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Scoop was invited to exclusively shadow Senatorial Candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz as he and his campaign toured the barber and beauty shops in West Philadelphia and Kensington.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is the Republican nominee for the Senate seat left open by the retirement of Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA).
When assigned this story, I prepared myself for the total celebrity experience. You know, the aloofness, the harried rushed photo ops, and the practiced rhetoric that’s almost always on display when political candidates and those of notoriety visit our communities. From the moment Dr. Mehmet Oz arrived and emerged from his vehicle, it was evident that this wasn’t going to be just the normal political drive-by. For starters, the entourage, as it was, consisted of only three people. That in itself was astonishing. Even more, so that he took his time at each stop.
The other thing that surprised me was how up-close and personal he was with the residents that had gathered to greet him. West Philadelphia Barber Shop proprietor, Mike Monroe greeted Dr. Oz outside the ESPM Hair Zone, located at 5929 West Girard Avenue. He listened intently as Monroe explained the role of his business in the community. “This shop is a hub for the community. During the pandemic when everything was shuttered, including us, this shop was able to make sure that the people in this community were fed and had masks and sanitizer to stay safe,” said Monroe. Monroe also shared his vision for adding a community health resources center on the upper level of his shop. Dr. Oz came prepared with a portable blood pressure cup in hand to share with the barber shop owners how they could be proactive in making their clients aware of blood pressure and issues while they’re giving them their weekly haircuts and shape-ups. As for Monroe he says, “This is something that I normally do because I’m aware that most men don’t go to see the doctor unless something is really wrong, and by then, often times, its too late. I have this discussion with my clients while they’re right here in my chair.”
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Dr. Oz made his way to the iconic Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival in the University City section of Philadelphia. There were the usual smiles, handshaking, and the occasional selfie, but Dr. Oz seemed laser-focused on conversations he was having with a number of vendors. Admiring the large array of goods displayed by the vendors, Dr. Oz asked one vendor of handmade purses–if she had a brick-and-mortar establishment? To which the she answered, “No because the cost of overhead was too expensive.” “I’ve not given up on owning a store someday,” she responded. Other vendors responded the same as Dr. Oz encouraged their efforts and spoke to them about the importance of entrepreneurship.
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Making his way through the pervasive, ongoing scourge of open-air drug markets and homelessness that has permeated Kensington, Dr. Oz arrived at the final destination for our day, On Point Hair Studio, located at 315 East Allegheny Avenue. Barber Shop owner Jose Alicea-Muniz, never missed a beat cutting the hair of the customer in his chair as he spoke to Dr. Oz about the problems in his neighborhood and what he thought would be possible solutions. Sighting gun violence, lack of jobs paying a livable wage, too little mentorship, and the plague of addiction as primary reasons why their community was in its current state, Alicea-Muniz and his staff engaged Dr. Oz in an open discussion about correcting the situation.
Following the discussion at On Point Hair Studio, Dr. Oz, flanked by Alicea-Muniz and community advocates walked down the block to the trash-strewn alley where addicts congregate–getting a realistic feel for what this community lives through every day.
The most poignant moment of Dr. Oz’s visit occurred as he sat down on a stoop next to a woman who clearly appeared to be addicted, casually flipping through the pages of a book and asked, “What are you reading?” Being the doctor he… his humanity on full display.
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