Business Leader Interview - Christine E. Ohenewah - It's Not Toxic Men, It's A Toxic Environment. In this deeply moving and eye-opening episode, we sit down with Christine Ohenewah, a former lawyer turned visionary educator and founder of The Elizabeth Tweneboah Foundation (ETFNY.org). With rare clarity and courage, Christine exposes a growing yet often ignored crisis: the quiet suffering of modern men and the need to rebuild higher education around human purpose rather than productivity.
Drawing from years in the classroom, she unpacks how academic systems and cultural overcorrections have left students — especially young men — disconnected, misunderstood, and spiritually unanchored. Christine shares a powerful insight: we cannot design a better future without first restoring the human spirit, particularly the male spirit that has been both expected to lead and forbidden to feel.
Through her foundation, she is pioneering a new model of university education that blends the Socratic method, legal reasoning, and the humanities to cultivate creators, critical thinkers, and purpose-driven human beings.
Together, we explore the “veil of assigned power” men are expected to carry, the epidemic of loneliness and rising suicide rates, and the damaging oversimplification that labels struggling men as “toxic.” Christine argues that when so many men are breaking down, it’s not the flower that’s sick — it’s the environment.
Her “Mens Rea” division is dedicated to building spaces for honest, judgment-free dialogue where both men and women can reconnect with truth, purpose, and authentic power.
This episode is essential for anyone interested in the future of education, gender conversations, leadership, and building a society where human beings thrive beyond economic outcomes.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why male loneliness and suicide rates reflect societal dysfunction, not male weakness
The crucial distinction between assigned power and actual power
How cultural overcorrection has pushed men into silence
The “Mens Rea” framework for real, unfiltered conversations
Why women often ask for vulnerability only on their own terms
How ETFNY develops creators, not consumers
A bold reimagination of university education focused on critical thinking, self-discovery, and purpose
Timestamps
0:00 — Intro & Preview
1:00 — Christine’s Journey: Law, Teaching, and Founding ETFNY
3:30 — What Academia Is Missing
5:15 — The “Creators Over Consumers” Philosophy
7:10 — The Mens Rea Division
10:50 — The Plant vs. Environment Analogy
14:30 — Assigned Power vs. Actual Power
18:00 — The Pendulum of Gender Discourse
22:15 — Listening to Men Without Filtering Their Truth
27:40 — Rethinking Power, Money, and Success
33:00 — Pioneers and New Social Models
37:50 — The Vision for the Future University
42:00 — How to Support the Mission
Connect with Christine:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-ohenewah-7733110c/
📧 Email: cohenewah@etfny.org
Connect with us:
🌐 Website: https://alifedesigned.org/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Life-Designed/61555808886233
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alifedesigned/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alifedesigned2024
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-life-designed-team-coaching/
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on manufacturing, leadership, and the future of work.