Impactful Black women are at the forefront of a new documentary series from Adidas.

Titled Create with Purpose, the four-part docuseries puts a spotlight on nine Black women who have made incredible contributions to their community. The docuseries is produced through Adidas’ Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) initiative.

The women featured in the series include Wanda Cooper-Jones, the late Ahmaud Arbery’s mother and the founder of the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation, the Drew League‘s Stephanie Smiley and Chaniel Smiley, Grambling State University Director of Bands Stephanie Smiley, and Black women designers Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson, Eliya Jackson, Ashley Comeaux, Precious Hannah-King and Kimberly Shane. Vashni Corin directed the project.

“When this opportunity slid into my inbox, I knew I was in divine alignment,” Corin said at a recent VIP screening in New York City at TriBeCa’s Roxy Hotel that honored the women in the film. “Prior to directing this series, I had spent many years following black women of the diaspora who had defied the odds and created a path where there had not been one before. I look to share stories of resilient trailblazers, women that were so in tune with their power, their lives became a testament to what you can do when you decide to rise. Although I share stories of others, I learn a lot about myself through the lens of the women in front of the camera.”

She continued, “In turn, I’m often so charged and inspired, I have to share these messages with the world and that’s why I’m a filmmaker. This is my commitment to personal growth and and growth of others. In my work, legacy and self-awareness became the intersection of possibility because change always starts with you. It’s about representing the real possibility of an extended existence, healing through hardship, yet utilizing it to empower yourself and others in the community.”

The first episode featuring Cooper-Jones and the Smileys’ episodes is now available, and the rest of the episodes will drop over the course of Women’s History Month.

Check out the official descriptions below:

• March 1 – Wanda Cooper-Jones: To honor the legacy of her son, Ahmaud Arbery, Ms. Wanda founded The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation to create safe spaces for Black boys and teens between the ages of 10 and 18 to run freely. It also educates them about mental and physical wellness.  
• March 4 – Stephanie Smiley (“First Lady of the Drew League”) & Chaniel Smiley (Head Commissioner of the Drew League): For 50 years, the Drew League has been using the court to build camaraderie in the South Central LA neighborhood of Watts. And for 39 of those years, Stephanie Smiley, her husband (Dino) and their daughter Chaniel have been responsible for keeping the pro-am basketball organization running.
• March 7 – Dr. Nikole Roebuck: The first woman Director of Bands in the 97-year history of Grambling State University’s band, and has been leading the next generation of musicians and overseeing the Tiger Marching Band which was recognized globally after performing with Beyoncé. She will be working with the Grambling State Foundation to continue their efforts to provide a foundation in music education for the next generation with HBE.
• March 10 – Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson, Eliya Jackson, Ashley Comeaux, Precious Hannah-King, and Kimberly Shane: Hailing from Miami, are among the first Black women to design athletic sneakers for industry-leading brands and pioneering design representation for Black women in the footwear industry. In partnership with the Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund they are creating access for the next generation of Black designers.

Watch the first two parts of the series below: