Submitted by Anne Marie Pavlov
My dear buddy Moe Scally asked me to start writing for The North End Breezes again! From 2003 to 2020, I wrote 130 columns, submitted many stories and photos. My first column was an inspirational one, called “The Alienated Person’s Guide To Joy”. And my next one was called “Who Are The People In Your Neighbourhood?”. I am a natural storyteller, musician and prolific writer, and the proud daughter of local North End Historian, Musician and Northender of The Year Award Winner George Pavlov! If you would like me to profile you or someone you know for this newsletter, please contact me at annemariepavlov@gmail.com .
My Fascinating Volunteering Story
I have been a Hairdresser for Living Rock’s Evening Programming since February 2010! It was veteran Rock Social Worker Val Campbell who met me on the Bayfront bus going to work at Scotiabank, who found out that I was a Hairdresser on the side, and asked me if I would like to help “bless the youth” by offering them free haircuts. I was going through a heavy time, where my spouse was dying and I was unsure about taking on another commitment. But I heard the call, and took the leap, and have been doing haircuts and dye jobs at the Rock ever since! Living Rock is a Youth Outreach organization, located at Wilson and Hughson Streets downtown. They feed and clothe and mentor thousands of youth aged 13 to 26 each year.
In 15 years, I have cut 600+ heads of hair, and have heard so many stories of resilience and hope from the youth, who get so much out of special dedicated time for them to be taken care of, and listened to deeply. Some nights are crazy busy, with youth dropping in from the Barton Street jail, still in their orange outfits (which apparently sell for $900 on Kijiji! Oh the things that the kids tell you!), needing a shower, clothes, and haircut; to quiet evenings with the same youth who come by every month, patiently waiting for their time to be pampered. As their trusted hairdresser, I have heard stories of renoviction, homelessness, bedbugs, court dates, violence, depression, pregnancies, breakups, happy new relationships, hunger, grief at losing another youth to suicide or drugs, prayers, blessings, and hidden talents.
One longtime client saw that I brought my guitar to the Rock that evening, and asked if she could play it. She had never mentioned to me, a lifelong guitar player, that she had Grade 10 Conservatory musical training, and played better than I ever could! She was a sweet and gentle soul, who was rejected by her parents (in an affluent community) for being Queer. I gave her a colourful rainbow look, and she was proudly photographed for the front cover of that year’s Spectator coverage of the Pride festivities! I was honoured to be a small part of her acceptance of herself as the dynamo she really is.
Another youth had a harrowing journey from a refugee camp in Pakistan, to fleeing to Nigeria where a Christian church sponsored them, and then to Canada with his seven younger brothers. He quietly asked me if he could pray with me, because the Lord wanted to bless me, and then he asked if he could cut his brother’s hair using my clippers. He cut his brother’s hair in record time, into the most accomplished “bald fade”, far better than any that I could execute! Turns out that he had spent many hours cutting hair in his travels, learning bits and pieces wherever he was. His retention and execution were brilliant!
One beautiful youth was Indigenous, of Tyendinaga descent, and explained to me how spiritual it was to allow someone to cut his hair, as long shiny hair on men is a revered thing in his community. And what an honour it was for me, as a white woman to be allowed to cut his hair. Every month he showed up for a quiet and holy haircut, he would share deep knowledge with me, acquired from his extensive higher education and his own life experiences. He was one of the wisest and deeply intelligent people I have ever met. He had so many problems to grapple with, so many unfair societal barbs grabbing at him every day, but he was persevering and continuing to show up until he “aged out” at age 26 (always a bittersweet time for youth and staff, as we grow so fond of each other in our time together). I wish him well, and I carry lifelong lessons in my heart from him.
Every youth is a treasure. I always try to engage with them: “What’s your sign?” “What are your pronouns?” “What do you want to talk about?” I always follow their lead, and either just listen, or try to entertain them. My goal is to share the Love of God with them (in a non-religious and sometimes irreverent way), and to let them know that they have value. My gifts to them have been paid back tenfold with their humour, shared wisdom, prayers, secrets, goals, and pains.
God Bless the Youth and Staff of The Rock. I plan to keep doing hair until I drop!
