Meet Gayle Smaller Jr

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gayle Smaller Jr. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gayle below.

Hi Gayle, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

As a Black man in the world, I have experienced a gamut of emotions and experiences. Growing up, I remembering laughing and having so much joy and positive interactions with my family and friends. And then I began to notice that the world around us had started to only receive Black people as a group of people who were nothing except the trauma we experienced. I made a conscious decision that I would have a different outlook on life and stand more in a place of happiness, peace, love and joy no matter what the world around me was telling me I was supposed to be. This perspective came with an overwhelming sense of optimism and belief that we, as Black people, can and do possess so much joy and magic!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have had a career in higher education for 10 years working towards equity, inclusion and antiracism. I spent the first half of 2023 participating in a leadership development program called New Leader’s Council (NLC), where I began envisioning a space for men and boys to safely discuss, and find resources for, their mental health. At the same time, I was volunteering for Fashion Week MN (FWMN), supporting various fashion shows and events., including assistant producing the sold out, Proximity, show for FWMN. I started producing the MAN DOWN fashion show in the Fall of 2023, taking everything I learned from my experiences with FWMN and NLC. I have since produced the MAN DOWN fashion experience three times and I am actively producing the fourth season, Spring 2025, right now! I am most excited about the expansion of MAN DOWN. I have been working towards creating The MAN DOWN Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing awareness to the mental health challenges of men and boys, providing creative outlets and connections to resources. This was an idea rooted in me wanting to ensure that my younger brothers and nephews understood that they were loved and seen and that they understood the value of emotional intelligence and is now expanding into an organization dedicated to making spaces for men and boys to know they are safe to not be okay, and that we will support them through anything.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

If possible, I would actually push this question a bit more because, for me, it was three beliefs that were the most impactful to my journey. These three beliefs are what continually propel me forward, still to this day. I believe that everything that is for me, is for me – which always keeps me focused on the goal, and allows me to easily pivot when it feels that things are not meant to go that particular direction on the journey. I believe that I will be in rooms I am supposed to be in – sharing space and energy with like-minded individuals who truly have seen me has been key on my journey, as these individuals have opened doors for me, they have provided resources and support in ways I would have never thought to ask for and they have taught me so much about my capacity, worth and ability. And I believe that I deserve joy. This belief, specifically, has helped me navigate the storms and tribulations I have faced thus far. It is a constant reminder that, though it might be rough for a moment, this is not the moment I am meant to be stuck in or end at. The best piece of advice that I can give for those early on their journey is to trust yourself and your inner spirit to lead you exactly where you are supposed to go.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

As I am currently forming The MAN DOWN Project, I am actively looking for partners and collaborators who, first and foremost, value the mental wellness of all people. I am looking to build relationships that can help elevate the message and impact of the organization, because all men can benefit from mental health support. I would love to collaborate with artists and designers, organizations that offer traditional and nontraditional forms of therapy. We are looking for funders and fundraisers, advocates and allies, friends and family to go on this journey with us. You can learn more by visiting our website themandownproject.org or emailing us at [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themandownproject.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandown_fashion/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-man-down-projectmn/about/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits

Mark Brown
Jolanta Young
Heather Kolwalski