INDIANAPOLIS — Inside George Washington High School, a small barbershop lends itself to be a powerful space for candid conversation.
It's a place for teens to not only get a haircut from professional volunteer barbers, but to safely and openly express themselves.
"I have a lot of problems at home that I don't really like to talk about, but in here, I can talk about it because they've helped me with a lot of stuff," senior Malique Starks said.
The program, "Barbershop Talks," was organized by Antonio Patton, community activist and founder of M.O.V.E., or Men Of Vision Empowering.
"M.O.V.E. is an organization that was built for the stained-up, for the wrote-off, for the misunderstood, for those that people don't believe will ever amount to anything," said Patton, who said he was looking for acceptance but could never find it.
Patton holds Barbershop Talks every week at the school.
On Wednesday, he invited Emil Ekiyor, Sr., former NFL defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders, to speak to students.
Ekiyor spoke about respecting women.
"Never put your hands on a woman. Ever. You're going to do that to someone else's momma or sister? No. If you put your hands on a woman, just know that you are never going to win that battle," Ekiyor said.
Teens also talked about the increase in gun violence.
"It's another percentage of Black kids that's probably running around doing the killings, but they don't have the right people in their life to help them," one student said.
Some shared their pain of losing loved ones.
"Last year, I lost a friend to gun violence. He was shot and killed, and I think about it every day," Starks said.
Seantez Henson, a senior, lost an uncle to gun violence.
"To lose somebody that's always there for you, that's been in your corner, is going to hurt the most. You depend on them to be there for you when you need them, but now, he's not in that corner no more. You have to do it yourself," Henson said.
Patton said that's where mentors come in, like barbers who volunteer their time to give students haircuts.
"Those entrepreneurs at the chairs, it was more than just a lineup or a cut going on, they were empowering you. They were speaking in your life," Patton said.
Now, Patton tries to engage anyone he can.
"I know what the inside of a Marion County Jail looks like. It's not a comfortable place. It's not a place I would recommend people visit, but through my pain birthed my purpose, and I am trying to unlock that purpose in whatever man and woman I meet before they ever experience Marion County (Jail). That's what (is) critical," Patton said.
Patton recognized some students come from homes where food is a scarcity.
"I come in here because I care, because I love every one of y'all. I continue to show up. I continue to buy popcorn because I know it's hard to hear in the classroom when you're hungry, and if this snack will curb that for you to get home and for me to see you again, so God be it. Whatever it takes to get y'all back in these seats, I'm willing to show up," a passionate Patton said.
It's a place without judgement, a place Henson said has role models who helped save his life.
"Why I think they here for us? God answered our prayers and gave us what we needed," Henson said.
And that's the opportunity to be heard.
Patton said he hopes to partner with other people and organizations to bring Barbershop Talks to more locations.