Antonio Brown, owner of Central Station Barbershop and Grooming in St. Petersburg, FL, is doing more than cutting hair—he’s shaping futures. With a mission to boost literacy rates among Black and Brown children in his community, Brown launched a book club that offers kids free haircuts as a reward for reading.
Partnering with The Competitive Readers Coalition, Brown’s initiative is simple yet powerful: children reading a book at the barbershop can earn up to 24 free haircuts annually. This innovative program has welcomed over 15,000 young readers and inspired ten other barbershops to join the movement, intending to expand to 500 shops across Florida.
“Reading is so important when it comes to understanding life,” Brown says. “We’re preparing kids for life with the barbershop book club.”
Brown’s story is a testament to second chances. Once involved in street life, he turned his life around after facing legal troubles and pursued a career in barbering. Now, he’s using his platform to uplift his community, teaching the next generation literacy and financial skills.
Central Station Barbershop is more than a place to get a fresh cut—it’s a hub of encouragement, empowerment, and education.
Read more about this inspiring initiative, and follow Antonio Brown on Instagram.
Lisa Hollenbach is Senior Digital Manager for Education Post. Prior to joining Education Post, Lisa developed digital and content strategy for Teaching Channel. She served on the Bill and Melinda Gates Teacher Advisory Council from 2014-2017 and was active in the planning and execution of several Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2) convenings at both the regional and national level. Lisa attended both private and public schools in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and holds a bachelor’s in secondary education social studies, a bachelor’s in public policy, a minor in women's studies and a master’s in community psychology and social change. A former educator, Lisa taught for more than 15 years in both traditional public school and public charter school settings. She also served as a leader of her local and regional teachers association from 2001-2016. Lisa has worked with several universities throughout her career and is currently an adjunct professor at the Pennsylvania State University, teaching courses in sociology, psychology, education and their intersections. She is passionate about helping education advocates share their stories and creating an equitable education system that serves all students.
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