By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

​When DeCarlos Brooks began organizing his second annual Cutback Giveback Haircut Event, he wanted to get “some of the best barbers in the Valley.”

Brooks, a Chandler High School alum and Arizona State football running back, wanted to give back to the community during the past two years, and decided free haircuts was a need among youth in the Valley.

In addition to a bounce house, bean bag toss, food trucks and other things for adults and kids to do at the event, Brooks got some of his Sun Devil teammates out to AZ Barber Academy as well on June 30. Prizes, games and a raffle were also held.

Leif Fautanu, the Sun Devil center who was all-conference in 2023, was among the teammates helping out at the event.

“Los asked us to support him, so here we are,” Fautanu said. “I try to be of service here and back home (in Hawaii).”

Fautanu said other community service ASU football players perform includes helping the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance on Wednesday nights.

Brooks, a 2019 Chandler High graduate, is about to start his senior season with the Sun Devils after transferring from Cal following the 2022 season. He rushed for 259 yards on 48 carries and had a three-touchdown game in an injury-plagued 2023 season at ASU.

The liberal studies major said he wanted people to come out to the event and “have fun.”

Nash Robinson gets a haircut from a volunteer June 30 during Arizona State football player DeCarlos Brooks’ second annual “Cutback Giveback Haircut Event” in Tempe.

Arizona State football players Leif Fautanu, left, and DeCarlos Brooks, far right, smile as they see the haircut Nash Robinson received June 30 during Brooks’ second annual “Cutback Giveback Haircut Event” in Tempe.

Arizona State football players, led by DeCarlos Brooks, hosted the June 30 second annual “Cutback Giveback Haircut Event” in Tempe, which included a bouncy house.

Volunteers weren’t at the second annual “Cutback Giveback Haircut Event” in Tempe to groom pets, but at least one was there to provide moral support to the volunteer barbers and child beneficiaries.

With a few of his Arizona State football teammates behind him, DeCarlos Brooks extends his arm while making a social media video to promote attendance at his second annual “Cutback Giveback Haircut Event” June 30 in Tempe.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic.  Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.  Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

Jason W. Brooks
Associate Editor

Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.

He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.

Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.