We were lucky to catch up with Carlos J. Malave recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carlos J., appreciate you joining us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Men across the country are struggling.

There’s this idea that men must behave a certain way: show no emotion, work through the pain, provide by any means necessary. These are the kind of ideals that have been causing harm for generations. In order to break this pattern, young men must learn how to communicate their feelings, express their emotions, seek guidance, and find different paths towards their happiness to change the narrative of masculinity.

This is the mission of Carlos J. Malave’s signature program, Our Father’s Sons.

Carlos is the son of a father that struggled with traditional masculinity and the pressures of society. His father did his best but could never defeat his demeans; tragically in 2019 Carlos’ father took his own life. From that moment, this became Carlos’ WHY. Through his program, Our Father’s Sons, Carlos teaches the audience how to confront trauma, break generational patterns and change the narrative of masculinity through powerful engagements. The mission for Carlos is to help our young men find the power in their vulnerability and use it to their advantage towards a successful life.

Carlos J., love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Carlos J. Malave is the author of “Translating Your Success” and developer of the Restorative Power Program, who quickly established himself as a dynamic and passionate speaker. His efforts establishing the Restorative Power Program in classrooms across the country has harnessed a genuine passion into a unique message of perseverance, compassion, and inspiration. His work within KIPP and the Houston community has been featured on ABC 13 News and in 2018, he worked with Texas legislators to help draft and pass a bill to implement Restorative Practices within public schools. Carlos has 10 years of teaching experience in K-12 along with 10 years of speaking and consulting experience in Higher Education. As a Restorative Practitioner his work consists of helping youth find the power in their vulnerability. Carlos was born and raised in New York but now resides in Houston Texas with his beautiful wife and daughter.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Carlos J. Malave, who grew up in a bilingual household, hearing Spanish from his father and English from his mother. He learned at an early age that two different words could have the same meaning.

As a child, he was a success at sports but lagged behind his siblings in academics. After reflecting on his circumstances, Carlos realized that he could succeed in school by applying the same principles that made him a good athlete to being a good student. He translated his success from one area of his life to another. And, as he grew older, he applied these same principles to his life. His father had a drinking problem, and Carlos had often asked him, “Why don’t you stop drinking?” But he never asked him, “Why do you drink?” To solve a problem, one first must determine its cause.

This approach is the basis of the three-step Malave method: becoming “consciously fit,” turning happiness into a mind-set, and learning to possess motivation. In each chapter, the author provides exercises that lead to the self-awareness necessary to set your long-term goals and to translate today’s successes into a joyful life

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The topic of mental health is a personal one for Carlos Malave; his Father, one of the most important and impactful relationships he’s had, was lost to suicide in 2019. Since he was worked to better understand the why of his choices through therapy and reflection. He has also committed to helping ensure others don’t have to feel the pain he endures.

What Carlos knows about relationships is that what is unsaid is often as important as what is said. All too often friends and loved ones reflect on what they could have said or should have said. Through his work and this signature program, Carlos aims to help audiences discover ways to support those who struggle, promote awareness, and develop relationships to help sustain us all. In doing so he shares his emotional story of his last words with his Father, and how those words can be used to help those in your life avoid the worst outcome of mental health crisis.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://forcollegeforlife.com/carlos/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cjmotivation?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosjmalave/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarlosJMalave
• Other: https://www.cjmotivation.com/

Image Credits
Photographer- Anya Kumar