- Tyrone Frielson, Local Barbershop Owner “You just see it everywhere, people constantly smoking and drinking. It’s normalized now.” Mentoring Toledo’s Youngest Starting Early
After moving from Charleston, West Virginia at the age of three, Toledo became his home. Since then, Tyrone Frielson’s work in the area has made him a source of advice, wisdom, and support, especially for the community’s younger population. Working at his barbershop allows for conversations with these customers that often lead to mentorships. Having these discussions means Frielson learns some of the issues that most trouble the area’s youth. “I hear about it all the time. So much. All of the violence they talk about a ! ects their mental health. People are holding in their feelings because they’re scared consequences could occur from their words. A lot of their peers are involved in this violence, and they’re just looking for an escape. A lot of times they’re lashing out. But when they go back to their neighborhoods, they’re dealing with the same situations.” " roughout their conversations, Frielson often speaks to teens on how to avoid these dangerous situations, teaching them how to act respectfully and about con # ict resolution. “It’s a shame we have to have these conversations, but they’re necessary. Just not long ago, one of the top basketball players in the community was killed. He was very popular, and many of the kids knew him. So not only do these kids have to worry about the discussions of just being Black in this climate, but they also have to look out for their peers and other people who are willing to take their lives. You sometimes wonder if when a child leaves the household they’ll return to you.”
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