Book Review by Carlton Rounds on:Toxic Masculinity: Curing the Virus: making men smarter, healthier, safer

Toxic Masculinity: Curing the Virus: making men smarter, healthier, safer

Written by Stephen Whitehead

And Reviewed by Carlton Rounds

This book could not be more timely or relevant. When toxic masculinity pours forth from the highest political offices in the land, the urgency to understand the challenges and the opportunities poised at the intersection of power, justice and gender hints at outcomes and predicts the potential future of humankind. I loved this book. It called me out, it reassured me, and it rekindled my curiosity.

The book is accessible and well structured allowing individuals with different levels of gender awareness to follow the observations and narrative. The book explores and defines intersecting zones of masculine identity and behavior making specific, well explained and targeted points. The helpful lists of behaviors and questions could literally be applied as a rough diagnostic tool, or to really get a group going during a facilitated discussion. The author’s approach is neither cajoling nor condescending. His feminist platform is not submerged, and his commitment to the term renews its “spirit” making feminist identity seem more expansive and engaging than what it has become, it feels to me, flattened academic dogma.

It is clear the author would like to see men and women evolve into progressive gender expression, and he calls out both sexes for perpetuating toxicity. In the author’s world, everyone is part of a constellation of behaviors that pollute the integrity of our world. As a progressive masculine man myself, this book helped me recognize issues I need to work on, and due to Stephen’s writing, I have new concepts and language I can drop into discussions I am determined to spark.

I am particularly inspired by the “futurist” scenarios used to show trajectories of change over time. As a historian, this stylistic technique is very compelling. It stretches my perspective and my sociological imagination by requiring continuous growth and evolution not just about gender but about what is possible in human society. My woke style in the year 2019 might be the unenlightened cave of thought by 2050. Finally, Stephen brings not just a lifetime of experience and self reflection to his findings, but an Asian cultural awareness making his work not just a western anchored exploration, but a conversation with a global cadence.

Having met Stephen in person, his warmth and emotional intelligence are much like you would imagine. His role at 70 as gender journeyman is not just fitting, but reassuring. He is helping define what a mature progressive masculinity looks like, not leaving the work and the responsibility to the emerging younger generation. In addition, for those of us who never had the benefit of non toxic Dads or Grandpas, Stephen’s desire for a more deeply connected experience feels personal, validating and healing.

In service,

Carlton Rounds

Professional Enhancement Webinar: Cultural Competency vs Humility, Emotional Intelligence & Leveraged Vulnerability, & Global Health Practice with Carlton Rounds

Professional Enhancement Webinar:

Cultural Competency vs Humility, Emotional Intelligence & Leveraged Vulnerability, & Global Health Practice with Carlton Rounds

Monday, June 13, 2016

8:00pm-9:00pm EST

Join us for an enlightening discussion addressing emotional intelligence, cultural competency, relationships and vulnerability in the public health workplace. Specifically, as these areas pertain to public health service abroad. This webinar is an opportunity to apply the knowledge and theories you have learned in the classroom to real world situations. Mr. Rounds will also discuss the opportunities to partake in public health work abroad with his organization Cross Cultural Solutions.

Presenter: Carlton Rounds, Director of Campus Engagement and Public Health for Cross-Cultural Solutions

Carlton Rounds is the Director of Campus Engagement and Public Health for Cross-Cultural Solutions the leading international volunteer service organization in the USA. Carlton has been working in the fields of international education, volunteer service, public health, social work, and proactive social inclusion and diversity for nearly 30 years. He has traveled, served, and taught all over the world in areas of democratic transition with the intention of expanding the rights of marginalized people and communities. Carlton is an international education professional having led study abroad offices both public and private, admission offices, and financial aid centers, and in the role of selector and mentor for high level merit scholarship programs.

An expert in his field, Carlton has been honored with numerous awards for his diversity work and was recognized for being one of the top 100 innovators for 2011 through POZ Magazine, and was a first place national award winner that same year with Diversity Abroad Network. Carlton is also a member of the Building Bridges Coalition, and a certified Community Health Worker who focuses on communities affected by HIV both domestically and abroad.

RSVP for Monday, June 13 8-9pm 

Kelley Vargo, MPH, MS, CISSN

Practicum Coordinator |  Academic Advisor |  Part-Time Faculty |  MPH@GW

Milken Institute School of Public Health | The George Washington University 

950 New Hampshire Ave. NW |  2nd floor

Washington, DC 20052

p:202.994.0867 | f:202.994.1850 | kmvfit@gwu.edu

Twitter | Facebook

Language Acquisition, Social Justice, and International Volunteer Service - Workshop!

COFLT - Spring Conference 2106

March 12, 2106 

Workshop 3:
Social Justice in the Languages

Language Acquisition, Social Justice, and International Volunteer Service

How can educators intentionally use language acquisition as a tool for developing critical thinking, emotional resilience, and cultural humility?  Can curricular integration promote a platform that advances social justice, inclusion, human rights, and peace?  We will explore these questions and generate ways to use international volunteer service to add value to the classroom experience.

Carlton Rounds

Carlton Rounds is the Director of Campus Engagement for Cross Cultural Solutions for over 20 years. CCS has special Consultative Status with the United Nations and is a founding sponsor with the Brookings Institution's Bridge Building Coalition for best practices in international volunteer service.

Carlton has been working in the fields of international education, volunteer service, and proactive social inclusion and diversity for nearly 30 years. He has traveled, served, and taught all over the world in areas of democratic transition with the intention of expanding the rights of marginalized people and communities.  

Global Health Care Career Panel at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

October 22, 2015

Dear Carlton,

Thanks so much for so generously sharing your time, experience, and advise to our students. The Global Health Career Panel remains one of the most popular programs in the International Career Pathways series because no matter what we tell students, they love to hear it from people like you. Your emphasis on social justice, self reflection, and relationship building were particularly helpful.

I hope to be able to work with you again in the future.

Chinyere

--------------------------------------

Chinyere Neale
Office of Global Public Health

Director of Programs

The University of Michigan, School of Public Health

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“A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ~A. Philip Randolph

Volunteer Positive highlighted through World Learning, The School for International Training Graduate Institute.

Volunteer Positive 

 is highlighted through World Learning, 

and The School for International Training Graduate Institute. 

Thank you for your respect, attention, and for making the contributions of people living with HIV visible!

Click Here to be taken to the article.

Article about International Social Work and CCS

Dear Blog,

This is an article about a Social Work student traveling to Ghana through CCS's pilot program that was designed by me.

Carlton

Article from First University of Indianapolis Student to do BSW Practicum in Ghanan

Apr 9th, 2008 • Category: Feature
By Adrian Kendrick
FEATURE EDITOR

Student helps local community in Africa while completing senior
practicum.

Summer is approaching fast and many college students are searching for
a summer job or are just happy to get a break from school. Not junior
Ashley Fallos. This summer she is off to Ghana, Africa, to do her
senior practicum. Fallos will be the first student from the University
of Indianapolis Phylis Lan Lin Social Work Program to do her senior
practicum abroad.

According to Field Coordinator and Social Work Professor Toni Peabody,
a practicum is a chance for the student to practice what he or she has
learned in the classroom.

“This is the first time UIndy has ever had a senior practicum student
at an international placement. It is unheard of for an undergraduate,”
Peabody said. “This is very cutting-edge for her.”

According to Peabody, UIndy has had other students travel
internationally with the university, but no student has ever done so
for their field practicum.
Fallos came to UIndy as a biology major but changed to social work
after taking some courses and realizing that social work was the field
for her.

“I am excited about working in Ghana this summer. I have never been
anywhere international before, so I’m looking forward to it,” she
said.

Currently Fallos is fulfilling her junior practicum at the Martin
Luther King Community Center.

“I really enjoy working with people, and this [senior practicum] will
give me the opportunity to do that,” she said.

She will spend May 24 to June 20 in Ghana. She will return to UIndy in
the fall to take additional classes.

“She will learn and experience over there and do reflective work when
she comes back,” Peabody said.

The program Fallos chose for her practicum was Cross Cultural
Solutions, a program that for the past 12 years has been dedicated to
international volunteer work and internships for students and adults.
Cross Cultrural Solutions encompasses work in 12 other countries,
including Costa Rica, China and many others.

Fallos said that while working with Cross Cultural Solutions, her days
will be balanced among cultural learning activities, local cooking and
free time.

“I’m really excited about the [Cross Cultural Solutions] program that
I’m going to be working with,” she said. “I chose to go to Africa
because the culture is so different, and I want to step out and learn
and apply what I have already learned as much as I can.”

While in Africa, Fallos will work with HIV and AIDS education and
prevention. Her duties will be more specifically defined when she
arrives, but she will be helping children and adults receive
education.

Fallos will be living with other interns under supervision. The total
cost of the trip is $5,000.

According to the Phylis Lan Lin Program in Social Work Field Manual,
the activities will be coordinated by and through the designated
faculty supervisor who serves as the liaison for the university,
agency and students.

The supervisor monitors the progress of the practicum experience via
journal writings, interim reports and telephone contacts with the
student and field supervisor.

Peabody spent her junior year of college in Rome, Italy, and loved the
experience, so she wants students to take risks and travel oversees.
“It [doing the field practicum overseas] is a lot more work but so
much more life changing,” Peabody said. “Ashley is taking a risk. I
think this is a risky thing…she is brave for doing this.”

Fallos also plays for the UIndy women’s volleyball team and is a Lugar
Scholar.

According to Peabody, Ashley is energetic, smart and caring.

“She is a star. She is an exceptional student by any university
standards, and I truly mean that,” Peabody said.

Fallos wants to contribute in every way that she can by working
directly with the local population.

“I have chosen to work in the country of Ghana because I am looking
for international experience and an increase in exposure to
diversity,” Fallos said.

Students who want to participate and are interested in traveling
overseas to contribute their time to others should sign up for the
social work program, Peabody said.

“The students will have the opportunity to do their junior or senior
practicum, and the social work department works and collaborates with
the student,” Peabody said. “Anything the student wants to do—if
they’re interested we can help make arrangements for the country of
their choice.”

Peabody believes this program will continue to grow at UIndy.

“Our university wants to do more and more international things. A
bigger school could not do it, because it takes a lot of work and
time,” Peabody said. “I think others [students] will want to do travel
abroad in the future.”