PHOENIX — The shade of the Arizona Ash and Heritage Live Oak and the rhythmic beats of classic hip-hop and contemporary R&B came together in a collage of Black excellence that defined the ‘Can I Kick It?’ event that took place in Civic Space Park on Saturday.
Community groups and Black-owned businesses throughout downtown Phoenix came together this past weekend in honor of Black History Month to promote community, culture and connections that will leave a lasting impression on those who were in attendance.
The event featured music from DJ Shaolin Jazz, Black History Trivia organized by the Archwood Community Resource Empowerment Strategy (ACRES) and a fashion show which was hosted by The Garment League in Downtown Phoenix.
Local business owners were able to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase their products and services, something that Ali Nervis, one of the founding members of ACRES, said was the essence of what the organization strives to provide for Black and underserved communities in the city.
“There’s a famous quote that we (ACRES) refer to a lot. It says ‘talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not.’” Nervis said.
According to Nervis, there are still plenty of places for people to go to receive education and theories on running a business, but there are far too few places that these business owners can go to test out their business ideas. Part of ACRES goal is trying to distribute these opportunities more evenly to the communities that ACRES serves.
This dilemma is one of the primary incentives for cultivating events such as ‘Can I Kick It?’ in Civic Space Park on Saturday. The goal? Create the avenues toward success that the communities they serve crave — and, more importantly, that it deserves. By doing so, ACRES has forged its identity as a pillar of support for the Black community in Phoenix.
“We’re really trying to bring solutions to very old problems,” Nervis said. “Problems that the community isn’t necessarily responsible for, but nevertheless, the community is still struggling with.”
Numerous Black-owned businesses set up their tents, chairs and products on Saturday to promote their businesses and services, but more importantly, to connect with other business entrepreneurs in the same community. One of these business owners was Renicia Washington, owner of Renicia’s Beads, where she makes and sells custom-made jewelry.
Washington, who started her business during the COVID-19 pandemic, said that participating in ‘Can I Kick It?’ was not only to promote and sell her products but also to unite with her customers and people throughout the community.
“Being a part of an event like this is about connecting with people, hearing their stories, knowing what they’re about,” Washington said.
Having only been a Phoenix resident for the past seven months, Washington said that participating in Saturday’s event was a great way for her to “get the lay of the land,” as she continues to foster connections within the Black community in Phoenix.
After all the clothes, jewelry and cookies had been sold, the night transitioned to its most glamorous moment — the fashion show.
The Garment League, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower youth and adults through fashion education, put on a spectacular display during the event’s fashion show, which showcased the works of three fashion designers across diverse backgrounds. The show also included a remarkably eclectic group of fashion models as well.
Tricee Thomas, the CEO and Founder of The Garment League said that, although the organization hosts anywhere between eight to ten shows a year, the primary focus is education through fashion.
“We actually take kids as young as six years old,” Thomas said. “This past year we had four six-year-olds that were with us.”
When Thomas first arrived in Phoenix, she realized that the Phoenix fashion industry was severely watered down. With a passion for fashion, coupled with a desire to educate others, Thomas brought to fruition The Garment League, and the organization has thrived in its endeavors.
Thomas said she continues to fight every day to support local fashion designers and entrepreneurs. More importantly, she wants to ensure that their needs are met here at home, in the Valley of the Sun.
“The one thing I would like everyone to know is that we’re doing a lot of big things over here, and I want people to recognize what’s going on,” Thomas said. “We should not be sending our kids to FIT in New York, we should be sending them to ASU School of Design.”
Edited by Shi Bradley
