James Whitner speaks out on the lack of diversity within the sneaker i

James Whitner speaks out on the lack of diversity within the sneaker industry

Owner James Whitner took to Highsnobiety to address the ongoing issue of the lack of diversity and inclusion within the sneaker industry. He also spoke on multiple ways we can tackle this issue to create more opportunities for young people of color. Understanding that this isn't going to be something that happens overnight, James gives a broad perspective for moving forward. He also speaks about the hurdles he's faced as an African American male in the sneaker industry. You can view an excerpt below.

"In my 15-year journey in this business, I can’t count how many times I’ve been ignored, counted out, excluded, and at times plainly discriminated against. I can confidently say that more than a few times the people who treated me this way may have done it without ever considering why, even if only to themselves. I was once told by several banking execs that my appearance makes people uncomfortable and they don’t understand my business or how I got the money. Discrimination shows itself in a number of different ways and this example illustrates how racism reveals itself today."

Check out the full article here.