What’s the Cost of the Mask? A Conversation on Truth and Resistance.

There are moments when conversation doesn’t just resonate—it liberates.
This is one of those moments.

We’re proud to share the latest episode of I’ght So bLoom, a healing-centered podcast where dialogue becomes medicine, and truth-telling is a radical act of love. Hosted by Mario A. Reyes alongside Chris Classic, Jermail Shelton, and Dr. Curtis Jasper, I’ght So bLoom invites us into the messy, magical, and deeply human journey of becoming.

In this powerful episode, Black Men Smile founder Carlton Mackey joins the circle to unpack one of the most urgent questions Black men face:

What’s the cost of wearing a mask in a world that demands your silence for survival?

Together, they explore the high stakes of authenticity—how societal expectations force Black men to perform, conform, and suppress. Carlton brings raw honesty to this conversation, sharing lessons from his journey as the Assistant Director of Education for Community Dialogue and Engagement at the High Museum of Art and Co-Creator of the Emory University Arts & Social Justice Fellowship.

He also speaks boldly about walking away from a major brand partnership with Target after they caved under political pressure to cancel their DEI initiatives. It was a choice rooted in conviction—a refusal to shrink in exchange for comfort.

This episode offers a sharp reflection on integrity, resistance, and the everyday courage it takes to live without the mask.