Make Some Change…

In 2022, I began partnering with Bishop Ivy Gaines and Weld Seattle to launch The Barbershop. We could see that there was some serious work to be done to rebuild the relationship between community and police in Seattle, and we had an idea!

“The Barbershop” is an innovative experience designed to dissolve pre-conceived notions of “us” and “them”, shine a new light on old stereotypes and beliefs, and cultivate new perspectives. In a typical barbershop, there are no dividing lines, everyone is there for the same reason and the discussion is free, curious, and open.

The Barbershop initiative invites those impacted by the justice system and those employed by these systems together to dissolve the mind sets that fuel breakdowns in public safety.

It does this through workshops that encourage perspective building and recognizing internal de-escalation opportunities, paired with facilitated community conversations about what defines public safety in our communities going forward.

It is a program like no other, and the testimonials from our participants repeatedly recognize how impactful the experience is for them. Events are held every 4-6 weeks in the Seattle area.

If this sounds like the meaningful work you would like to be a part of, click here to learn more.