Happy Juneteenth 🙏🏽 At the 2026 HBCU Summit hosted by plcdetroit I had the honor of introducing Wilson Smith III shoeitecture , The first black american sneaker designer, with 41 years pioneering at nike . I’m one of the first footwear students in his studio and it really makes you think about “firsts”. It seems like our history of accomplishment is so rich and yet we as american black people are still emerging into fields that were never designed for us. I find it imperative that we take each other by the hand to lift up future generations in order to be so undeniable that we change that design. Wilson’s Legacy carries just that energy. I’m grateful for my friend and mentor to have paved such a path, so that myself and thousands of other students to come can walk it as well. ✊🏽 #happyjuneteenth #hbcu #pensole #sneakerdesign