Unapologetic with Erin Davis is a space for bold conversations and quiet truths.


Rooted in over 20 years of experience in leadership and inclusion, Erin invites you into thoughtful, often courageous dialogue about what it truly means to lead with purpose—and to create workplaces where belonging isn’t aspirational, it’s expected.


This is a space for the curious.
The committed.
The courageous.


And for those who are ready to lead—unapologetically.

Episode Show Notes:

    • The Making of a Man: Rewriting Masculinity, Mentorship, and Belonging

      What do we teach boys when we tell them to be strong, but not soft?
      What do we lose when workplaces reward performance over presence?

      In this episode of Unapologetic, Erin Davis is joined by Jake Stika, co-founder of Next Gen Men, for an honest and courageous conversation on masculinity, mentorship, and what it means to belong. Together, they explore the early socialization of boys, the pressure to perform masculinity in rigid ways, and the systems that reward silence and disconnection.

      Jake speaks from lived experience and systems change, challenging us to reimagine masculinity not as a performance—but as a possibility. From suicide prevention to youth leadership, emotional literacy to everyday care, this episode is a call to move beyond blame and toward a more expansive definition of manhood.

      This episode is for anyone raising sons, supporting men, or shaping cultures of belonging in their work and life.

      What We Talked About


    • Why emotional fluency starts in childhood

    • The link between isolation and performance in boys

    • Rethinking what we reward in men and workplaces

    • Moving from shame to possibility in masculinity work

    • Creating spaces for mentorship, not martyrdom

    • Building cultures of belonging without performative pressure

    • Why inclusion efforts must include boys and men, too

    Mentioned in this Episode


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  • The Systems We Inherit: Reimagining Power, Access, and Equity

    In this episode of Unapologetic, Erin Davis is joined by Marcela Mandeville—equity advocate, strategist, and longtime champion for inclusive economic systems—for a conversation rooted in clarity, complexity, and care.

    Together, they reflect on the systems we inherit, the biases we carry, and the realities we’re called to confront when leadership no longer fits the mold we were given. From pandemic-era pivots to community-based book clubs, from global capital flows to the slow ache of systemic resistance—Marcela shares what it means to lead without waiting for permission, and to hold fast to your values even when change feels painfully slow.

    With honesty and insight, this episode explores what it takes to challenge what no longer serves us, how to reimagine equity beyond institutional boundaries, and why agency, alignment, and belonging must be part of any future we want to build.

    This is a conversation for those walking the edges of systems, wondering what’s next—and daring to believe that something better is possible.

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    Be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode resonated with you. And if you’re walking your own path of systems change—we see you.

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