Barbers Who Care provide haircuts while helping to build confidence in young men
WEST PHILADELPHIA - It’s that time of the school year when students try to look their best to capture that one special picture and a Philadelphia stylist who has cut hair for the likes of Michael B. Jordan, Joel Embiid and even Lady Gaga is using his talents to help kids.
"When I was a kid, I didn’t get a haircut often. It was once every two months that I got a haircut. During those times I didn’t have a great haircut and I still had to do picture day. It felt bad for me," says Kenny Duncan, the Founder of Barbers Who Care.
A feeling that Duncan, who’s now been cutting hair for nearly 25 years, wants to make sure kids don’t have to experience.
The way he’s done this is by using his organization, Barbers Who Care, and gathering photographers and several area barbers to help give a memorable moment to students at Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Middle School, a group of boys these barbers have had a chance to offer free cuts to throughout the year.
"We wanted to do more than just one haircut a year and actually be around, do more and grow with them. Between them coming back with a smile like ‘oh it’s you again’, they know what they are getting so, they know it’s going to be a good move," says Luqmaan Serrano, a barber at Barber LSDIDIT Studios.
Celebrity barbers continue annual free haircut event in West Philly ahead of back-to-school
There is nothing like a fresh haircut to get the school year off to a great start. Nearly 200 free haircuts took place Sunday, in West Philadelphia, with Barbers Who Care showing out.
The barbers say this event is not just about what you can see, the fresh cuts, but the impact that you don’t see.
"Conversations that we have here with young men that I believe are a part of the bright future. I can have a lot of impactful conversations that I know I feel good about having those conversations," says Duncan.
"They get to feel like somebody sees them and in return we feel it as well. It’s good to know that you’re pouring into something and we are doing more than just a haircut to begin with," says Serrano.
The young men definitely felt seen and are not only looking good but feeling good.
"I actually feel really cool, I don’t know why, but I do," says Joshua Jones, a 6th grader at Boys’ Latin.
"It makes my confidence boost up," says Domineic Johnson, another 6th grader.
Duncan says they plan to hold three more of the confidence boosting haircuts at Boys’ Latin throughout the remainder of the school year.
Visit Barbers Who Care at their Facebook page, here, or their Instagram, here.