In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder, Nike Inc., mainly through its Jordan Brand, has responded with an inspiring project. The Black Community Commitment was launched in June 2020 with a $140 million investment. It is a beacon of hope and dedication to eradicating systemic racism and promoting racial progression and equity. As the Tri-brand commitment enters its fourth year, the impact is palpable.

The tri-brands Nike, Jordan and Converse are doubling down on education and social justice investments. On Friday, the BCC announced its fiscal 2024 plans. One initiative BCC has helped progress is Pensole Footwear Design Academy. It was launched in 2010 by D’Wayne Edwards. He worked at Nike as one of the youngest design directors in Nike’s history. Edwards has placed more than 200 young designers in industry positions.

In addition, one of the tri-brand leaders, Sarah Mensah, spoke with Blavity about paying it forward. She made history by being the first Black woman VP and GM of Nike North America role in 2021. Mensah’s childhood in Oregon inspired her athletic expansion and interest in the brand’s black storytelling.

“I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility because Nike means so much to the Black community. To be the first Black woman leading this geography is an incredible mandate,” she said. “For me as a young girl who wanted to play sports, I saw the brand as one of the most aspirational brands to inspire me and to see what was possible. I feel a mandate to continue the role that Nike played for me for others and to expand the aspirational nature of the brand.”

Jordan Brand President Sarah Mensah, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts

Additionally, the VP shared a correlation to Viola Davis’ role as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, in the movie AIR. Similarly, Deloris played the catalyst for his legendary sneaker deal with Nike and the beginning of Air Jordan’s fandom. Likewise, Mensah serves as a Black woman helping to lead a major corporation’s success.

“We talk internally at the Jordan brand. We don’t even really talk about ourselves as a business. We talk about ourselves as a Jordan family. And I think it’s interesting. I think what people saw in AIR is just a wonderful, beautiful expression of what it feels like to be in a high-functioning Black family with a powerful black mom,” she added.

Furthermore, Nike’s sponsorships played a pivotal part in her witnessing representation by a major brand. Those examples helped propel her success as a young athlete and now businesswoman.

“We’ve been passionate about making sure that we provided that type of an opportunity for young people. We’re super passionate about inviting young people into the brand and giving young people their own opportunity to really express. We feel like that it’s a really important role for us to play,” Mensah said.

The tri-brand commitment is fulfilling its $40 million commitment by assisting 125 nonprofit organizations over the past 4 years. The $100 million, 10-year commitment is in its 4th year – with 6 more years to go. It is a commitment between Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand that launched in 2020. As a result, Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP and Chief Social & Community Impact Officer at Nike, Inc., emphasizes the significance of authentic relationships for impactful change.

“We focused on supporting our grantees in ways that allowed them the space to drive impact where they, and the communities they serve, needed it most,” Garcia-Brito said in a statement. “This philosophy of participatory philanthropy — which leads with collaborative and community-centered giving — has been critical to the success of the BCC and is now central to how we support community organizations overall.”

As a result, the company confirmed that it would donate $8.6 million to national and local organizations in 2024. This emphasizes Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York City, Portland, Oregon and St. Louis. As the BCC expands its reach, it serves as a reminder of the impact of corporate commitment and community collaboration.

D'Wayne Edwards

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