In a historic barbershop off North Doctor M.L.K. Jr Drive, a group of men led by Kwabena Antoine Nixon get together with two goals in mind. one is to break the stigma about men of color not liking therapy and not opening up about their emotions. The second is to create a safe space where men of color are able to discuss the struggles of their daily lives and get healing and support from other men.

Kwabena Antoine Nixon sets up for the Real Men Real Talk event at Gee’s Clippers on Monday, July 21 in Milwaukee.

Latanya Cosey hands out pizza to Romon Wallace.

Frank Penigar Jr. shakes hands with Danny Voravong.

Ethan Vang writes about what his neighborhood needs.

Men participate in the Real Men Real Talk event.

Frank Penigar Jr. speaks about changes to his community.

Ethan Vang speaks about why his community has changed.

Romon Wallace speaks about his experience being a foster parent.

Kevin Thomas raises his hand to speak about what his community needs.

Ced Ward listens to Kwabena Antoine Nixon talk about the need for community.

Kwabena Antoine Nixon leads a group of men in a talk about issues effecting their communities.

Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

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Photos: A safe place for Milwaukee men to connect and build community

by Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
August 6, 2025

<h1>Photos: A safe place for Milwaukee men to connect and build community</h1>
<p class="byline">by Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service <br />August 6, 2025</p>

<p class="has-text-align-left">In a historic barbershop off North Doctor M.L.K. Jr Drive, a group of men led by Kwabena Antoine Nixon get together with two goals in mind. one is to break the stigma about men of color not liking therapy and not opening up about their emotions. The second is to create a safe space where men of color are able to discuss the struggles of their daily lives and get healing and support from other men.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_6265-1024x819.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124564" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kwabena Antoine Nixon sets up for the Real Men Real Talk event at Gee’s Clippers on Monday, July 21 in Milwaukee.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_6293-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124565" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Latanya Cosey hands out pizza to Romon Wallace.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_6277-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124566" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Frank Penigar Jr. shakes hands with Danny Voravong.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignfull">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5352-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124569" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ethan Vang writes about what his neighborhood needs.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_6403-1-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124570" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Men participate in the Real Men Real Talk event.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5330-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124567" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Thad Thadison talks with Roy Burt.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignfull">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5363-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124985" style="aspect-ratio:4/3;object-fit:cover" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Frank Penigar Jr. speaks about changes to his community.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5368-1024x819.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124986" style="aspect-ratio:4/3;object-fit:cover" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ethan Vang speaks about why his community has changed.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5338-1024x819.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124987" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Romon Wallace speaks about his experience being a foster parent.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignfull">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5370-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124989" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kevin Thomas raises his hand to speak about what his community needs.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_5346-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124988" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ced Ward listens to Kwabena Antoine Nixon talk about the need for community.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignfull size-large"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC_6302-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-124990" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kwabena Antoine Nixon leads a group of men in a talk about issues effecting their communities. </figcaption></figure>
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<p><em>Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.catchlight.io/local"><em>CatchLight Local&nbsp;</em></a><em>and&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/"><em>Report for America</em></a><em>.</em></p></p>
<p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/2025/08/06/photos-a-safe-place-for-milwaukee-men-to-connect-and-build-community/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org&quot;&gt;Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p>
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Photos: A safe place for Milwaukee men to connect and build community

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