The Site
Whip Hair Designs is a barbershop located in the North End neighborhood of Champaign, Illinois.
Project Overview
Through this collaborative project, we incorporated into the barbershop setting a community technology center and accompanying educational programs.
The Students
Mbhekiseni Madela
Bheki is doctoral student in the Department of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Stephanie Birch
Stephanie is masters student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and the Department of African Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art History and a Masters of Arts in Public History. She is an executive officer of the UIUC Black Graduate Student Association and an active member of Citizens with Conviction of Urbana. Additioanlly, Stephanie was involved in a research project in 2010 focusing on the history of African-Americans in Champaign-Urbana.
The Community Partners
Seon Williams | Owner of the Whip, community leader
OD | Former shop manager
Marchond | Current shop manager
Chris | Barber, Seon’s son
Dana | Barber
Midnight | Barber
Rona | Shop regular
Cheese | Shop regular
Pops | Shop regular