KEY TAKEAWAYS: AAPI Month may come around once a year, but that doesn't mean you can't take the celebration above and beyond to last the entire year through. In this article, NAOB will share how you can take your AAPI Month celebrations and turn them into non-stop AAPI appreciation (no matter what month it is).
Having days or even months dedicated to certain people groups is an admirable way to generate attention and elevate public awareness. Such times should be reminders and celebrations of something honored year-round, not just during a set period.
The month of May is a tremendous example of this principle, as it is set aside as a time to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, recognize the amazing accomplishments of the community, and support its members as they continue to leave their mark on the world.
If you want to extend your support beyond May, you’re on the right track. Here is how you can support AAPI barbering pros all year round.
Celebrating Barbering Pros During and Beyond AAPI Month
Build a Community Together
It is difficult to accomplish anything lasting on an island. In other words, if you want to support AAPI barbering pros year-round instead of just during a designated month, you have to immerse yourself in a community that allows you to do so. This takes effort and intentionality–you have to build that community for yourself, so to speak.
Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to connect with fellow barbers and create a community. From discovering local AAPI barbers in your area to connecting with industry professionals on social media platforms, finding, befriending, and becoming community members with barbers from all backgrounds is as simple as making a choice to get involved.
Collaborate with AAPI Barbering Professionals
Few things build stronger relationships than working closely with a fellow barbering professional. Collaboration is a great way to expand your community, develop interpersonal relationships, and support barbers during and beyond AAPI month. Best of all, there are practically infinite ways of collaborating that can make your partnership a huge success.
For in-person collaboration, consider hosting a fellow barber as a guest in your shop. Whether it’s for a day, a week, or several months, having a guest barber benefits everyone. You get to learn from an industry professional, they get the opportunity to reach a new clientele, and your shop benefits from the new service offering and publicity. It’s a win-win-win!
"Collaboration is a great way to expand your community, develop interpersonal relationships, and support barbers during and beyond AAPI Month."
If an in-person collaboration simply isn’t in the cards at the moment, don’t worry; there are other ways to collaborate with AAPI barbers and uplift the community. You can partner for a cause on your social media platforms, host a live session where you discuss barbering culture or teach a specific technique, or host a giveaway to raise awareness and get the community involved. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Carry Products from AAPI Barbering Brands
Whether it’s the products you use during client sessions or those you sell in the retail section of your barber shop, choosing the barbering products you carry and use is an integral part of your barbering biz. It is also an opportunity to support those you admire and celebrate, meaning that the products you invest in for your shop can make the goodness of AAPI month last all year long.
Not only are products from AAPI barbering brands great quality, but they can also represent something more–an unwavering commitment to creating a barbering community that values every individual who composes it.
Learn, Grow, and Share
AAPI month might end when May concludes, but that doesn’t mean the reasons it’s celebrated suddenly stop. May might be the catalyst, but the lessons you can take from AAPI month apply all the time, not just during a designated period each year.
To truly appreciate and support your AAPI barbering pro counterparts, it’s important to commit yourself to learning about AAPI people, their cultures, and the positive impact they’ve had on the world. This context is necessary to truly understand and value the community, as well as support it in a way that is meaningful.
Throughout that process, be sure to share with others the importance of supporting the AAPI barbering community. With various channels at your disposal–ranging from social media to community events–you can be a voice within your circle that sparks interest, growth, and support.
AAPI month only comes around once a year, but that doesn’t mean that the principles it embodies are limited to May. With the right knowledge, intention, and action, you can support AAPI barbering pros all year round.
For more barbering insights, tips, and tricks, be sure to subscribe to the National Association of Barbers. You can also visit our blog, where we offer regular updates specific to the barbering industry–from trending hairstyles to marketing advice to tax tips; you’ll find it all available at no charge.
