To support the community, one must actually be immersed within the community.

Over the years, Nike has managed to not only be fully committed to the areas that they serve, but it goes far beyond just the storefront.

Since the inception of its Blue Ribbon Sports store in 1967, the leading athletic brand has been a destination for product, expert advice, and most importantly, community.

“We think about everyone that has touched or experienced Nike,” Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP of North America Communications at Nike told AfroTech in regards to what community means to the brand. “I think about family, people, our neighborhoods.”

Continuing on its Black Community Commitment, Nike, alongside Converse, the Jordan Brand and Micheal Jordan, will keep investing in local organizations that are dedicated to advancing equality throughout several U.S. cities, especially the place where it all started nearly 50 years ago — Los Angeles, CA.

As the brand commemorates 50 years in the LA community, they continue to elevate the people who will shape the future.

“When you look at a kid, and everybody’s looking at a kid, you’re cheering for the same person,” Garcia-Brito continued. “That is a unifying emotion and a unifying experience and then we build from that. We ask ourselves questions like ‘What experiences are they having for their people? What are the organizations that are backing them up? How do we participate in that ecosystem?’ And sport can be such a leveling opportunity. So, I think about how do we bring community through sport?”

Blue Ribbon Sports

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