The Barber of Little Rock

A special screening of the 2024 Academy Award-nominated short film, The Barber of Little Rock, was followed by a discussion with co-director John Hoffman and the barber himself, Arlo Washington. This event was co-sponsored by the Melvin L. Oliver Racial Justice Initiative.

Watch the discussion:
 

The Barber of Little Rock explores America’s widening racial wealth gap through the story of Arlo Washington, a local barber whose visionary approach to a just economy can be found in the mission of People Trust, the nonprofit community bank he founded. Experiencing the effects of generational poverty and structural racism firsthand, Arlo understands his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas and the profound mistrust of financial institutions that have historically excluded his community from financial stability and economic mobility. Operating as the sole bank within a ten-mile radius, Arlo’s People Trust fosters economic progress for underserved and underbanked residents, providing an economic beacon of hope that could reshape the future of banking.

The film is part of the The New Yorker Documentary Series, a showcase for important short films from around the world, and is available on the magazine’s digital channels.

John Hoffman co-directed the film with Christine Turner. Hoffman is also a producer who is recognized for The Antidote (2020), Allegra’s Window (1994) and The Alzheimer’s Project (2009), among other films.