“How Showing Up for Young Men Can Change Everything”
“Focuses on the power of presence and mentorship“.

There’s a quiet crisis happening in plain sight—and too often, we miss it until it erupts into violence, silence, or withdrawal.

It’s not always loud.
It doesn’t trend often.
But it’s real—and it’s costing our boys their emotional health, their voice, and sometimes their lives.

We’re talking about the emotional neglect and societal pressure placed on boys and young men.

The Emotional Weight Boys Carry

By the age of 5, many boys have already been told—directly or indirectly—that they shouldn’t cry. That showing emotions makes them “soft.” That vulnerability is weakness.

They’re taught to suppress instead of express.

And this emotional repression doesn’t go away as they get older—it accumulates. It manifests as anger, detachment, anxiety, or depression that has no name and no outlet.

📊 Did you know?

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for males aged 10–24 in the United States.
  (Source: CDC, 2023)
• Boys are diagnosed with ADHD at nearly three times the rate of girls, often leading to misunderstanding rather than mentorship.
  (Source: CDC)
• Only 30% of adolescent boys feel they can talk to an adult about their emotions.
  (Source: American Psychological Association)

We don’t talk about this enough.

These aren’t just statistics—they’re signs. Signals that we’re asking our boys to carry too much with too little support. And if we don’t make space to see them, really see them, the cost is steep.

They Don’t Need to Be Fixed

The first thing we need to understand is this: Our boys are not broken.

What they need isn’t correction—it’s connection.
Not a lecture, but a listener.
Not rigid rules, but a reliable rhythm of presence and support.

They don’t need to be “made into men.”
They need to be guided into wholeness—through patient mentorship, emotional awareness, and community.

“If a boy can’t express it, he’ll suppress it. And what’s suppressed eventually resurfaces—often in ways that hurt him or those around him.”

What Social Media Won’t Tell You

We’re living in an age where social media often villainizes men and boys or paints them with broad, unhelpful strokes:
“Boys will be boys.”
“Men are trash.”
“Grow up already.”

But here’s what social media rarely shows you:

• The 15-year-old trying to understand why he always feels angry.
• The 12-year-old whose dad left, but no one ever asked how he’s doing.
• The 19-year-old who has never had someone validate his emotions without sarcasm or shame.

Let’s shift that narrative.

Let’s speak life into our boys, not labels.

Presence Over Perfection

You don’t need to be perfect to change a boy’s life.

You just need to be present.

✅ Present enough to ask, “How are you, really?”
✅ Present enough to notice when something’s off.
✅ Present enough to celebrate progress, not just performance.

It’s not about solving every problem. It’s about standing with them long enough for them to begin solving it—with guidance, tools, and time.

Formation Happens Over Time

At the heart of mentorship is formation—not force.
You don’t form steel in a second. You heat it, bend it, mold it—over and over again.

The same is true for boys.

They need:

• Encouragement that sticks.
• Accountability that uplifts.
• Wisdom shared without judgment.
• A community that mirrors both strength and softness.

How We’re Responding: Crowned & Called

This summer, through the Crowned & Called Mentorship Program, we’re stepping into that gap with purpose. We’re creating safe spaces—online and in person—for young men ages 13–22 to grow in:

• Emotional intelligence
• Confidence and goal-setting
• Mental health awareness
• Leadership and communication
• Brotherhood and belonging

And perhaps most importantly—we’re forming relationships that remind them they are not alone.

Every young man deserves a mentor who sees him.
Every mother deserves to know her son is guided.
Every father figure, coach, or teacher deserves tools to do more than direct—to develop.

---

This Is a Movement

If we want to build stronger men, we must start by being stronger for our boys.

Not through control.
Through connection.

Not with shame.
With safety.

Not through punishment.
But through presence.

📢 Let’s Take Action Together

💬 Do you know a young man who could benefit from this kind of support?
📲 Text MENTOR to 936-234-9470 to schedule a conversation.
🌐 Visit caseymuze.com to learn more about the Crowned & Called summer mentorship journey.

Together, let’s rewrite what strength looks like.
Let’s raise up a generation of formed, not fractured men.
Let’s show our boys that being seen is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Because they don’t need to be fixed.
They need to be formed.

— Casey Muze

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• WordPress

by
by