Jefferson Noël

Jefferson Noël was looking for a way to better immerse himself in his community. A Miami native, born to Haitian immigrant parents, Jefferson had just moved back to his home city from Orlando when he overheard a heated discussion about basketball while getting a haircut. That is when an idea came to him. What if the barbershop could be used as a venue to host intelligent discussions that impact the community? That is how Barbershop Speaks was born.

Now Jefferson moves his series of barbershop conversations throughout the city, creating an opportunity for community members of all ages and backgrounds to share their experiences, opinions, and ideas. As Jefferson noted, “Barbershops don’t discriminate on who is let in the room.” 

As he begins working on his master’s degree in global strategic communications next year, Jefferson will continue the Barbershop Speaks series. Beyond topics that have already been tackled, such as last year’s election, women “(in)powerment,” and education, Jefferson will begin a financial literacy series sponsored by Financial Services Professionals from New York Life to the communities that need it most.

An entrepreneur at heart, Jefferson looks to grow the series and continue transforming lives while building relationships. He also just self-published his first book about public speaking: “Powerful Presenting: How to Overcome One of the Nation’s Greatest Fears.”

By Jessica Drouet
Senior Account Manager, Office of Media Relations