A businessman, legal gun owner, barber, and activist are a few of the hats that Devon Reynolds wears as a community figure in the Maplewood neighborhood of Rochester, N.Y. but most importantly, he is a father to four young boys. The motivation to open a barber shop, then another barber shop, then a food pantry all comes down to the legacy he wants to leave in the hands of his sons. “They are my reincarnation,” said Reynolds of his sons. “To see myself reincarnate before I die is a blessing.” The Maplewood area zip code, 14613, is one of the 8 zip codes in Monroe County that was declared by the African American Health Coalition as needing special attention for its high rates of food insecurity. According to a research study from the National Library of Medicine, “a high prevalence of food insecurity in urban regions likely serves as a marker for socioeconomic disadvantage and intentional disinvestment.” “It’s basically survival.” Said Reynolds. “You gotta be able to feed your family. You gotta be able to feed yourself. And when we don’t have the opportunity like some others, it’s easy to come down to shooting somebody.” Reynolds felt the need to obtain his pistol permit in 2020 as a means of protection, which he received in 2021. “There’s a high volume of crime, a low volume of compassion, and I have four boys I have to get home to.”