Two Blocks to Brotherhood: Why the Barbershop Still Matters

There’s a quote that sat in my high school yearbook, scribbled by my gym teacher, a man known for dropping wisdom nuggets like dimes on a fast break. At the time, it missed the bullseye for me. I was 17, thinking more about playing basketball and senior year than life lessons. But over time, his words echoed back with clarity, especially when I reflected on the places and people that shaped me.

One of those places was the barbershop.

Every other Saturday morning, I’d walk two blocks from the projects into what we reverently called the safe haven, the barbershop. It was more than a spot to get lined up. It was a brotherhood circle where the OGs, deacons, AAU ballers, educators, hustlers, and everyday working men all assembled. We got fresh cuts, talked that talk, dapped each other up, and disappeared until the next time.

But what happened in that space was iconic and far from ordinary.

Men's Check In at Royal Roots Barbershop

A Legacy Circle

The barbershop was a space of belonging. A place where you didn’t have to front. Where a young man like me could sit quietly or jump into a conversation about sports, politics, or purpose. I didn’t always have a father in the home, but I had men in that room who poured into me sometimes without even knowing it and that’s what makes the barbershop a cultural cornerstone.

Across the country, in cities big and small, the barbershop stands as one of the last standing safe spaces for men especially black and brown men to be real, raw, and reflective. It's where vulnerability and strength are not at odds. In a world that often tells men to bottle it up, the barbershop is where stories spill out. Joy, pain, hope, and frustration all sit in the same chair. The wisdom that floats in the air of a barbershop is unmatched. Lessons on money, fatherhood, love, failure, and faith are all part of the curriculum and no one’s even charging tuition. For many of us, the barbershop was the first place we learned the art of conversation, confidence, and cool. It’s a rite of passage, shaping how we see ourselves and the men we aspire to become or not. Whether it’s elections, injustice, or the block news, the barbershop is often more informed than the 6 o'clock news. It's where movements begin and accountability happens. Barbers are entrepreneurs, community anchors, therapists and often the community plug.

Barbershop Talks - We All We G.O.T.

It’s why today, when I work to engage fathers and uplift families, I know the power of community starts in places like the barbershop. It’s more than nostalgia, it’s necessity. So, here’s to the barbers, the OGs, and the sacred chairs we sat in. You may not have known it then, but those talks, those moments, meant everything. Sometimes, the most transformative spaces don’t have stages or spotlights, or don’t create a viral moment, just a buzzing clipper, a cracked leather chair, and a brother willing to listen.

It took me years to understand the quote my gym teacher left me in my yearbook:"Love many, trust few, paddle your own canoe."

Back then, it felt cryptic, but those Saturday mornings in the barbershop gave it clarity. I learned to love many, to honor the wisdom, humor, and stories that filled that space. I learned to trust few, to listen with discernment, because not all loud voices speak truth and most importantly, I learned to paddle my own canoe, to chart my own course while staying rooted in the lessons from those who came before me.