About
The Story of the Black Footwear Forum
Inspired by the opening of the National Museum of African American History & Culture on the National Mall, Matt Priest, President & CEO of FDRA, imagined a platform that would highlight and celebrate the role of Black culture in the footwear industry. With this idea, he partnered with industry leader and visionary Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, Founder of PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design, creating the African American Footwear Forum (AAFF), with the inaugural event in Washington, DC held February 2019. The Forum has since been renamed the Black Footwear Forum, hosting a multitude of events around the country that bring the Black footwear community together to create spaces exploring industry goals, developing Black talent at all levels in the industry, and closing the gaps one step at a time.
Matt Priest and D'Wayne Edwards, 2023
The Mission
The Black Footwear Forum (BFF) seeks to enhance access, education, and awareness to increase opportunities for Black professionals to influence, lead, and impact the global footwear industry and consumer culture. The Forum is intentional in its efforts to make footwear an increasingly diverse industry, one that not only caters to Black consumers but is also well-represented by Black voices and leadership. The mission is to:
The vision of the BFF is to be THE platform that makes footwear an increasingly diverse, stronger, industry.
Black Footwear Forum Advisory Board
Providing invaluable guidance and expertise for the Black Footwear Forum organization
Black Footwear Forum Sponsors
© 2023 FDRA