By Nyesha Stone
Sterling Brown spent time with Milwaukee youth on his off day. (Picture provided by Andis Foundation)
Barbershops are a social hub in the Black community that not only provide confidence through a fresh haircut, but life lessons as well. It’s a space built on community and conversation, which is why the Andis Foundation and Milwaukee Bucks have partnered together to host six “Barbershop Mondays” with Safe & Sound.
“This is an opportunity for organizations to really reach out and help the community,” said Laura Andis, a family owner of the Andis Foundation. The Andis Foundation is a non-profit that was established in 2015 with a mission to build strong families, support the youth and to create a vibrant community to live in.
Men from the community made time in their day to speak with young Black men in the city. (Picture provide by the Andis Foundation)
Barbershop Mondays is going against the norm and opening up barbershops on a Monday to provide resources to males 16-23 years of age. These events are to show young men that you can own your own business and be successful in the hair industry, or any industry, right here in your hometown.
The events will be held either in existing barbershops or organizations where “pop-up barbershops” will be created—bottom line, the goal is to have a forum for conversation. The boys and men will be offered a free haircut, free food and maybe a visit from some Bucks’ players.
A Black’s man’s smile is hardly seen in the media, but Barbershop Mondays is changing the narrative. (Picture by the Andis Foundation)
So far, two events have been held, with one of the events being held on a Thursday to fit into Bucks’ player Sterling Brown’s schedule.
The remaining four events are still to be determined:
February 4 – Location TBD due to weather
March 18 – Silver Spring Center with Player/s
March 25 – Racine – TBD
April 8 – TBD
Andis said these young men have a lot of questions and they’re looking for advice and resources to help them figure out what they want to do with their lives, and Barbershop Mondays is providing them with what they need.
A free haircut and real conversation was the basis of this event. (Picture provided by the Andis Foundation)
“[Barbershop Mondays is] building a strong basis for development, said Andis.
To find out more about the Andis Foundation, visit their site at andis.org.