by Nina Zhao
Franklin Diaz, now 35 years old, first discovered hair-cutting about 20 years ago, when he fell in love with the craft and saw the opportunities it could bring him.
Franklin went to prison in July of 2018, shortly after he opened his barber shop in May of 2018. He was released in March of 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With COVID-19 restrictions limiting what he could do, he used his basement as a shop. During that time, he also worked another full-time job.
When we talked about challenges he faced during that time, Franklin said, “One of the biggest struggles I had to deal with was learning to say no. It’s tough because when you’re coming home, it’s a lot easier to get back in the streets,” he explained. “You know how hard it is to say no when your pockets are empty?” Nevertheless, he kept his head forward and persisted, and he continued to reinvest the money he made back into his business. Today, New Man Cuts Barbershop in Pawtucket, RI is still going strong.
I asked Franklin if there was anything from the Phoenix Project, which he completed shortly before his release, that has stuck with him. He thought of two main things: gratitude and goal-setting. He feels that the program helped him with “being more grateful for what I have, and being more aware of where I’m at.” He also credits this mindset for helping him persevere; even when times were hard in the beginning, he said, “I knew I needed to make this work for me.” He also recalled many lessons from Stacey, who teaches the module of the pre-release program that’s focused on goal-setting and organizational skills. Franklin remembered, “I learned a lot with Stacey about keeping things in order, going from small goals to big goals. That also helped me when I came home because [those goals] fueled me.” Shoutout to Stacey!
Although it’s hard work, Franklin finds joy and fulfillment in what he does. He told me about how he recently hired another gentleman who was formerly incarcerated. Franklin is proud that he was able to give someone else this opportunity, and he wants to set a good example and pass on his own wisdom. “I tell him all the time that you don’t have to have a lot. You just gotta remember where you are now and where you were last year. Not everyone has to have the fancy storyline. You just gotta work toward the small goals and to the big goals. So when you look back you can see how far you’ve come.” Franklin explained how seeing this gentleman at work, building up his life, is one of the proud moments that he gets to experience every day. “All I did was open the doors and give him the opportunity, and he did the rest.”
Closing
I’m grateful to Franklin for his honesty and openness with me. As he said during our conversation, “life is a roller coaster, man.” I’m excited to see him continue to persist, grow, and find new opportunities!
Check out Franklin’s barber shop at 397 Broadway, Pawtucket, RI 02860. Franklin also wanted to share that he’s currently hiring barbers to work in his shop!
https://www.instagram.com/newmancuts/
(401) 475-1431
