“Chop It Up!” A Clinical Reflexive Case for Barber Shops as Safe Havens for Black Men During the Pandemic

Authors

  • Khabir Williams
  • Juan Antonio Rios Seton Hall University

Keywords:

Black racial oppression, African diaspora , mental health , barbershops , Chop It Up program

Abstract

The year 2020 was full of unfortunate events such as the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the apex to the reiteration of Black racial oppression in the United States of America (USA). Both events have resulted in death, systematic health, and financial disparities for Black people living in America. Due to ongoing Black racial oppression, there continues to be limited engagement of Black people within the helping professions, which can lead to acute symptomology. The phrase “reiteration of Black racial oppression” is coined by the authors as over generality to identify the generational, cumulative oppressive experiences of Black/African Americans in the United States. As history teaches, similar experiences of oppression have echoed throughout generations and communities (Goosby & Heidbrink, 2013). This reflective narrative depicts lived experiences and provides insight as a Black male [Khabir] working in the helping profession during the apex of Black oppression and COVID-19 pandemic.

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Published

2022-09-27

How to Cite

Williams, K., & Rios, J. A. (2022). “Chop It Up!” A Clinical Reflexive Case for Barber Shops as Safe Havens for Black Men During the Pandemic. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 28(2), 87–100. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/1911

Issue

Section

Black Racial Injustice: Personal Reflections to Change Strategies