The Barbershop Program In Seattle, WA - Mentor Seattle
Building trust and understanding through mentorship, dialogue, and cultural connection between communities and law enforcement.
Inception – April 2022
Our Journey
Our first Barbershop gathering took place in April 2022, bringing together individuals impacted by the justice system and law enforcement personnel. Through roundtable dialogues and interactive workshop activities, participants began dismantling barriers, forging empathy, and redefining public safety—from the ground up.
Expanding Partnerships
Later in 2022, Mentor Seattle teamed up with The IF Project and Seattle Police Department to co-create the Community segment of “Before the Badge.” This collaboration expanded our reach, reinforcing the Barbershop model as an effective tool for building relational understanding.
In early 2023, we introduced the Barbershop model to King County Sheriff’s Office deputy recruits—and in just 12 months delivered 10 impactful events. By embedding this approach early in officer training, we shape public safety through relationship first.
Get Involved
The group of community members we bring to The Barbershop experience is mindfully curated to represent historically “profiled” stereotypes, typically with lived experience, and with mind sets that are prepped and ready to give back. We enrich the group with experienced content and facilitation experts to introduce new ideas around understanding each other. This group of individuals is unique, specific, and intentional in its ability to shift perceptions.
The Barbershop currently has three components:
Barbershop Original
Designed for new law enforcement recruits and community participants, this foundational model fosters early relationships and mutual understanding. It grounds future officers within the lived realities of the people they will protect and serve.
Barbershop Youth (Ages 13–25)
Engaging youth, community members, and community policing officers, this youth-specific component builds trust early on. It empowers young people to voice their perspectives and fosters constructive dialogue around public safety and identity.
Barbershop Seasoned
Tailored for experienced officers (5–25 years of service), this advanced version sustains trust-building and responsiveness to evolving community needs. It reinforces long-term partnerships and continuous reflection between law enforcement and neighborhoods.
Why It Works
The Barbershop Program works because it leverages trusted community spaces where Black men and boys feel safe, heard, and respected. By hosting mentorship and dialogue within barbershops, participants engage openly without fear or judgment. The program combines cultural humility, emotional intelligence, and authentic conversation to dismantle stereotypes and build empathy. Law enforcement officers and community members connect beyond their roles, discovering shared humanity and understanding. Facilitated discussions and group exercises create an environment for healing, relationship-building, and growth. This culturally rooted, trauma-informed approach transforms perspectives, fosters trust, and lays the groundwork for lasting change within communities and public safety.
Barbershops are trusted cultural hubs—spaces of honest conversation, belonging, and mutual respect. Our program leverages this trusted environment to lower defensiveness, enable openness, and foster natural connection.
Our facilitators guide participants in exploring cultural context, emotional triggers, and shared goals. This mixture of emotional intelligence and humility allows lasting understanding to take root through empathetic conversation.
Every event is designed to be relatable and safe. Storytelling, role-playing, and real-world reflections equip both officers and participants with empathy, shared vocabulary, and appreciation for differing life experiences.
Early Relationship Building
Barbershop events grant law enforcement recruits early exposure to lived experiences and community perspectives. These connections create empathy before enforcement begins and set a strong foundation for later service.
Mentor Seattle - The Barbershop Program
Who Should Join?
Recruitment officers just starting their careers will benefit by learning empathy, listening skills, and community context before stepping into active duty. These early relationships reframe policing for trust.
Experienced Officers
Officers mid-career or longer serve better when development continues. This engagement provides opportunities to connect with cultural change, refresh perspective, and strengthen community relationships.
Community Members & Youth
Participants include those affected by systemic inequity, youth with lived experiences, and community advocates. These voices are vital for mutual understanding and long-term trust-building.