The Challenge

World-Class Faders wanted to document their barbershop's excellent service, but I discovered they were creating something far more significant than great haircuts.

What they told me

"We want to document our barbershop and show how we cut hair really well."

What I uncovered

The real story wasn't about haircuts—it was about healing. Through community research, I discovered clients were coming for emotional support, life advice, and mental wellness that traditional therapy couldn't provide.

My Approach

I documented the organic healing happening daily. Barbers sharing vulnerable stories of incarceration and recovery. Conversations that literally diverted a young person from crime toward college. The shop as a model for culturally authentic mental wellness.

The deeper opportunity: Black men need mental health support, but systemic barriers make traditional therapy inaccessible. This barbershop was already serving as an innovative healing sanctuary.

The Results

• Featured at film festivals highlighting community innovation

• Sparked citywide conversations about community-based mental health solutions

• Created replicable framework for community-based emotional infrastructure

• Amplified voices of formerly incarcerated individuals creating positive change

Why This Matters

I captured proof that effective mental health support must be culturally rooted. This isn't just a barbershop documentary—it's a case study in emotional infrastructure that actually works, providing funders and policymakers with evidence they need to see.