InkSpired Magazine Issue No. 37 | Page 82

Nasir didn’t ever have a real plan on becoming a barber for a living. He cut hair for friends and family and was extraordinarily good at it. He was told he had an eye for it and many encouraged him to pursue this career path. At first, after coming out of rehab and his addiction, Nasir didn’t see it as a respectful job in society, that it was something you did when there was nothing else to do. He felt it was important to be a scholar in order to become someone of respect, which was due largely to his addict mind. Because of his past addiction, he believed he had to do something much bigger to be respected. After realizing that his addict mind was once again dictating his life, he decided to pursue whatever it was that allowed him to be himself. He entertained the idea of becoming a barber and with the support of his family in addition to his passion, he found his calling. Nasir isn’t just a regular barber. He became the Streets Barber when he had the genius idea of leveraging his talent and passion for the better good. On his day off, he does haircuts for the homeless. Nasir goes out on the streets with his separate kit 80 InkSpIredMagazIne.coM and skateboards around areas of lower socioeconomic levels, addiction riddled areas, and places of poverty looking for people who could go for a haircut, shave, hair treatment, dry shampoo, or just some deodorant. He kindly obliges to anyone that could use a little TLC to brighten their day. He does it because he knows the power of making someone feel good about themselves and how it can change their lives. As most of us know, a new haircut, a clean feeling, and looking good helps to create positive ideas in our minds about ourselves. The appearance is just the beginning. Nasir and his skating through these areas of lost hope give people that feeling that they may not have experienced in a long time. He asserts that it is his highly religious and philosophical beliefs, as well as his faith that inspire him to help others in the way that he does. He strongly believes in helping others, no matter what. Race and status does not matter to him because we are all creatures in the same form and there should be no scrutiny in helping one another. He hopes that more people would wholeheartedly adapt