Pilsen barber turns a second chance into free haircuts for those in need
Pilsen barber uses his story, skills to give back after release from Cook County Jail
For one Pilsen barber, cutting hair is more than a way to make a living.
CHICAGO - For one Pilsen barber, cutting hair is more than a way to make a living.
Jaime says it is a skill that helped him through one of the lowest points in his life — and one he now uses to give back to his community.
Jaime spent a year in Cook County Jail on a gun charge. While incarcerated, he began cutting hair for other inmates.
What they're saying:
He said those few minutes in the barber chair offered people a sense of normalcy during a difficult time.
"It didn’t matter about the money. It was more about helping them," Jaime said.
He said he eventually saw how something as simple as a haircut and conversation could make a difference for people struggling to find work or experiencing homelessness.
"Cutting hair is like therapy for me," Jaime said. "It helps me meditate."
Jaime said he left jail having lost time, money, opportunities and some of the stability he once had.
Now, he is using the same skill that helped him through that experience to help others.
Jaime has been cutting hair at Pilsen Plaza for the past few months. He does not charge for the haircuts, saying it is his way of contributing to the community.
He is there every day from 4 to 7 p.m.
Jaime acknowledges that he has made mistakes in the past, but he hopes his story shows others that it is possible to change direction and build a different future.
"I like helping people out, making them feel confident," Jaime said. "Good off a simple haircut, it makes me feel good."
The Source: The information in this report came from an interview with Jaime, a Pilsen barber who shared his experience of serving time in Cook County Jail, learning to cut hair while incarcerated, and now providing free haircuts to people in his community.