Latest news with #HBE
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Adidas Understood The Assignment: How The Sports Brand Is Honoring Black Excellence
adidas 2025 HBE honoree Gee's Bend Quilters, Jaycina Almond and Sekou Thornell The city of Atlanta has long been the "Mecca" of Black American enterprise and culture. Major corporations across various industries, such as The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines, call the city home and invest millions into the local culture and economy. Adidas and creative visionaries Rog & Bee Walker of Paper Monday brought together Black cultural leaders, artists, athletes, and community voices for Honoring Black Excellence (HBE): An Experience Curated by Rog & Bee Walker—a bold and immersive capstone activation at Guardian Works. This immersive event is more than just a fleeting corporate marketing campaign for the global sportswear giant; it is an investment into Black voices, community, and historical reverence. Walking into the Guardian, attendees immediately notice Rog & Bee Walker's intent to transform the space into a living narrative. Combining the aesthetics of a gallery with audiovisual, live performances and archival elements. The journey began with a short film shown in an intimate white room, bringing complete focus and attention to the powerful stories of the HBE honorees. From there, attendees naturally flowed into an open-concept space where small interactive installations representing the story of each honoree could be seen and experienced. Launched in 2019, the HBE initiative has transformed from a one-time event to adidas's dedicated platform to celebrate Black leaders who are shaping culture and driving change nationally. This year honors a trio of Black creatives that represent a new generation of entrepreneurs focused on community and 2025 HBE honoree Gee's Bend Quilters The Enduring Legacy of The Gee's Bend Quilters To fully comprehend the gravity of this moment, one must travel to the small community of Gee's Bend, Alabama also known as "Boykin". This isolated community nestled within a bend of the Alabama River, was established by enslaved people brought by the Gee family in the 19th century. Similar to the Geechee people of the Carolinas, the women of Gee's Bend are internationally known for their quilt-making. For generations, these women have transformed scraps of common fabrics into works of art. Initially a necessity for Black families post-slavery- these quilts became symbols of resilience, ingenuity, and abstract artistic masterpieces. Adidas's inclusion of The Gee's Bend Quilters in the HBE initiative acknowledges their artistic, historical, and economic impact. With this collaboration, adidas is introducing the Gee's Bend culture to new audiences worldwide. Proving that the intricate and abstract quilts of Gee's Bend aren't just a relic of the past but a tradition that is living in the present and inspiring the New Faces of Community-Driven Entrepreneurship: Jaycina Almond and Sekou Thornel adidas 2025 HBE honoree Jaycina Almond While Gee's Bend represents the deep-seated roots of Black culture Jaycina Almond and Sekou Thornell represent the growing branches of that Black culture tree. Almond, is a model who used her visibility and platform to launch The Tender Foundation, a non-profit that provides a safety net for single mothers in Atlanta. 39.8% of the city's households are headed by single mothers, who make only 52% of what single fathers earn. Jaycina is an example of how one individual can change the lives of those around her. She has actively changed her title from model to role model. adidas 2025 HBE honoree Sekou Thronell Thornell is making space in the sports world with Kitboys Club by challenging traditional narratives in the new and growing American soccer ethos. He's reimagining the aesthetics of the sport by weaving Atlanta's vibrant and unique urban culture into the very fabric of the sport. Kitboys Club is proving to represent more than just an athletics clothing line, but a blueprint on how to make soccer more accessible and culturally relevant to underrepresented faces of the game. Together Almond and Thornel represent the intersection of authenticity and innovation leading to their well-deserved of adidas 2025 HBE Capstone Rog & Bee Walker The Art of Authentic Storytelling Centering this celebration of Black excellence is Rog & Bee Walker. Adidas has entrusted this creative duo with bringing the legacy and impact of the three honorees to life. These multidisciplinary artists are notable for their ability to authentically capture the Black American experience in all of its many facets and complexities by blending visual production, web development, and creative storytelling. Using The HBE capstone event as a medium the Walkers have given a masterclass on authentic engagement and celebration. Trusting Rog & Bee shows that adidas is willing to go beyond the normal corporate playbook. It was obvious that the global brand wanted to craft an event that was more than just branding, but an experience grounded in connection, dialogue, and investments into the Black creative ecosystem. Generating €23.7 ($27.8) billion in sales in 2024, adidas's commitment to continuing The HBE capstone shows that the company understands its responsibility to not just provide a platform but to listen and put its money where it will have maximum impact. This year's Honoring Black Excellence experience in Atlanta was one to remember and more than a capstone event. It was the collision of past and present, the new and traditional and corporate and cultural interests.
Hypebeast
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Inside adidas' Ode to Black Excellence
By Erin Ikeuchi Under the roof of a former perfumery along Atlanta's Westside Beltline, adidas gathered hundreds of artists, athletes, musicians, writers, designers and leaders for the final act of its Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) capstone – an ode to the cultural architects at the helm Black creativity, innovation and brilliance. The iconic three stripes have long understood the transformative power of teamwork and sportsmanship, and in recent years its taken its steadfast commitment to community and social impact off the pitch and into the wider cultural bloodstream. Launched in 2019, HBE initiative has become a pivtal platofrm platform for the brand, honoring Black voices shaping today's creative and social landscapes. A cross between experience and exhibition, this year's edition unfolded as an embodiment of memory and momentum. Centered around the theme of 'Pathways & Pipelines,' the event spotlighted those who not only preserve legacy, but voices who are pave the way forward. To curate the event, adidas tapped Rog & Bee Walker, the duo behind Paper Monday, to transform the sprawling, industrial space with their sublime visual language, bringing their love for narrative and storytelling into a new, experiential dimension. The night featured a tender short film directed by the Walkers, alongside a series of immersive installations — a mosaic of the honorees' iridescent worlds: A willow shades over the belles of Gee's Bend Quilters, the Alabama-based collective whose quilted odes to Black Southern life sit at the heart of American art history; testimonials from mothers who have been impacted by Jaycina Almond's Tender Foundation, a grassroots rewriting narratives around single Black motherhoods, sing from the cozy, corner nursery. Elsewhere, framed jerseys's from Sekou Thornell's label Kitboys Club sits beside a stack of lockers. Fueled by his love of the game, Thornell blends streetwear and soccer to empower the new wave of Black creatives, both on and off the field. Peppered throughout the space are portraits taken by the Walker's — tender captures screen-printed on sheer veils of fabric, catching the light as if exhaling with the room itself. The images serve as a visual throughline, threading each installation with a dignity that doesn't just captures its subjects, but holds them tight. Ahead of the HBE Capstone Experience, we caught up with Rog & Bee to discuss their practice and the vision that brought it all together. 1 of 9 2 of 9 3 of 9 4 of 9 5 of 9 6 of 9 7 of 9 8 of 9 9 of 9 'It's definitely a balancing act, and what we do together is greater than the sum of our parts.' How would you describe your practice in your own words? Rog Walker: Visual storytelling sums it up. We use photography, film and pretty much any medium to capture identity, which is at the core of our work. It's about exploring our stories and the stories of people around us. Bee Walker: Through working we've discovered other dimensions of our practice that maybe weren't initially intended, but are so beautiful to see. This whole HBE event has turned into 100's of people coming out to Atlanta to screen the film and see the photographs and meet the featured honorees – that element of our work has been really surprising. It's amplified really beautiful messages and it's become a really important part of it all. What are you respective backgrounds and how have those paths led you to where you are today? RW: Bee's been taking photos since she was like 13, whereas I started kind of late. I come from a standard, working-class family, and photography was not a choice that was even allowed. There was a lot of backlash, but it only made me want to pursue it even more – to tell my story and explore this path. BW: To be honest, I wouldn't call my background a creative one either. I did start taking pictures young because my father bought me a camera, but when I met Rog, it coalesced into something that we both loved doing and we just grew from there. It's been such an amazing journey. 1 of 8 2 of 8 3 of 8 4 of 8 5 of 8 6 of 8 7 of 8 8 of 8 'True collaboration starts with the trust that someone believes in your vision, even if you've never done it before.' As both creative and life partners, how do you strike a balance when approaching a new project? RW: Just taking a step back, our personalities are so different: Bee is really outgoing and I don't like talking to people, whereas I'm really technical and she just doesn't like to fuss with that stuff. Our personalities just mesh well. But, also we fell in love with each other and with photography at a time when there was a lot of excitement. I remember running around on the street with our friends, and so many things were happening at that time, and we just loved it. We were exploring culture and having fun, which made it easy to collaborate. BW: It's definitely a balancing act, and what we do together is greater than the sum of our parts. It helps me stay focused and when I drop off a little bit, I always remember that none of this would be possible if it weren't for both of us or our whole family now being a part of it. 1 of 8 2 of 8 3 of 8 4 of 8 5 of 8 6 of 8 7 of 8 8 of 8 How has your experience running Paper Monday inform your curatorial vision for this event, and the immersive installations within them? RW: The adidas Purpose team reached to see if we wanted to curate the event, and though we'd never done this before, we saw how these stories are more than pictures, they're real narratives. It was a matter of research, we were looking at Carrie Mae Weems, Tyler Mitchell and grasping onto different elements. True collaboration starts with the trust that someone believes in your vision, even if you've never done it before. Courtesy of adidas. Event photography by Yvette Glasco. Portraits by Rog & Bee Walker.
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Redefining Black Motherhood: How Jaycina Almond Is Building Support Systems For Single Mothers
Jaycina Almond Founder of Tender Foundation and child In the US, we live in a society where motherhood is heavily stigmatized. 28% of single mothers live in poverty, with Black mothers being disproportionately impacted. Jaycina Almond is actively working to change this narrative. As the founder of The Tender Foundation, she provided critical resources and financial support to single mothers in Atlanta. Her work directly addresses some economic pain points single mothers in the Atlanta area face with programs such as bill pay assistance with rent, utilities, and childcare costs; grocery store gift cards, and a diaper bank that provides free diapers, wipes, and formula. In recognition of her impact, Almond was recently named an Adidas Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) 2025 Honoree, with the brand set to debut a short-form film this Women's History Month exploring her journey. Almond's efforts are particularly timely, as single mothers in the U.S. continue to face systemic barriers, including poverty rates and limited parental leave. Even our lawmakers in Congress are fighting to be accommodated with the ability to vote remotely for new mothers. Showing that no woman is truly exempt from the systematic barriers that come with being a mother. In this interview, Jaycina talks about teaming up with corporate partners like Adidas, whose support amplifies her work and provides more mothers the chance to thrive. Stephanie Tharpe: Your work with The Tender Foundation is deeply personal. Can you share what initially inspired you to create this organization and how your own experiences as a mother have shaped its mission? Jaycina Almond: Tender is definitely the culmination of my own personal experience: my mom was a single mom for the first half of my childhood. She was stuck in a bad relationship because she couldn't support 3 girls on her own. I got pregnant pretty young at 20 and I was a single mom for the first several years of my daughter's life - I didn't have to worry about things like affording diapers but being the solo caregiver was still so tough - I can barely remember the first year because it was just a battle to stay above water. Now make that even harder by being in survival mode or being stressed about making rent. I just knew mamas like me deserved care. Stephanie Tharpe: Motherhood is often romanticized, yet Black motherhood, in particular, carries unique societal expectations and challenges. How has your journey challenged conventional narratives, and how do you hope to shift perceptions through your work? Jaycina Almond: Before you even give birth, everybody has an opinion on what's right or wrong. All mothers are always under scrutiny in our society on if they fit the archetype of what we've been told a "mom" is. Then you add the intersection of being a Black woman and a mother; the stereotypes and judgments are compounded. I got pregnant at 20, went through my pregnancy solo, and was a single mom for the first several years of my daughter's life. I could have let the stereotypes define me, I could have let the stigmas tell me I can't do more. I'm not really supposed to be having this conversation with you right? But because I got lucky and I am - I hope that at Tender we can continue to change the narratives around single motherhood and poverty. Some women decide to become single moms, some women lose partners, and sometimes relationships just don't work out - there's no shame in these things. There's no shame in living paycheck to paycheck. These things are not individual failures. Stephanie Tharpe: The Tender Foundation provides not just financial relief but also a sense of community for single mothers. Can you speak to the importance of both economic support and emotional solidarity in helping mothers navigate systemic challenges? Jaycina Almond: Community is so important - just knowing you're not alone in something is enough to keep you going. But, also community can look like tangible support: providing things like diapers or cash in your hands every month. You can be there emotionally for somebody but if they don't have access to the basic human needs we all deserve to live flourishing lives like a place to call home or food in the fridge, emotional support can only go so far. We believe direct assistance and connection go hand in hand if we want to make a lasting impact in our families' lives. Stephanie Tharpe: What are some of the most pressing issues you've seen Black single mothers face, and how does The Tender Foundation address these gaps in support? Jaycina Almond: I struggle with questions like this honestly, I never want to speak for our mamas. I think there are some more conceptual things Black single mothers face - like the "welfare queen" trope and the stigmas we face that try to tell us we are irresponsible, promiscuous, or negligent parents. There are also more physical challenges that come with being the only breadwinner for your family. Housing costs skyrocketing, being just one unexpected bill or emergency away from financial ruin, maintaining reliable transportation, childcare costs ending up as 20-30% of your income, things of that nature. Especially in a city like Atlanta where there's a lack of affordable housing and the historically Black neighborhoods, that a majority of our mamas live in, have been under-resourced. There's always more I wish we were doing but currently at Tender, we're building a safety net for single mothers living on the margins here in Atlanta so that they can invest in what they need from housing to keeping the fridge stocked and everything in between. We offer emergency bill pay assistance with rent, utilities, and childcare costs, we operate a Diaper Bank where all families can get diapers, wipes, and formula for free, and we also run a guaranteed income program called The Bridge where our mamas receive monthly cash payments for a full year - no strings attached. We truly do believe in trust-based solutions that are rooted in dignity. Stephanie Tharpe: With adidas making a donation to your foundation, what new opportunities or expansions will this funding allow for? Are there any specific programs or initiatives you're excited to introduce? Jaycina Almond: As a grassroots organization, our partnership with Adidas of course allows us to reach more mamas with direct assistance but it also gives us the space to dream about what's next, to be flexible and adapt to our mamas' needs, and to try new initiatives out. With Adidas's help, we'll be doing an inaugural event for our families that will combine physical activity, advocacy, and community building into one day. We're still in the R&D phase but extremely excited! We also will be launching the second cohort of our direct cash transfer program, The Bridge. Single moms will receive monthly cash payments for a full year with no strings attached. Jaycina Almond Founder of Tender Foundation Stephanie Tharpe: Being recognized as an adidas HBE Honoree is a major milestone. What does this acknowledgment mean to you personally and to the broader mission of The Tender Foundation? Jaycina Almond: Receiving such recognition on such a large scale is so surreal! When you are in the thick of it, there's always more you feel like you could be and should be doing. I want to make sure all our families stay housed, everybody has enough for groceries this month, etc. There's always more we want to do but only so many dollars in the bank to do it with. Receiving this honor not only allows us to reach more mamas with direct assistance and it also helps raise awareness to destigmatize poverty and single motherhood. Also, being named one of adidas HBE Honorees made me take time to reflect on everything we've been able to accomplish and how my community, and village are the folks who made it possible for me to be where I am today. Stephanie Tharpe: The upcoming short-form film on your journey aims to redefine Black motherhood and challenge stereotypes. How do you see this film influencing the broader cultural conversation around Black motherhood and the support systems that need to be in place? Jaycina Almond: I hope the film can be a conversation starter or the catalyst for someone to interrogate their beliefs about Black motherhood. Storytelling plays such a powerful role in shifting perspective and I think this film reflects the heart of community, creativity, and care that's at the core of both Tender and the HBE initiative. I just hope that whoever watches it feels something — whether it inspires them to take action, learn more, or simply check in on a mom friend. Even small actions can be part of building a more supportive and understanding community. Stephanie Tharpe: Beyond financial support, how do you envision corporate partnerships evolving to create sustainable, long-term change for Black mothers? What more can brands like Adidas do to move from momentary gestures to systemic impact? Jaycina Almond: Non-profits aren't sustainable on their own — we rely on our supporters to choose us, year after year. One of the most impactful things a for-profit company can do is offer financial support and visibility to grassroots organizations so we can focus on our mission. That's why partnerships like the one we have with adidas through HBE are so meaningful — their support has been both financial and deeply rooted in driving awareness. Long-term change needs to happen at a structural level, and that requires community building and public engagement so we can collectively advocate for solutions that work. For example, we run a guaranteed income program at Tender — something that was once seen as unconventional but has now started gaining traction across the country. These programs have been shown to be more cost-effective and more efficient than many existing social services. Thanks to our corporate partners, we've been able to launch our own initiative where mamas receive direct monthly payments for a full year, no strings attached. We're contributing our findings to the growing national conversation around guaranteed income, with the hope that these programs become a widely available solution for those who need it most. Stephanie Tharpe: As a mother, model, writer, and founder, you embody multiple identities. What's next for you and The Tender Foundation? Jaycina Almond: We would love to add a mobile Diaper Pantry to our programming within the next couple of years. We currently operate a Diaper Bank and deliver diapers, wipes, and formula to families across the metro Atlanta area for free but there are many families we cannot reach because we rely on volunteer drivers and families don't always have reliable transportation to come pick up. Having a truck of our own, stocked with diapering supplies, and being able to hire a driver is a major goal! Otherwise, the ability to respond to what our families indicate they need, advocate for our mamas, and continue building and sharing a culture of community care is always our north star. Personally, I'm just open to exploring everything that excites me! I love when I get the chance to blend all of my passions together. Adidas's HBE initiative is a prime example of how corporations have a social responsibility to its consumers. Partnerships between global corporations like Adidas and change makers like Jaycina Almond show that intentional allyship leads to major impact and quantifiable systematic change.
