The Shop: Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy to Engage Black Male Residential Students (A Prelude)

Essential. Therapist. Entrepreneurial hub. Masculinity.

All words to describe a sacred space in the Black community. Lively conversations about the happenings of the day, the light buzzing of the clippers, and an air of fellowship among other Black males always awaited me in one of my favorite spots growing up: Kenny’s Barbershop! The barbershop was a safe space for me to feel ask questions and challenge both conventional/non-conventional thinking while also receiving a service. The ‘shop was where I earned my first job as a sweeper (term for the kid that would sweep up the hair off the floor and tidy up) as well as ran my own business of sorts selling cologne on the corner. The barbershop is a pivotal space for many Black males from different backgrounds growing up as it is one of the earliest places they engage with other Black men, understand fellowship, and have a…