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          BIMA
          BIMA AI: Accelerating Intelligence

          Join us for the BIMA's thought leadership panel around AI in the advertising industry and gain insights from Noor Naseer.

          09/26/2023

          5:30pm - 7:30pm

          Hill Holliday

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          City Awake
          Make Your Voice Heard: Reimagining Nightlife with Corean Reynolds

          Corean Reynold was recently appointed the Director of Nightlife Economy for the City of Boston, where she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering an equitable and thriving nightlife ecosystem.

          10/04/2023

          6:00pm - 7:30pm

          Roundhead Brewing Company

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Government Affairs
          2023 Government Affairs Forum: State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg

          Don’t miss our upcoming Government Affairs Forum with Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. Register now!

          10/11/2023

          9:45am - 11:00am

          Bank of America

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          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Resources
        • EQ to Elevate Workplace Well-being

          Designed for mid-level managers and supervisors, this new certificate program addresses workplace well-being through unique, innovative, and actionable methods.

          Read More
          Transformational DEI Certificate

          Join our Transformational DEI Certificate! Our comprehensive learning & development offerings are designed to connect and grow strong leaders who lead both inside and out of the office.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Economic Inclusion Committee
          • Fierce Urgency of Now Festival
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Economic Inclusion

          Our Economic Inclusion Committee provides strategic support around research, policies, and programs that are focused on building equal opportunity.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Fierce Urgency of Now Festival
          2023 Fierce Urgency of Now Festival

          The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival brings Boston’s diverse young professionals together with business leaders, organizations and their peers to build connection, advance careers and ignite positive change.

          09/12/2023 -

          09/16/2023

          Greater Boston

          arrow-go
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  • Our Networks
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          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For nearly 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
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Mental Health in Communities of Color: The Role of the Barber Shop

October 27, 2021

For decades, barbershops and hair salons have been centralized meeting places that foster unity, trust, and connection for communities of color. The barbershop is seen as a retreat and a place to refresh both an individual’s hair and mind. It’s a place to talk about life in a judgment-free environment where people are free to be themselves with someone they likely have a relationship with (many people see a barber every eight weeks or more and have a loyal relationship with their stylist), but who isn’t in the midst of their problems. They know what is talked about in the shop stays in the shop.

Recognizing that 25% of people deal with mental health challenges in their lifetime (not to mention the additional challenges and seclusion the pandemic has caused for many), Lorenzo Lewis founded The Confess Project to help train barbers to be mental health advocates in their communities. So far, 500 barbers have been trained in 31 cities throughout the U.S. The program has a goal of training one thousand barbers this year (each of whom sees about 100 clients every month) and to reach a million people through their barber chairs. The program is intended to remove the stigmas around mental health challenges, prevent suicide, and serve as gatekeepers and ambassadors in their community. The goal is to train barbers as advocates, not experts.

The program is intended to remove the stigmas around mental health challenges, prevent suicide and serve as gatekeepers and ambassadors in their community. The goal is to train barbers as advocates, not experts.

Mental Health Challenges and Therapy are Taboo

Part of the problem with suffering from mental health challenges (anxiety, depression, or others) is the shame and guilt some folks feel around them. It’s a taboo topic and, in Black communities, is something that can bring shame to the whole family. Black men are taught to survive and to live under stress, or that they just need religion, not therapy. The leading cause of death for Black men between the ages of 18-35 is suicide. We don’t want individuals living with an unbearable burden of stress. Sometimes people don’t even realize how things are impacting them emotionally or physically until they start talking about them. Each additional trauma or stressor is like a rock added to a backpack they are carrying around. When someone says they are seeing a therapist, we often wonder what’s wrong and have an adverse reaction to the news. However, seeing a therapist should be normalized, like seeing a doctor for a routine check-up. We’ve been hearing more and more of this saying recently, that “it’s okay not to be okay.” This concept alone can encourage folks that if they are dealing with something, it’s normal. Anyone taking a step to help themselves should be applauded.

Why a Barber is Positioned to Be a Good Advocate to those Struggling

Barbers are there for us, for all of life’s occasions. They make us feel good for our wedding day, they are there to give us a new look when we change jobs or become parents, they are there to listen when we’ve lost a friend or a family member. Many folks feel comfortable opening up to their barber because they don’t have to make eye contact or have a serious talk in a formal setting. When folks see a barber, they don’t think of a mental health professional, but someone who feels familiar to them. Barbers can pick up on changes in attitude, body language, weight loss, or other indicators that someone might be having a hard time. When a barber asks, how are you?” when a client sits down, it is a loaded question. If someone at work asked us, we likely would give a one-word reply, but we are more likely to open up to our barber.

Given that people are more likely to go to a barber than a doctor, there is a huge shortage of clinicians. Of those barbers in the program, 90% report they would rather see a barber in a shop than a therapist in a brick-and-mortar location. That being said, they are uniquely positioned to help folks uncover underlying traumas, help folks feel seen, and serve as an access point to therapy, a suicide prevention hotline (988 – like a 911 number for those struggling with mental health crises), or other resources their clients may need.

For younger children, a coach or a gym teacher might be seen as a similar resource as a barber. For an older man or for folks who are religious, a pastor (who is often trained in psychology) may be able to provide perspective on the issues they are facing.

When folks see a barber, they don’t think of a mental health professional, but someone who feels familiar to them. Barbers can pick up on changes in attitude, body language, weight loss, or other indicators that someone might be having a hard time.

Getting Help to Overcome Mental Health Challenges Shows Strength, Not Weakness

Anyone who opens up about struggling with mental health issues should be applauded. It takes courage to identify a problem and speak up about what you need. The language we use and our responses are so important. When someone tells you they go to therapy, or they are struggling, be careful not to offend them. While women are often more open about vulnerabilities and are taught early on that they don’t have to be strong all the time, men are often more reluctant and may need more encouragement to do so. While women talk more about “self-care,” no manicure, massage, or “moms night out,” can take away the toll that has been placed on women through the pandemic with challenges in managing work, childcare, and isolation.

While speaking to a barber or a therapist may be the first step, it takes work on the part of the individual to overcome the challenges they are facing. This could include speaking with a professional, meditation, journaling, prayer, or self-reflection. We think the model set up by Confess Project should be emulated across other sectors. We applaud Verizon Media, which has developed mental health support groups within their organization, complete with life coaches and professional counselors.

When we are in times that are placing additional stressors on our communities, we must identify all avenues for support, from the barber chair to our families, friends, neighborhoods, and employers. Remember: it’s ok not to be ok, and you may just be one conversation from a path to healing. Never be afraid to speak up for what you need, it’s the strongest thing you can do.

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