Thread by @NBCNews

Black culture and influence made 'athleisure' a phenomenon, but only a handful of Black retail owners are benefitting from the trend. #NBCNewsThreads (1/8)

nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/sn…

The guest bedroom in Earl West’s home in suburban Atlanta looks more like a sneaker warehouse. From floor to ceiling, covering the entire space, there are nearly 900 pairs of sneakers valued in West’s estimation at more than $100,000. (2/8)

West, a self-described “sneaker head” started collecting in 1982. He is among thousands of people in America, especially Black males, who are fixated on sneakers, so much so that they are the drivers of a market that pulled in $70B in 2020. (3/8)

While Black culture has made sneakers an invaluable element to any wardrobe and Black consumers are at the heart of that financial tide, Black retailers of the coveted items are hard to find.

Only 5% of sneaker retailers in America are Black. (4/8)

“Saying that this is a consumer-based economy does not mean that consumers actually have power,” says Jared Ball, professor of African American/African Diaspora Studies at Morgan State University. (5/8)

“It’s a white boys’ club, like most things,” says James Whitner, a Black man who has carved out a successful niche with boutique apparel and sneakers stores in several cities.

“There are people aware of it, but their privilege doesn’t force them to have to change it.” (6/8)

Darius Billings, who has worked in the sneakers industry, launched the Strategic African American Retail Track or StAART program, to address the racial inequities and create pathways for Black entrepreneurs to become retail store owners. (7/8)

“Change isn’t going to happen overnight. But the work is being done every day” Billings says.

“This is an opportunity for us to own our ideas.” (8/8)