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Photos by Chloe Brooks and Kristin Fankhauser
Black History Month began early for those who attended the Square-N-Compass 20-Twelve Hair and Fashion show Sunday.
Approximately 500 people gathered at the Phoenix Convention Center to watch the annual event, which began with a slideshow tribute to famous African-Americans including Booker T. Washington, Clarence Thomas and Barack Obama. The tribute was followed by a runway fashion show and a timed hairstyling competition.
Sharon Frierson-Pertile, executive director of Square-N-Compass, said proceeds would be donated to Central Arizona Shelter Services for the third year in a row.
“You see these people, you look at their faces, and I know how they felt,” said Pertile, who experienced homelessness for a brief time while raising her children. “I always tried to make it into a game for my kids so they wouldn’t know we were homeless, but it’s rough to be without a home.”
CASS is located at 12th Avenue and Madison Street and is the largest homeless shelter in Arizona.
Contact the reporter at chloe.brooks@asu.edu
