‘Flipping the Barbershop’ event held to destigmatize mental health in communities of color

Removing the stigma around mental health was the focus of a special event held Thursday night at Cape Fear Community College.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Removing the stigma around mental health was the focus of a special event held Thursday night at Cape Fear Community College.

Four Black men who are active in the community came together to have a public discussion about religion, mental health, grief, and more for the “Flipping the Barbershop” event hosted by Healing Your Almond. Essentially, opening up the barbershop for people to see the conversations that happen there and to remove the stigma of being vulnerable and having tough conversations, specifically in communities of color.

Jared “Bigg Redd” Little, owner of Bigg Redd’s Barbershop in Wilmington, approached Healing Your Almond Founder Franchon Francees about participating in an event like this after her “Flipping the Couch” event in 2019. On Thursday night, Bigg Redd, Brandon “Bigg B” Hickman, Montrel Miller, and Jamar Jenkins spoke candidly about going to therapy and dealing with complex feelings.

Francees says she hopes people can take away two important things from the event.

“Number one, all Black men are amazing. They are not to be feared, they are to be celebrated, they are to be protected. They’re just amazing,” Francees said. “Number two, it’s okay to not be okay. Whatever that looks like for you, it’s okay. Go to therapy, go to the barbershop, go to church, go to wherever you need to go to get the love and support that you need.”

For more information about Healing Your Almond, visit here.