North Birmingham Library Hosting Barbershop Talk Program Monday, February 26

North Birmingham Library is hosting Barbershop Talk

 led by Dr. John Baldwin II on February 26

Birmingham barber Quincy Moore will provide free haircuts.

In the black community, the barbershop is a place of refuge where black men can freely talk amongst themselves about relationships, parenting, politics and other issues that concern them. Barbershops play the same role as a safe haven for Black men that beauty salons serve as for women to share discussions about issues they face. 

Join North Birmingham Regional Library, 2501 31st Avenue North, on Monday, February 26, for Barbershop Talk. This free program from 6:00 to 8:00  p.m. on Monday night will provide the atmosphere of a barbershop, a safe space for men both young and old to discuss social issues in our communities. 

The keynote speaker will be Birmingham native Dr. John Baldwin II, senior pastor of New Beginnings United Methodist Church. 

In addition to being able to participate in this powerful discussion led by Dr. Baldwin, attendees will receive free haircuts provided by barber Quincy Moore, who operates a podcast called Business in the Kutt  at 2214 3rd Avenue North, Suite 105, in downtown Birmingham. 

"In addition to free haircuts, we will provide food and door prizes at the program," said Samantha Gaston, an adult services librarian at North Birmingham Regional Library. 

About the speaker Dr. John Baldwin II: 

 Rev. Baldwin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and holds Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry degrees from the Candler School of Theology (CST) at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He has been a licensed minister of the Gospel for more than 20 years. Prior to returning home to Birmingham, Dr. Baldwin worked as the Senior Policy Advisor and Special Assistant to the President at Bethune Cookman University and later as Dean of Chaplaincy. In his chaplaincy role, he became the youngest person to hold the title of dean in the history of the University. 

While working with the University, Dr. Baldwin led crisis intervention and disaster response initiatives, taught civic engagement workshops, and developed more than seven new campus ministry and leadership training programs to enhance co-curricular programming. Additionally, he led the University in forging domestic service-learning agreements and international partnerships in Cuba, Argentina, Ireland, Israel, and The Bahamas. 

Rev. Baldwin knows the importance of civic engagement, and from 2016-2018 served as a member and 2018 Vice Chair of the Midtown Redevelopment Board and Vice Chair of the Zone 6 Neighborhood Association in Daytona Beach, FL. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and was honored in 2017 as Clergy of the Year by the Omicron Omicron Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. 

Dr. Baldwin has been a pioneer in service and leadership. In 2018 he was appointed to serve as the first Black pastor to the historic Crumly Chapel United Methodist Church (est. 1858). In January 2020, Dr. Baldwin became the first Black president of the Metro-West Ministerial Association, and he continues to lead several initiatives bridging gaps and creating opportunities for marginalized populations. 

Dr. John Baldwin has devoted his life to building the Kingdom of God and believes all people are fearfully and wonderfully created in the image and likeness of God. He offers compassionate pastoral care services to persons without regard to race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, gender or ability. Dr. Baldwin is happily married to his loving wife, Sophia Rose Huger Baldwin. Together they share one daughter, Vivica Nhoj Baldwin.