expand his vision to many more barbershops throughout the Dane County community.
The money from this grant came from the Wisconsin Partnership Program at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health which also awarded another organization dedicated to helping Black people, The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness.
The first order of business for Perry is to start his Black Men’s Wellness Sustainable Initiative and expand to other barber and beauty shops. The current list of shops is: Vernee Nycole House of Beauty, JT Barber Hair Design Studios, B. Right Barbershop, Atwood Barbershop, COG Barber & Beauty Hair Salon, Resilient Hair Designs and Barberstown.
“We have to do something to move that needle and improve these health disparities,” said Aaron Perry. “That’s the goal of what we are trying to do and the initiative is our Black Men’s Wellness Sustainable Initiative, so that’s a four-year initiative, that we are very excited about.”
The other sites won’t have a full health center, but they will contain health education materials. The long-term goal is to pair medical students from the University of Wisconsin with each barbershop to provide services such as health screenings. On the horizon is also an initiative called “Brown Boys Read” a peer education program. Perry is doing amazing work for the city of Madison.
“It’s just good energy when you feel like someone sees your vision. This has been an effort of blood, sweat, and tears. ” Perry said.
“We’re going to change this community. We’re going to move that needle.”
Daunte Henderson, founder of the MADEMAN Foundation, author, and educator based in Chicago. You can follow him at @brotherhenderson on IG