Black barbers across the country are teaming up to increase voter turn out on November 3. Led by Andrew Glass and Obi Omile Jr., the “Shape Up The Vote” initiative empowers barbers to lead discussions about the importance of voting and encourages customers to participate in voter registration drives.
“As our country heads into the critical election, we’re encouraged to see local leaders rally their communities to make their voices heard,” Glass said.
“We started the project based on our belief that barbers are local leaders. Especially in this time of social isolation, barbers hold a unique space for dialogue and conversation. Our team has a deep appreciation for local businesses and community leaders, and set out to empower barbers to use their influence in the 2020 election.”
With election day hours away, the “Shape Up The Vote” initiative has hit nearly 1,000 barbers nationwide. Thus far, they have touched based with barbers in Detroit, Atlanta, New York and a number of other large cities.
“We partnered with Shape Up the Vote because barbershops have always been trusted spaces of conversations for people of color. At the same time, barbers are trusted leaders in Black and brown communities and barbershops are places where people from all walks of life will eventually come visit,” Omile Jr. said.
“Voting is incredibly important. Black people haven’t always had the right to vote, so everyone who is capable should go out and exercise that right as often as they can.”
