More Than A Trim - Atlanta Barber, Beauty and Mental Health Event

By Milton Kirby

On Wednesday, February 15^th, the C. T. Martin Recreation Center was the place to be. The Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation hosted the community for an afternoon of food, fun, haircuts, manicures, facials, financial coaching and health resources.

The village of volunteers came together to provide the attendees a plethora of resources and services.

Madam CJ the Mobile Barber along with several other barbers, volunteered to participate as a way to give back to community. The barbers provided free designer haircuts to the attendees.

Arleshia McMichael, Founder / CEO / President of Poverty 2 Prosperity PS Inc. brought her team to the C. T. Martin Recreation Center to provide pathways from poverty to prosperity.

Poverty 2 Prosperity PS, Inc. (P2P) endeavors to find new strategies to overcome poverty in communities around Georgia. P2P operates and delivers services on the premise that a single action can make a difference in the community. By giving the communities the hope and stability, they need. P2P services can be accessed via their web portal at www.poverty2prosperityga.com.

Vanessa Gibson and Jonathan Mincey of Strive-Atlanta, an affiliate of New York, NY based Strive offered attendees both youth and adult opportunities for training, job placement assistance lifetime support through their network.

Strive Atlanta’s mission is to provide a pathway to life-changing careers and opportunities through comprehensive professional training, intensive personal support, and self-empowerment for those who face societal barriers to advancement. Ms. Gibson and Mr. Mincey discussed training opportunities in logistics, inventory control and forklift operator certification with their booth visitors during the event. Strive Atlanta services can be accessed via the web at www.strive.org/atlanta.

Dr. Shannon Hervey, Director of Support and Interventions at Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and Dr. Valencia Hildreth, Director of Health Services at APS enlightened the attendees on the partnership between the APS and Hazel Health. Specifically, the students of APS can avail themselves a suite of wrap around services available through the Hazel platform. The services are free to the students and their families. An APS health representative can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while student is at school to provide either physical or mental health services. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.

Registration for the APS Hazel Health services is as simple as reading the Privacy Policy and completing a two page authorization and background form. Registration can also be done online at https://my.hazel.co/Atlantapublicschools.

More Than a Trim: Barber, Beauty and Mental Health Day was the brainchild of Phillip Smith, Community Affairs Coordinator, Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation (P and R). It was the first event of its kind, proposed as a fun way to disseminate vital information to the community. Dereka Williams, P and R administrative assistant, noted that frequently, barber shops and beauty salons are places where the citizens of the community gather for services and discuss sports, schools and the world’s problems and opportunities – it is sometimes quite therapeutic.

Earlier this year Mayor Andre Dickens declared 2023 to be the “Year of the Youth” for the city of Atlanta. He made the announcement during a gathering of local nonprofit organizations, officials from Atlanta Public Schools, the police department and the city. The Mayor laid out his plan to make Atlanta the best place to raise child.

During his appearance at the More Than a Trim event, Mayor Andre Dickens reiterated his declaration that 2023 is the Year of the Youth. He also mentioned that he grew up not far from the CT Martin Recreation Center.

P and R is now gearing for summer activities. For more information about P and R activities visit www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation.