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Barbershop Books inspires Black boys to become lifelong readers
FOX 11's Brooke Thomas shares this inspirational story.
Research shows young Black boys are especially vulnerable when it comes to reading proficiency.
According to experts, there are several contributing factors to consider.
Black boys experience a significantly higher rate of school suspensions compared to boys in general. Some experts believe that teachers often have lower expectations for them and provide fewer opportunities for classroom participation. These challenges can greatly hinder their progress in developing reading proficiency. This is where Barber Shop Books, a nonprofit organization, comes into play. Their mission is simple - to inspire black boys to become lifelong readers.
"I believe that reading can free kids to realize their full potential, whatever they want to do,"Alvin Irby said.
Irby knows reading can transform your life. It's why he started "Barbershop Books," an idea sparked by a trip to the barbershop. At the time, he was a first-grade teacher in the Bronx and saw one of his students in the shop.
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He thought children should have books to read while kids are waiting at the barbershop and from there the idea of "Barbershop Books" was born.
Now, there are children's books to read in barbershops all across the country, including neighborhood favorite L&D Barber Shop in Compton.
"It is very great to see those kids just come in and just grab a book instead of just running around looking for the snacks. Reading is the key to all our knowledge," said Lewis Hinton, owner of L&D Barbershop.
According to barber Michael Johnson, who cuts the hair of many children, he believes that the books used by Barbershop Books have had a transformative effect.
The unique aspect of the Barbershop Books program is that all the books in their barbershops are carefully selected based on recommendations from the boys themselves. This means that the books available are ones that boys enjoy reading.
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