Aaron Johnson is a public speaker, facilitator, filmmaker, and touch activist whose work centers on the emotional and relational lives of Black men. He is the founder of the Chronically UnderTouched (CUT) Project and a co-founder of Holistic Resistance and Grief to Action, creating spaces where men can move from a chronically undertouched state into touch balance through listening, consent, and tenderness. His documentary films, Dark and Tender and Dark and Tender: Big Island, capture that work on screen and challenge long-held ideas about Black masculinity. Based in the Mojave Desert of California, Aaron also builds land-based healing retreats rooted in touch, grief, and community.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Why platonic touch often disappears from men's lives for years or even decades
How Aaron reclaimed his tears after 20 years of emotional numbness
Why "listening is the first hug" and comes before any physical touch
The origin and meaning of the three-minute platonic touch question
What the "tuck-in" practice reveals about vulnerability and care
How consent and explicit permission create safety for touch
How families and parents can model tenderness to change the next generation
LEARN MORE
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September 3, 2026
Aaron Johnson
From Untouched to Connected: How Platonic Touch Can Transform Men's Lives
"Listening is the first hug." — Aaron Johnson
TIMESTAMPS
0:56 — Meet Aaron Johnson
2:26 — Where Chronically Untouched Began
5:13 — Reclaiming Tears After Two Decades
12:45 — The Three-Minute Touch Question
17:54 — The Dark and Tender Films
22:35 — The Black Brute Archetype
26:12 — Listening Is the First Hug
35:41 — The Power of the Tuck-In
44:55 — Advice for Parents and Families
48:24 — Where to Find Aaron's Work
SHOW NOTES
In this conversation, Dr. Dan welcomes Aaron Johnson, a public speaker, facilitator, filmmaker, and touch activist who founded the Chronically Untouched Project and co-founded Holistic Resistance and Grief to Action. Aaron's work explores the emotional and relational lives of Black men and the messages many have received about what masculinity is supposed to look like... be strong, hold your emotions in, don't show vulnerability. Through intentional listening, platonic touch, consent, tenderness, and community, Aaron creates spaces where men can experience a different way of connecting with themselves and with one another.
LINKS & RESOURCES
Resources & links: Aaron Johnson
Website: https://www.cutproject.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cut.project/
Films — Dark and Tender: https://www.cutproject.org/film
Key Concepts
Chronically Undertouched: A state in which someone has gone without meaningful, consistent platonic touch for so long that they no longer register the absence as a need.
Touch Balance: The ongoing practice of restoring a healthy, intentional level of platonic touch in one's life through a personalized touch plan.
Listening as the First Hug: The principle that deep, nonjudgmental listening builds the safety and trust required before physical touch can be meaningful or consensual.
The Tuck-In: A guided practice in which participants ask directly for the care they need (pillows, blankets, a held hand) and practice receiving it from others.
GUEST BIO
Aaron Johnson (he/him) is a public speaker, facilitator, filmmaker, and touch activist whose work centers on one of the most under-invested topics in America: the emotional and relational lives of Black men. He is the founder of the Chronically UnderTouched (CUT) Project and a co-founder of Holistic Resistance and Grief to Action, organizations that create environments where Black-bodied individuals can express their full selves and be held with tenderness, care, and truth. Aaron's own journey began with a lack of loving, platonic touch in his own life; today, his work supports Black men — across income levels, sexualities, and gender identities — in developing holistic touch practices and moving from a chronically undertouched state into touch balance. His documentary films, Dark and Tender and Dark and Tender: Big Island, along with his retreats and workshops, offer a rare cultural record of tender Black masculinity that challenges the "Black brute" archetype and centers softness, intimacy, and collective liberation. Based in the Mojave Desert of California, Aaron and his team are building land-based sanctuaries and healing spaces that weave together touch, grief, mentorship, singing, and embodiment to support liberation for those most overlooked by society.
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