Reading Time: 4 minutes

In a classroom turned barbershop on the third floor at Milwaukee’s Rufus King International High School, students sit for a haircut and talk about academics, sports and the latest trends with English teachers Cameron LeFlore and Emmanuel Johnson.  

They’re the latest clients of The Shop in 310, a free on-campus barbershop club for Rufus King students. LeFlore said the cuts help young men feel more confident. 

“Then they don’t need a hat or hoodie,” he said. “They can just walk with their head held high.”

The idea for the shop started when LeFlore brought his clippers to the school, hoping students would want a haircut.

Johnson, who was recently hired at the school, decided to collaborate with LeFlore once he learned they both had an interest in barbering.

Checking out the new club

The Shop in 310 opens daily at 3:30 p.m. except Thursdays. Among the regulars at The Shop in 310 are Rufus King juniors Elijah Ramirez and Demontrey Cochran. 

Ramirez, 17, moved from Chicago to Milwaukee three months ago and was nervous about trying out a new barber for the first time in 10 years. 

“I was scared at first, but then I gained confidence and trust in Mr. LeFlore,” Ramirez said.  

He was pleased with the results of his first mid-taper cut. 

“It came out better than I expected,” he said. 

Since then, he’s gained opportunities with photographers and notices how his cut stands out.

Cochran, 16, is a student in LeFlore’s class and was excited to support the club.

“I really wanted to see how this would turn out,” Cochran said. 

Ramirez and Cochran each encourage their peers to give it a try. 

“Every man can vouch that after they get a haircut, they are going to feel good and that they can conquer the world because of their haircut and confidence from it,” Cochran said.

Financial relief for families

The Shop in 310 initially charged $10 per cut, but after being approved by the Office of Administration at Rufus King as an official club, the trims became free.

“If your child starts off as a freshman coming here, you’d be saving thousands by the time they’re a senior,” LeFlore said. 

Before joining Rufus King, Johnson offered free cuts to students at Marshall High School, where he taught previously, and felt glad to do it. 

“Back then, cuts were $25 to $30. Now barbers are charging $40 and up,” he said. 

Cochran typically spends $35 for a mid-taper cut at his barber. Since coming to The Shop in 310, he’s been able to save money and also values how accessible it has been for his peers.

“There’s a lot of people I know who don’t even have barbershops near them, so it takes them a long time to finally get a cut,” he said.

LeFlore and Johnson use the club’s Instagram to post haircut tutorials for students interested in learning how to cut their own hair at home. 

“I try to take a holistic approach and think back to what I would’ve wanted when I was in high school,” LeFlore said. 

Visiting The Shop in 310 is more than just receiving a haircut for Ramirez and Cochran. It’s a place to feel welcomed. 

“At first I saw them as just English teachers,” Ramirez said. “I like their communication and ability to understand what I’m specifically asking for.” 

Beyond the sounds of clippers, Cochran sees the barbershop as peaceful, chill and liberating. 

“As long as everything is appropriate this is a non-judgment zone,” he said.

Practice leads to improvement  

LeFlore and Johnson are self-taught barbers who learned the skills on their own before bringing clippers into the classroom. 

Johnson started off cutting his youngest brother’s hair as a favor while receiving feedback from his mentor Thomas Mclern, a barber with more than 30 years’ experience. 

“While cutting my brother’s hair I realized that cutting hair was one of the best ways for me to serve the community,” he said. “Cutting hair is now an art for me.”

LeFlore’s path to barbering began after watching a friend cut his own hair, inspiring him to do the same. 

“I told my friend to send me all the products I needed, then I went and brought everything,” he said.  

LeFlore said it used to take an hour and a half to complete a haircut, now it’s only 20 minutes.

Tapping into diverse hair types

As their skills improved by cutting five to 10 heads a week, Johnson and LeFlore became more versatile. 

Having already worked with diverse hair types at Marshall High School, Johnson was able to adjust to the needs of Rufus King students. 

“At Marshall, I was exposed to different hair types and hair thinness, so at Rufus King, I learned quickly and had no problem,” Johnson said. “Every now and then when I get a hair type that’s not my own, it’s still a learning experience.”

Though LeFlore was nervous about cutting different hair textures, he practiced on his dad, whose hair is straighter, and watched YouTube videos to become better. 

“I took my time and it turned out OK, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be,” he said. “I learned that straighter hair is easier, you just have to be more precise.”

Cochran said he has interest in cutting his own hair after graduating high school. 

“I want to purchase my own barber kit eventually, and that should save me at least $100 a month,” he said. 

Johnson and LeFlore want people to know that whether it’s cutting hair or something different, practice is key. 

“Whatever they’re looking to pursue, they need to find like-minded people who do the same things and practice together,” Johnson said.

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Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

‘Walk with their head held high’: Barbershop at Milwaukee high school gives free cuts and confidence to students is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Milwaukee residents still facing recovery challenges from the August flood have until Wednesday, Nov. 12, to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration physical disaster loans. 

To begin the process, you must apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

Ald. DiAndre Jackson sent an email on Thursday informing residents that they need to apply for FEMA assistance separately even if damage was previously reported to 211, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District or a damage assessment team in late August. Disaster Survivor Assistance teams will also be present at pop-up locations in Milwaukee’s affected communities to help survivors with the FEMA process and provide updates.

Residents can visit any location, and no appointments are required. Click here to view the Milwaukee County Disaster Survivor Assistance location calendar. 

Submitting documentation to FEMA

While applying, you must provide the following: 

• Contact information
• Social Security number
• A general list of damage and losses
• Annual household income
• Insurance information
• Bank account information for direct deposit 
• Your address at the time of disaster and where you’re currently residing.

Important reminders

Before applying for FEMA, you must file an insurance claim. 

According to the Milwaukee County executive, FEMA will not pay for things that your insurance already covers. However, if your insurance doesn’t cover all your essential needs or is delayed, you can ask FEMA for extra help. 

The City of Milwaukee Office of Emergency Management also reminds residents that FEMA provides funds for mold removal as part of disaster aid. 

Through FEMA’s Clean and Sanitize program, residents can make a one-time payment of $300 for mold removal, too. 

Mold will keep growing until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture.

Click here for more information and guides to mold remediation.

Applying for the Small Business Administration loans

If you were also a resident living in an area hit by disaster and your home or items were damaged, you can apply for the Small Business Administration physical disaster loan by Nov. 12. 

Homeowners can get up to $500,000 to fix or rebuild their primary home, and renters can borrow up to $100,000 to repair or replace personal property. 

This loan is not for second homes or vacation houses, but if you are a rental property owner you may qualify. 

Businesses and nonprofits can apply for a physical disaster loan to borrow up to $2 million for repairs to property or real estate. The deadline to apply is also Nov. 12. 

For help on the application process, you can walk in or schedule an appointment at the Business Recovery Center-Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington St., Milwaukee.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. 

Click here for more information. 

Deadline approaches for flood victims to apply for FEMA assistance, loans and mold removal is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In 2023, Arian Rice became a private pilot at age 18.

Now 20, he’s working toward his goal of flying commercial planes and encouraging Black children to explore their dreams. 

“After getting the news about getting my license, I can look back and say that I didn’t sit and wait for somebody to do it for me,” Rice said. 

Currently, Rice is participating in the aeronautics program at Gateway Technical College to fly commercial planes. 

While there, he will complete 125 hours of training to receive his Airline Transport rating, the highest level of pilot certification issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

First time in a cockpit

Rice was 11 when he was first introduced to aviation. His nana, Isha Kinard, took the family to Burlington to experience the Young Eagles flight program, eat breakfast and explore airplanes. 

There, Rice was given the opportunity to fly a plane for the first time.

“I wasn’t scared at all, and when we took off, it felt exhilarating,” Rice said. 

During the one-on-one flight, the pilot allowed Rice to take control of the plane, teaching him how to steer and turn. 

“I remember we were by a pole, and the pilot tells me to turn around it,” Rice said. 

Rice’s aviation journey had just begun.

“I saw a sense of purpose in his eyes as he shared his experience,” Kinard said. 

Not old enough for flight school

Rice said his biggest challenge was finding additional flight training. He wanted to train at Spring City Aviation at Milwaukee’s Timmerman Airport, but the minimum age to fly an aircraft solo is 16. 

“It was hard, but I didn’t let my dream of aviation die out,” he said.  

From ages 13 to 14, he participated in free aviation training through the Young Eagles Sporty’s Learn to Fly course. There he learned the fundamentals of aviation. 

In addition, he watched videos on YouTube. 

Rice’s mom, Dahneisha Gavin, home-schooled Rice and said he’s good at being a self-learner. 

“He can see something and adapt to it,” Gavin said.

Rice mowed lawns and sold fireworks during the summer to pay for the training. 

“When we were at the breakfast that day, there was a man that spoke life into not only my son, but us as a unit. He said if we wanted him to fly, we would all have to work together,” Gavin said. 

Kinard, Gavin and Rice’s dad, James Sims Robinson, searched for scholarships, pitched in financially and provided other support.

Winning a scholarship

In 2023, mentor and former flight instructor Sean O’Donnell encouraged Rice to apply for a $10,000 EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship, which he won.

“Sean understood my limitations with getting training, and in his spare time, he saw an opportunity for me and forwarded the information to me,” Rice said. 

Rice said he was the only Black applicant, which motivated him to work harder. 

According to the Bureau of Labor of Statistics, only 4% of aircraft pilots and flight engineers are Black.

“Most of the applicants already had the experience and come from families with pilots,” Rice said. “They saw I had worked to do the 10 hours of training, and that stood out to them.”

A generational trailblazer

After passing written exams and completing training hours, Rice received his official private pilot license at 18. He is the first pilot in his family. 

Gavin said flying with her son for the first time was one of the proudest moments of her life. 

“Arian showed me that he belongs to the sky. It’s not just about flying airplanes. It’s about breaking barriers and creating a legacy to show other young people in Milwaukee that anything is possible,” Gavin said. 

Rice said he has moments when he thinks about his first experiences leading up to now and thanks his nana for it. 

“My nana invested in my future just by bringing me to that breakfast,” Rice said. 

Rice said he believes that Black people aren’t exposed to other careers enough. 

“Blacks are always being pushed into music or sports. My license gave me a freeing feeling because some families become too complacent when there isn’t a push,” he said. 

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For more information

For children looking to go into aviation, Rice suggests reading books about planes at a library and researching resources.

“It’s out there, but you just need to read what’s in front of you,” he said. 

Kinard encourages parents to start small. “Break the dreams down into smaller achievable steps and support their efforts to learn and grow along the way,” she said. 

Click here to stay updated on Rice’s aviation journey.

How this Black pilot in Milwaukee earned his license to fly at age 18 is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Michael Adams, president of JobsWork MKE, ignored the warning signs his body gave him before having a heart attack on Jan. 29, 2024. 

He now encourages Black men to pay attention to their health and trust the health care system. 

“I think Black men aren’t trusting the system due to economics and the feeling of not being in control of the situation,” Adams said. 

Ignored warning signs

Before his heart attack, Adams woke up vomiting with a burning throat. He took an Alka-Seltzer hoping it was indigestion. 

Later that day, he gave a presentation at the Medical College of Wisconsin for work. During the presentation, his symptoms got worse. He experienced severe sweating, shortness of breath and body aches. 

“I try to stay as active as I can, but I couldn’t understand why I’m walking across the street from the parking lot to the building out of breath,” Adams said. 

Friendship and health 

Timothy Grove, a network senior director of Trauma Informed Strategy and Practice at Wellpoint Care Network and a friend of Adams, was with him that day. He noticed before the presentation while walking with Adams that his friend was struggling.  

“The way he was talking about his symptoms made me think it was important to encourage him to get checked out right away. I was also concerned about my friend and wanted him to be OK,” Grove said. 

After the presentation, Grove took him to the doctor before he was sent to the emergency room. 

Adams described Grove as a good friend for being there for him.

“Tim got on my nerves because I wanted him to drop me off and leave. Through it all, he was there, and stayed until I was OK,” Adams said.

Black men and hospitals

When he was admitted to the ER, hospital staff tried to calm Adams to prevent distress before they told him he was having a heart attack. 

“Black men don’t listen to themselves. We don’t go to the ER because we don’t want all that comes with it,” Adams said. “At the end of the day, we are dying because we don’t listen to ourselves and our body.”

According to a study by the Milwaukee Health Department, the top cause of death for Milwaukee men is heart disease. 

Understanding a heart attack 

Adams discovered there was 95% blockage in one of his arteries. The day after his heart attack, doctors inserted a stent to open his artery and help restore blood flow. 

“I came to the realization that over a year I haven’t felt right and my circulation has been off all along,” Adams said. 

Adams experienced cramps and had inconsistent blood pressure readings. 

After the stent was inserted, Adams was prescribed medication, and it was recommended he attend water physical therapy because of its low impact on the body. 

A new lifestyle 

Before his heart attack, Adams, a native of Milwaukee’s North Side, lived an active lifestyle, teaching martial arts and hiking regularly. 

Now, Adams attends Noyes Pool three days a week. He swims laps there and is trained by a lifeguard and private swim coach. 

“People always tell me ‘sorry for the heart attack,’ but I have a different perspective on it, and the best of life opened up to me since then,” Adams said.

Adams has lost 40 pounds and is glad he’s eating higher-quality food such as lean beef, vegetables and fruits. He also cut salt from his diet and drinks only water.

Witnessing transforming moments 

Adams’ daughter, Lauren, proudly supports her father’s decision to make health a priority as a Black man. 

“I tell my dad all the time that one day he’s going to break my heart by passing away. To know that he’s taking his health so seriously, I love that,” she said. “I’m an only child, and my dad is my favorite person.” 

Heart disease runs in their family, Lauren said. Both of Michael’s parents died from heart disease. 

Since his life-changing medical emergency, Michael has met other individuals who also experienced heart attacks. Some are members from his church, All Saints Catholic Church. 

“When I was released to go to church, the men came up to me and said ‘Welcome to the club,’ ” he said.  

Feeling a part of the process 

Adams felt cautious about the steps he would have to take with his health. He felt the need to attach himself to his health care providers so he could trust the work they’re doing.

His initial doctor, Ian Gilson of Froedtert Hospital, retired after 20 years of caring for him.

“I liked that doctor because he understood Black anatomy really well,” Adams said. 

Benjamin Tobin, a Black doctor at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, is his current provider.

Adams appreciates how his health providers are making him feel seen and heard. 

“As Black men, we often get dictated to on how our health should go. My health providers made me a part of the plan, and I just signed off on it,” Adams said.

He urges Black men to take their health seriously. 

“I survived, and I want other people to understand that you can, too,” Adams said.

He survived a heart attack. Now he wants other Black men to do the same. is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.