‘Who Speaks For Us?’ Barbershop Talk Panel Has Mobile Men Weighing Leadership Before Election

MOBILE, Ala. — What does it mean to truly speak for a community? That question framed the latest Barbershop Talk Mobile conversation on Sunday, Oct. 18, when Brave X Reflection Inc. gathered a panel of local men to discuss representation and leadership as the Nov. 3 general election approaches.

The event, part of the organization’s ongoing “Bar•bershop Talk” series, was titled “Who Speaks For Us? Men Taking the Lead.” Host Bri Burrell led a discussion with a panel of public figures that included congressional candidate Clyde Jones; Dr. Titus Thorn of Big Zion AME Zion Church; Reggie Weaver of Stand Up Mobile; and Alex Lofton, the City of Mobile’s poet laureate, who performs as Huggy Bear Da Poet.

The conversation centered on representation and leadership in the community, particularly in the current political climate.

Leadership beyond personal success

Throughout the evening, the panelists returned to a shared concern: that leadership must be about more than individual achievement. In their view, it also requires a commitment to helping others and addressing the problems that affect the wider community.

Thorn traced the evolution of leadership from the era of figures such as Malcolm X and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to the present day. He described what he sees as an essential part of leading.

“Leading is being able to influence people to be better,” Thorn said.

His remarks challenged the idea that success should be measured by personal advancement rather than progress for the group as a whole.

Jones, who is on the ballot this fall, picked up on that theme.

“We need that courage again, people that were willing to die for what they believed in,” Jones said.

A focus on civics and voting

Weaver raised concerns about what he described as a lack of understanding of civics today. He stressed the importance of knowing how the political process works and the level of participation it requires from residents.

With voting a central topic of the evening, the conversation raised broader questions about how residents understand their own political power, from registering and voting to following what officials do after they take office.

For Mobile residents, the panel’s questions extend beyond any single event or election. Representation matters, the discussion suggested, but so do the actions officials take after they are elected or appointed.

‘Tribalism gone wrong’

When asked about the sense of community and collective identity in Mobile, Lofton described the current state of things as “tribalism gone wrong.” He urged people to recognize the larger community they belong to, pointing to the difficulty of building collective progress when competing interests get in the way.

Lofton, who works with young people, added, “We need to recognize the real enemy,” referring to the influences that are marketed and sold to particular groups of people.

In the end, the “Who Speaks For Us?” discussion invited the audience to look past titles and public image and to judge leadership by its impact on others.

About the panelists

• Clyde Jones is the Democratic nominee in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, where he faces Republican Jerry Carl, who represented the district from 2021 to 2025, in the Nov. 3 general election.
• Dr. Titus Thorn is affiliated with Big Zion AME Zion Church, an African Methodist Episcopal Zion congregation in Mobile.
• Reggie Weaver is with Stand Up Mobile, a local community organization.
• Alex Lofton, known as Huggy Bear Da Poet, serves as poet laureate for the City of Mobile and works with young people.
• Bri Burrell hosted the discussion for Brave X Reflection Inc.

The election ahead

Under this year’s congressional map, the city of Mobile is in the 1st Congressional District, which covers the Mobile Bay region. Mobile County voters will also see the race for governor between Republican Tommy Tuberville and Democrat Doug Jones, along with other state and local races and amendments, on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, and voters must bring a valid photo ID. Residents can confirm their registration, find their polling place and view a sample ballot at AlabamaVotes.gov or through the Mobile County Board of Registrars.