This HBCU student is showing the power of striving for one’s dreams in between classes.
On Oct. 6, Arial Robinson, an artist and student at North Carolina A&T University, shared that she manifested collaborating with Nike. In 2020, the Charlotte native posted her first fake Nike Campaign — dreaming to be behind one of the shoe brand’s real ones.
A year ago today I posted my first Fake Nike Campaign. This would be the start of a lot bedroom photoshoots & the making of my first book. 🙂 https://t.co/vHhXcdGq6C
— Arial, like the font. (@honestari) March 25, 2021
Two years later, Robinson’s prayer has been exceeded. She was selected to design an official Nike Dunk Low for her HBCU — making her the youngest and one out of four Black women to do so.
2 years later I am the youngest and 1/4 black women to design an official Nike Dunk Low for an HBCU. I prayed for a campaign & god blessed me with a whole shoe. 🥲 https://t.co/ISHvxTS8LT pic.twitter.com/UEczSO6uOR
— Arial, like the font. (@honestari) October 6, 2022
Robinson’s design is a part of Nike’s 2022 Yardrunners campaign, which celebrates the legacy of HBCUs. The company co-created HBCU-licensed footwear using the Nike Dunk Low silhouette to highlight North Carolina A&T University along with Tennessee State University, Clark Atlanta University, and Florida A&M University, according to Boardroom.
The design for the North Carolina A&T Nike Dunk Low “Ayantee” — named after the school’s yearbook — is heavily inspired by the school’s new Student Center built in 2018.
“HBCU’s were created to provide a physical space for black students to fail and succeed,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. “In our own way, on our own terms. When we were turned away from everywhere else. The student center has been that physical space for me.”
She continued: “It is such an honor to have designed a Nike dunk low that represents the community, creativity & culture embedded into our walls & those infamous yellow stairs. Our experience can’t be emulated bc it is a physical one.”
In addition to honing in on the yellow stairs, “1891” — the year the university was established — is etched on the sneakers’ back, as well as includes “From Greensboro with Love” and the North Carolina A&T logo in the front.
The North Carolina A&T Dunk Lows became available exclusively in person on Oct. 7 and are set for the SNKRS app on Oct. 25.