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.
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:
Represent the collective voice of Black industry professionals and serve as an advocate for the Black footwear community to bridge gaps between brands and their employees
Connect Black footwear workers to create community and mentorship opportunities
Cultivate national and regional events across the country to facilitate dialog surrounding issues affecting Blacks in the footwear industry
Create a more diverse industry through strategic partnerships and pipeline programs
Establish long lasting partnerships that provide access to education and career opportunities
The vision of the BFF is to be THE platform that makes footwear an increasingly diverse, stronger, industry. One that not only caters to Black consumers but is also well-represented by Black voices and leaders.
Black Footwear Forum Advisory Board
Providing invaluable guidance and expertise for the Black Footwear Forum organization
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