"We meet them where they are:" Black salon health program gives screenings, education to clients
Getting your hair done at a Black salon is an intricate process that is usually hours long and filled with conversation and laughter.
Every person sitting under the dryer or waiting for a silk press, has a story to tell, like client Jewel Worrell.
"I'm a former New Yorker," she explained. "I like pizza, Chinese food, and bagels."
And Worrell says she was unaware of her high blood pressure, until she met Dr. Terri Richardson in a salon chair.
"The first time I met her, she had me thinking about what I should do and how I should go forward medically and things I should speak with my doctor," she said.
For the past 11 years, Richardson has helped Black communities tackle health issues, including mental health, with the Salon Health Program through the Colorado Black Health Collaborative.
She and her staff help give basic checks and education to every person in the shop. She's partnered with Denver hair salons and barber shops along Colfax and in surrounding areas to make that happen.
"Clients really think it's a great place to come in and meet them where they are," Richardson said. "It's extremely rewarding. I'd rather be out in this space than in the office."
Winning Coiffures, a hair salon in the 6000 block of Colfax, is one of 14 participating shops.
"With them coming in, we have physicians, RNs, and experienced they come in and they can give advice if they need," said owner Rosalyn Redwine. "People are afraid to know their numbers. That's what's to keep us alive, by knowing our numbers."
In addition, Robinson gives stylists and barbers tools to help customers advocate for themselves.
"I helped (my client) to understand a little of where her stress was coming from and I gave her quite a few options just to stay more mellow," stylist Rena Redwine said. "I did a breathing exercise with her. She wasn't too keen on it, but she enjoyed it."
Just down the street, Mykhal Goodloe, senior owner of Hollywood's Barber Shop, can attest to how much the program has empowered visitors. He sees people leave not only looking good but feeling good as well.
"We have had people that were borderline stroke, and they were able to receive that blessing at the time," Goodloe said. "I also think mental health runs rampant in the black community. I feel like everybody has a little PTSD after the past couple of years. There's so much that they want to talk about, and they feel comfortable with us, and we can help them unwind."
He continued, "You have so many people who don't have health care so it's a win-win for everybody. Resources are the key."
To learn more or drop by for a check yourself, head here: https://bit.ly/3WQR8x6
