Barber in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood says streets are cleaner but people still need connection
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker in June launched an initiative to clean up the Kensington neighborhood, a community long plagued by addiction. While the streets may be cleaner, the true impact of these efforts can be seen through the stories of people like barber Joshua Santiago, whose commitment to his community goes beyond just a good haircut.
Santiago founded his nonprofit Empowering Cuts in 2017 and has spent nearly a decade providing free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness in Kensington. He believes in the power of human connection, and his work reflects a deep passion for the neighborhood and its residents.
"A lot of people are quick to judge, but they don't understand. What I cherish the most is getting to know these individuals for who they really are," Santiago said.
For Santiago, a haircut is more than just a service — it's a way to connect with people, offer encouragement and provide a small moment of dignity to those who need it most.
"A lot of them feel alone," he said. "The fact that I'm able to come into the community, provide a free haircut, and talk to them breathes some life into them."
Santiago's commitment to helping others is rooted in a lesson he learned early in his career.
"My barber instructor would take the whole class to shelters," he said. "That's how we learned to cut hair, and providing a free haircut to someone meant more than receiving money for it."
CBS News Philadelphia first spoke to Santiago last year, just months before Parker rolled out the initiative to clean up Kensington. At the time, he described the challenges of working in a neighborhood plagued by addiction, where many feel forgotten. But a year later, Santiago sees a difference.
"There's been a lot of change," he said. "A lot of organizations are helping people get into treatment, and the neighborhood feels cleaner. The cleaning trucks are out here Monday through Friday, and Kensington is 100 times cleaner than it was a year ago."
Despite the improvements, addiction remains a persistent issue.
Hector Ramirez, a Kensington resident, shared his struggle.
"I'm still smoking K2, but I want to go into rehab," he said.
Santiago's focus remains on empowering those who sit in his chair.
"The haircut is nice, but it's the conversation that matters," he said. "Treating these individuals like they matter — that's what's important to me. They deserve to be seen, heard and respected."
And the impact of his work is clear. Robert Parker, another local resident, expressed the value of Santiago's efforts.
"When I saw the truck, I stopped everything. Getting a haircut makes you feel like a new person, especially when it's the last thing on your mind," Parker said.
As the neighborhood slowly transforms, one thing is clear: Santiago's work is more than just a haircut — it's about changing lives, one clip at a time. For him, the real hope is that one day Kensington will no longer be defined by its struggles but by its resilience and the strength of its people.
