![]() Connecting it back to the idea of a third place, Stenzel saw it as a great opportunity to give something to the people he serves. The thought of giving back to the community resonated strongly with Stenzel, using his skills to provide a service to the kids of North Portland. He had a connection to UP, with students, staff and faculty alike having come to either Morehouse Barbers – his previous place of work – or Dark Star Barbers for haircuts. ![]() Craggs approached Stenzel, who was immediately intrigued by the idea. Once they had the idea, they needed someone to cut the hair. "I don't really remember sharing that (with Craggs), so this became him and I putting our heads together on what would work and he obviously went with it." "In my years of teaching we've done this where barbers have lined up kids before a dance or before a state game or something," said Vega, who's been a teacher in North Portland for the last 15 years. That conversation led to Craggs reaching out to Vega the following year with an idea for what would become Courtside Cuts. All she knows is that she must have said something to Craggs about how for the boys, another way to create that VIP feeling that she's seen in the past is bringing in barbers for haircuts. Vega said she doesn't really remember how Courtside Cuts came about. Vega took on her director role last year and connected with UP Athletics' Manager of Ticket Sales and Services Josh Craggs around that time, with Craggs helping her youth teams get tickets for Pilot basketball games last season. Jaeger Vega, the Youth Cluster Coordinator/Athletic Director for Roosevelt Youth Sports, played a key role in organizing the event. As Portland men's basketball cruised to a 78-64 win in their WCC opener against the Pacific Tigers, several kids participating in Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) and Roosevelt Youth Sports got free haircuts from Dark Star Barbers as part of Courtside Cuts, a first-time event for University of Portland Athletics and an opportunity for rebuilding that sense of community. University of Portland was that third place for a few hours this past Saturday. "So, if we have an opportunity where we can bring people together where there aren't barriers of cost or certain expectations and that people from all walks of life can come and be together, I think that's crucial to being a part of a community and moving forward in this weird, modern world that we live in." "I think, as Americans, we, especially post-COVID, don't have or utilize enough these meeting places that we have," Stenzel said. The importance of third places is something Stenzel feels strongly about, saying that third places that are accessible to the communities they're embedded in are crucial in creating bonds that have been lost in the last few years. The conversation about third places comes from Tyson Stenzel, the owner of a form of third place in Dark Star Barbers, a barbershop located off Vancouver Way here in Portland. ![]() The gym, the library, a favorite restaurant, the list of third places goes on and on, but the crux remains the same – a place for connection. ![]() ![]() The first place is your home, the second place is your work and then the third place is something that separates those two and, theoretically, provide a sense of community. In sociology, there's a concept known as the 'third place'. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |