Historically, barbershops have been a longstanding pillar in the Black community, serving as a place of solace and trust for Black men. Now, Lorenzo Lewis, founder of the national grassroots movement, is looking to build even more trust through The Confess Project.
Set out to equip barbers with the necessary tools to support their clients by encouraging long-standing mental health success, Lewis and The Confess Project has provided free mental health advocacy training to 20 local Mississippi barbers.
“Particularly with African Americans we are less likely to receive treatment due to discrimination and bias and things that we’ve experienced with our medical system. We here to open up the gateways for men to show that them that they are needed and they can be seen and heard,” Lewis told WJTV.
Founded in 2016, the Arkansas-based movement reports that they are the nation’s first grassroots movement that truly addresses the mental health challenges for boys, men of color, and their families.
The Confess Project’s Barber Coalition has recently joined forces with Gillette to create the 2020 State of Mind Tour. The tour is scheduled to travel across the country and expand the program to welcome another 8-10 barbers who will train to become Mental Health Advocates.
Click here to join The Confess Project’s Barber Coalition.
