of this moment through spoken word, poetry, or storytelling

• Unpack the impact of today's political and social climate on Black men’s mental & spiritual health

• Turn frustration into action—let’s talk strategy, solutions, and organizing for 2025

Do You Know a Poet, Writer, or Speaker? Invite Them to Share!

If you or someone in your circle has words that need to be heard, this is the space for them.

Let’s use art, intelligence, and community to take control of our own narratives and prepare for what’s ahead.

🔗 Sign up or invite a guest to participate here: BlackManPod.com

Read more

🌟✨ Dive deep into a transformative discussion on Soul Thursdays as we explore the "Complexity of Manhood & Isolation: Taming the Storm - The High Conflict Personality" with the insightful Clay Hansan. This episode unpacks the intricate layers of masculinity, isolation, and the challenges of high conflict personalities within our communities. 🌟

Discover: 🔹 The nuances of manhood and the societal pressures that lead to isolation and high conflict behaviors. 🔹 Insights into managing and understanding high conflict personalities in personal and professional relationships. 🔹 Strategies for men to cultivate resilience, enhance emotional intelligence, and build meaningful connections. 🔹 Clay Hansan's expert analysis and real-life examples that provide clarity and direction on navigating these complex dynamics.

📲 Tune in at SoulThursday.com for this enlightening conversation. Join us to gain valuable perspectives and tools for managing life’s storms.

Read more