PHOTO ESSAY | At 'Barbershop, Chat, & Chew' in Rainier Beach, Attendees Get Fades, Shape-Ups, and Space to Talk
On April 4, dozens of families and community members gathered in the Rainier Beach Community Center gym for “Barbershop, Chat, & Chew," a free annual event where people got haircuts, played chess, and took part in conversations geared toward supporting the community.
Larry Wilmore, executive director and co-founder of Fathers and Sons Together (F.A.S.T), said, “Today is about more than just free haircuts, free food, and free activities. It’s about connection. It’s about creating space for real conversations between our youth and the adults who care about them so much. Fathers and Sons Together believes that strong families build strong communities. We believe prevention is more powerful than intervention, and when our young people are surrounded by positive role models, they rise to their full potential.”
Barber Daylon Frost, with Roaming Razors, said he’s volunteered for the last few years because “it’s awesome to be part of something positive that has such an impact on the kids and the community.”
The 15th annual event began as a way to bring people together. The barbershop has long been a place for Black men to gather and talk honestly with each other about family and community. The barbers who volunteered for “Barbershop, Chat, & Chew” see the positive effect the event has on the community.
Frost and the five other barbers in attendance worked nonstop from noon to 4 p.m. while nearby, community members engaged in moderated conversations about ending violence, seeking collective solutions for community safety, and recognizing the importance of youth voices.
In addition to free haircuts and lunch, people could play chess with Detective Cookie’s Chess Club, meet the Buffalo Soldiers and their horses outside on the plaza, and listen to a poetry reading by Reagan Jackson and songs performed by Tiffany Wilson.
The event ended with a community rite of passage for the youth and a karaoke contest.
