Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President, and WTOW volunteers
Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President, and WTOW volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO;
Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President
Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO; Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Jennifer Parks, VP Sales, Sexy Hair;
Pam Busiek, President/CEO, ICMAD;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon
Jennifer Parks, VP Sales, Sexy Hair; Pam Busiek, President/CEO, ICMAD; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Heather Maly, Venable LLP;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon;
Maisie Dunbar, Maisie Dunbar Salon and Spa;
Sharon Blinkoff, Venable LLP and ICMAD Board Member
Heather Maly, Venable LLP; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon; Maisie Dunbar, Maisie Dunbar Salon and Spa; Sharon Blinkoff, Venable LLP and ICMAD Board Member

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Jessi Marshall, PBA Director of Education and Industry Programs;
Steve Reiss, VP/Publishing Director, Modern Salon Media
Jessi Marshall, PBA Director of Education and Industry Programs; Steve Reiss, VP/Publishing Director, Modern Salon Media

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Bryan Tackett and Maisie Dunbar
Bryan Tackett and Maisie Dunbar

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers
Welcome to Our World volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers
Welcome to Our World volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Tamara Johnson, Georgia Advocacy of Concerned Salon Professionals;
Noelle Lundberg, Venn Strategies;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon;
Renee Shakour, Owner, Essential Salon Products;
Frank Zona, Owner Zona Salons, PBA Government Affairs Committee Chair;
Rachael Plotts, Manager, PBA Industry Programs & Education
Tamara Johnson, Georgia Advocacy of Concerned Salon Professionals; Noelle Lundberg, Venn Strategies; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon; Renee Shakour, Owner, Essential Salon Products; Frank Zona, Owner Zona Salons, PBA Government Affairs Committee Chair; Rachael Plotts, Manager, PBA Industry Programs & Education

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Eric Schwartz  visits with a guest
Eric Schwartz visits with a guest

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Steve Sleeper, PBA Executive Director;  
Myra Irizarry, PBA Director of Government Affairs;
Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO
Steve Sleeper, PBA Executive Director; Myra Irizarry, PBA Director of Government Affairs; Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Daired Ogle, Owner Daireds Salon and Spa Frank Zona, Owner Zona Professional
Daired Ogle, Owner Daireds Salon and Spa Frank Zona, Owner Zona Professional

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
1/20
 
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1/20
 
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Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President, and WTOW volunteers
2/20
 
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Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President, and WTOW volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO;
Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President
3/20
 
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Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO; Christine Gordon, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) President

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Jennifer Parks, VP Sales, Sexy Hair;
Pam Busiek, President/CEO, ICMAD;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon
4/20
 
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Jennifer Parks, VP Sales, Sexy Hair; Pam Busiek, President/CEO, ICMAD; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Heather Maly, Venable LLP;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon;
Maisie Dunbar, Maisie Dunbar Salon and Spa;
Sharon Blinkoff, Venable LLP and ICMAD Board Member
5/20
 
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Heather Maly, Venable LLP; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon; Maisie Dunbar, Maisie Dunbar Salon and Spa; Sharon Blinkoff, Venable LLP and ICMAD Board Member

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
6/20
 
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Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
7/20
 
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Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
8/20
 
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Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World
9/20
 
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The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World
10/20
 
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The Canon Caucus Room during Welcome to Our World

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Jessi Marshall, PBA Director of Education and Industry Programs;
Steve Reiss, VP/Publishing Director, Modern Salon Media
11/20
 
Slider
Jessi Marshall, PBA Director of Education and Industry Programs; Steve Reiss, VP/Publishing Director, Modern Salon Media

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Bryan Tackett and Maisie Dunbar
12/20
 
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Bryan Tackett and Maisie Dunbar

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers
13/20
 
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Welcome to Our World volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers
14/20
 
Slider
Welcome to Our World volunteers

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests
15/20
 
Slider
Welcome to Our World volunteers and guests

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Tamara Johnson, Georgia Advocacy of Concerned Salon Professionals;
Noelle Lundberg, Venn Strategies;
Anne Moratto, Modern Salon;
Renee Shakour, Owner, Essential Salon Products;
Frank Zona, Owner Zona Salons, PBA Government Affairs Committee Chair;
Rachael Plotts, Manager, PBA Industry Programs & Education
16/20
 
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Tamara Johnson, Georgia Advocacy of Concerned Salon Professionals; Noelle Lundberg, Venn Strategies; Anne Moratto, Modern Salon; Renee Shakour, Owner, Essential Salon Products; Frank Zona, Owner Zona Salons, PBA Government Affairs Committee Chair; Rachael Plotts, Manager, PBA Industry Programs & Education

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Eric Schwartz  visits with a guest
17/20
 
Slider
Eric Schwartz visits with a guest

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Steve Sleeper, PBA Executive Director;  
Myra Irizarry, PBA Director of Government Affairs;
Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO
18/20
 
Slider
Steve Sleeper, PBA Executive Director; Myra Irizarry, PBA Director of Government Affairs; Eric Schwartz, PBF President and OPI COO

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
Daired Ogle, Owner Daireds Salon and Spa Frank Zona, Owner Zona Professional
19/20
 
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Daired Ogle, Owner Daireds Salon and Spa Frank Zona, Owner Zona Professional

Photo courtesy of

Larry Oskin
20/20
 
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(In Part One--https://www.modernsalon.com/blogs/editors/anne-moratto/The-Beauty-of-Being-Involved-With-the-PBA-in-DC-152397125.html-- I described the empowering feeling of meeting with elected representatives on Capitol Hill, and talking to them about issues that are important to our industry. In Part Two, the day culminates in a wonderful event on Capitol Hill, Welcome to Our World.)

There’s a Jim Reeves song my father used to sing and it ran through my head on the evening of May 9. I was on Capitol Hill for an event that demonstrates the true beauty of our industry called Welcome to Our Word (WTOW). Established by the Professional Beauty Federation, an organization comprised of professional salon industry companies and associations including AACS, ISBN, ISPA, JCPenney Salons, OPI, PBA, and Sexy Hair, WTOW involves hundreds of salon pros who volunteer their skills and services to this event, offering manicures, haircuts, makeup applications and chair massages to Capitol Hill staffers. WTOW takes place in the stately Canon Caucus Room and for one lovely evening this place of politics transforms into a pampering palace. It becomes, like a salon, the perfect place for comfortable conversation and connection. Serious discussion of tax legislation, school funding concerns and small business challenges were conducted in the midst of manicures and blow-drys. Members of the PBF and the PBA mingled with the invited guests and with each other and I was impressed anew by the level of commitment shown by the volunteers who comprise these organizations.

And then I recalled the Jim Reeves song, "Welcome to My World," because on this night we learned the painful news of Vidal Sassoon’s passing. Gathered together, demonstrating our love for professional beauty and for what it means to us—a livelihood, a passion, a family legacy, a calling, an art—I thought of the man who had done so much to advance our industry and inspire others to do the same. Vidal Sassoon made our world one that everyone would want to visit.

Read more about Welcome to Our World and get involved here:http://probeautyfederation.org/welcome-to-our-world/

Photo Credit: Larry Oskin

Welcome to my world

Won't you come on in

Miracles I guess

Still happen now and then

Step into my heart

Leave your cares behind

Welcome to my world

Built with you in mind

Knock and the door will open

Seek and you will find

Ask and you'll be given

The key to this world of mine

I'll be waiting here

With my arms unfurled

Waiting just for you

Welcome to my world

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Originally posted on Salon Today

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