What Does Obama’s Barber Shop Have To Do with You?

2008 has ended, so what is your New Year’s Resolution for 2009. My resolution includes “hair” care and “health” Care and we can learn from Obama on both counts. (Video)

We are now in 2009 and I have put two things on my To Do List, Hair Care and Health Care, one is good for what is on top of my head and the other is good for what is inside and under my head. In the Sankofa tradition, let us take what is good from the past and bring it into a positive present. The most important event in America in general, and in the African American (AA) community in particular, in 2008 was the election of Barack Obama now the President Elect.

Who is Obama? A lot has been written regarding Obama politically. I looked at that question from a Cultural Health point of view in the Obama Kwanzaa series. The series pointed out that his life values and choices speak loudly for themselves. In the Obama Barber Video we are reminded that you can tell a lot about an AA man or woman by their hair care choices.

In my research I found two video’s I think are instructive. One video is on Obama’s Barber Shop where he has been a customer of his Barber in Chicago for around 12 years. This community based loyalty speaks to an economic reality we need to reactivate in our community and America. The Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA) advises us that we have lost the manufacturing and distribution segments of the Black beauty supply industry. We have also lost our Automobile leadership position in America and the world. Buy Black can’t just be a Slogan and Buy American can’t just be a slogan. We all must pull together and connect the dots for change in 2009.

Senator Obama's Barber Shop


You will note that even Obama's choice in Hair Care is connected to tradition. A shop that has been in the community for 80 years. Culturally Healthy people are usually found building on tradition. How about you, did you build on the Kwanzaa tradition? How about you and your customers, is your head on tradition or transactions, or both?

The other video is regarding Michelle Obama’s mysterious stylist. I could not get a lead on her stylist but there is this stylist on YouTube who is asking Michelle for her business. Now it does not seem that this stylist has a chance in *ELL of getting Mrs. Obama’s business, but the point is, the stylist is trying everything possible to improve economically. America we need to try everything possible to get us out of the mess we are in. The Beauty industry and the Auto industry are excellent metaphors for us citizens here in America. A Culturally Healthy consumer is our best customer. What are you doing about your economic and physical health and what will you CHANGE in 2009.



LOL, I don't know that this video will make him famous, he needs to clean up his act a little, lol, but it got him on my blog. How are you using the technology to expand your economics? What about automated medical records to improve our "health" care?


My New Year’s Resolution is to grow economic “hair” and get “Health” Care passed in 2009. What are you resolved to get done in 2009?

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