Photo by Ijeoma Anyanwu. Inside Nu-Tribe barbershop, Ezeani is getting a haircut from Shah.
In spite of hundreds of people losing their jobs and homes in Jamaica, Queens, there is still a strong sense of calm and hope in the community - especially amongst the young men. I have witnessed a positive change in the attitude of the young men in my neighborhood; I remember the days when they “functioned” like zombies, and walked like they had a cloud of despair hovering over them. It was depressing to see them “just existing” and not living life to its fullest. However, all that changed November 4th, when Barack Obama was declared the president. The same guys who were nonchalant about life turned over a new leaf and vowed to be better people. “I used to look up to Jay-Z and P-Diddy as my role models but now I have Barack to look up to…I want to be just like him!” said Chris, a 16- year-old resident of South Ozone Park in Queens.
President Barack Obama’s rise from humble origins resonates with Chris and thousands of other young men. Obama fever has permeated the entire community especially at Nu-Tribe barbershop located at 89-32 165th Street.
I decided it was time for Ezeani, my 7-year-old son to get a haircut, so I took him to Nu-Tribe. The scent of talcum and menthol, the football game blaring on the television, and the lazy rhythms of friendly conversations greeted me as I walked into the barbershop with my son. “Hello little man, are you ready to get a haircut?” asked Shah, the barber. “Yes,” replied my son. As I watched him cut my son’s hair, I noticed Barack Obama’s picture hanging on the wall and a plaque inscribed with the words “A change we can believe in.” So I decided to ask Shah what President Obama’s win means to him. In a low but firm tone he said “Everything! Everything! You know, I never believed I would live to see a black man become president but Barack proved me wrong; he changed the way I think.” After a brief pause, he said, “he motivates me to be a better man.”
Yemi, Shah’s colleague, overheard our conversation and said with a drawl “for the first time, I feel like I am part of something. I’m 29 years old; I voted for the first time last year because of Obama, and what he represents.” Yemi signed up at the South Queens Boys and Girls Club as a volunteer;its clear he wants to make a difference. The old man sitting in Yemi’s chair smiled as he got his haircut and said with a Caribbean accent “Young people can reach for the stars…nothing is impossible…Barack has proven that…I am so proud of America.” We all nodded in agreement and chanted “Yes We Can.”
“You are all set, young man,” said Shah. As he took the cape off my son and brushed hair off his clothes, he asked Ezeani, “What do you like about Obama?” My son smiled and said “Well, he knows how to play basketball and I play basketball too!” His response which caused an uproar of laughter earned him a lollipop. As Ezeani and I walked towards the door, I heard the old gentleman say “People, its time to raise the bar; we need to step up and help Obama change things….” I couldn’t help but say “AMEN to that!” With a lollipop in my son’s mouth, his cute haircut, and words of wisdom in my head, we left the barbershop very happy. What a difference, Obama’s win has made in the lives of so many.
This article is both interesting and contemporarily relevant. The author successfully paints a colorful picture for her readers: she puts us inside the barber shop, she helps us easily familiarize ourselves with her interviewees,and she discusses current news alongside her personal story. Despite the author’s turn from describing a family outing to discussing politics and her political beliefs, she does so subtley and she focuses on her community peers rather than delving into a serious, opinion-driven talk on politics as a whole. The author is lighthearted and comfortable and her ability to place us at the scene is highly affective.
Good job IJ! That was nicely written because the words flowed and everything blended (transitioned) well. By including various points of view, like your son’s, really gave this reader a sense of being involved in a conversation. I’ve been in many barbershops (including nu tribe) and your story captures the experiences you find inside local neighborhood shops.