Culture

With 'Karma Cuts,' Anchorage hairdresser gives back

For 26 years, clients have passed through Anchorage hairstylist Joseph Williams' salon chair, sharing their stories of life in Anchorage.

In recent years, those stories point to a broader picture, Williams said. A widening gap between the impoverished and wealthy; a greater struggle to stay afloat in Alaska's economy; dehumanization and negativity flooding social media and the collective consciousness.

Williams wants to counter all that in the best way he can: By offering free haircuts to people in need.

He lives by the philosophy that the energy one puts out will come back around, be it positive or negative. His business is "Karma Cuts," and he says his offer is meant to send positivity out into the world.

Williams has been in the beauty business for 26 years. Three days a week, he rents a chair at Salon Ari on Jewel Lake Road.

Williams views haircuts as a form of self-care; a cathartic experience that improves a person's outlook.

"I don't care if that's superficial, I don't care what people might think of it … it's pretty powerful," Williams said.

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Born and raised in Alaska, Williams knew he wanted to go to beauty school when he was a junior in high school. The profession runs in the family -- Williams' grandmother and aunt were hairdressers, and he had several uncles who were barbers, too.

Williams is the oldest of three brothers. He said he has always been outspokenly gay, which made his childhood difficult. Now 44, living with his partner and raising three children, Williams said he is trying to live by example, especially for his kids.

"I have always given away free haircuts," Williams said, adding that he figured it was cheaper and more effective than advertising.

But since 2008, the year the U.S. went into a recession, Williams has noticed a shift in attitudes surrounding self-care; haircuts are seen as more frivolous. People have a hard time justifying the cost.

"You have two different types of people in town. They either have the money or they don't." Williams said.

In the last few years, he's heard more and more stories about people struggling to find jobs or just barely getting by. Last year, he lost a lot of clients at once and found himself in a similar position. He thought: "If I'm going to be sitting around scraping it together myself, I'd rather be productive," Williams said.

Williams said there was an element of promotion in his offer of free haircuts, but mostly, he wanted to manifest that positive energy. To put a smile on peoples' faces, and be a part of the solution.

So on May 7, he posted an ad on Craigslist promoting free haircuts. "I am for real," he wrote.

"It is free. And I don't think people can handle that," Williams said. Often, people are either suspicious or feel guilty about getting a free service, he said. "A lot of people don't want to ask for help."

He's advertised free haircuts before, but this time, social media propelled the post around. That not only piqued interest in the promotion, but it also showed Williams that "there was a sincere need" for the service, he said.

His ad is geared toward people looking for work, or who have been going through hard times.

In past years, he's given away free haircuts to people from many walks of life, he said: The homeless; people dying of AIDS; even those who he felt were taking advantage of him, and weren't truly in need. Their negativity would come back to them eventually, he figured.

So far in May, he's given free haircuts to people who are struggling to find work, others who are drowning in medical bills. As of Friday, he had over a dozen freebie clients, and had been contacted by about 25 people total, he said.

Scott Stroman was one of several people scheduled to get a free haircut on Friday. A student in construction management at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Stroman said he lost three jobs in three years in oil-related fields. Stroman's wife saw Williams' Craigslist ad, and suggested he go.

There can be drawbacks. People try to take advantage of the offer, Williams said -- asking, "what else do you give out for free?" -- while other times, a person might schedule a free haircut and never show up. Such was the case Friday afternoon, when a freebie client left Williams sitting at the salon alone.

These factors aren't enough to deter him, though. He said he's looking at the bigger picture.

"Life's too short … what do you want to remember?" Williams said. "Do you want to remember that even at your lowest point, you turned over to the guy next to you, still in the gutter, going, 'Hey what can I do for you?'"

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"That motivates me," Williams said.

Under the promotion, he'll be giving away free haircuts for the rest of the month -- but the offer is likely to come back around again.

Laurel Andrews

Laurel Andrews was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in October 2018.

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