It was a slow day in the shop, so “Jay Da Barber” started cuttin’ up on the streets of Ohio.
Jayon Hughes took his business to the streets on July 18, 2023. According to WTOL11, Hughes posted up across the street from Toledo’s Cherry Street Mission with a sign and his handy tools to offer free haircuts to anyone who needed a fresh do. After observing “everybody out there, just in distresses,” Hughes decide to lend his talents to the community.
“I knew I had to help them,” Hughes said. “Me giving a haircut, knowing that they’re satisfied with their haircut, that’s something money cannot buy.”
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Hughes was changing lives as he cut around 10 heads. “Four of those homeless people had interviews the next day. So yes, I got them interview-ready,” Hughes said.
Although his free services did not bring in the dough that day, Hughes’ hard work did not go unnoticed. Tanya Maria Murphy of #TanyaWitThaTee, witnessed the barber at work as she was driving. Murphy, who has a son who owns a barber shop, was interested in highlighting Hughes’ community work. She decided to capture the moment and post it on Facebook.
“Seeing him do it, it’s like, that’s what I’m talking about. That’s how you put the map out there,” said her son, Gary, who has been cutting hair for over 16 years. “That’s why my mother sees stuff like that and captures it because that’s the type of stuff I’ve been doing. That’s how she sees me as well.”
Murphy witnessed how Hughes created a feeling of self-worth in his clients that day.
“To see the smile on his face,” Murphy said. “And for him to be praised like that, that’s going to give him an oomph.” To date, Murphy’s post has garnered over 50,000 views.
Hughes, who has cut hair for four years, worked to cut as many heads as possible that day. “The money will come. It’s not about the money,” Hughes said.