Every so often, a story comes along that reminds us just how deeply we are shaped by the connections we keep and the silences we carry.
On this week’s episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, I had the privilege of sitting down with Emmy & Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jones, visionary producer John Manulis, and activist-producer Taylor Racine Harrell to talk about their extraordinary new PBS documentary, Fortunate Sons.
The film reunites the graduating class of 1974 from the Harvard School for Boys in Los Angeles. What started as casual Zoom calls during the pandemic unfolded into something much bigger a raw and unfiltered look at vulnerability, friendship, masculinity, and mental health, 50 years in the making.
- What does it mean to be a man in today’s world?
- How do we let go of silence and armor, and rediscover trust?
- Can friendships lost to decades of time still be reborn as spaces for healing?
These are just some of the questions the film and our conversation explores.
Why This Matters
We live in a culture that often teaches men to be silent, stoic, or “strong.” But as Peter shared, trust isn’t given it’s earned through respect, listening, and presence.
What Fortunate Sons shows us is that it’s never too late to have these conversations, to choose empathy over isolation, and to redefine what strength really looks like.
It’s not a film that preaches. It’s a mirror inviting us to see ourselves, and perhaps to pick up the phone and call an old friend.
🎥 Watch & Be Part of the Movement
📺 Fortunate Sons premieres on PBS SoCal Plus on September 3rd, with encore showings and streaming nationwide at www.pbs.org and the PBS app.
🌐 Learn more at fortunate-sons.com.
🎧 Listen to my full podcast conversation here 👉 https://www.podhealth.club/e/fortunate-sons-a-journey-into-masculinity/
My biggest takeaway? Healing begins in the courage to share. Whether you’re 18 or 80, the invitation is the same: open your heart, reach out, and remember we have more in common than we have differences.
With gratitude,
Avik
Founder, Healthy Mind By Avik™
