The Black Footwear Forum kicked off in Detroit on Thursday with a ribbon cutting at the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC). As part of its unveiling, the new school revealed the Pepsi x Frito Lay Relax and Refresh Lounge, which is dedicated to Kevin Carroll, a Nike veteran turned author and motivational speaker.
The space was designed by Angel Buckens and Rodney Banks, who are students of PLC, and features a mural titled “Sunflower” by Josiah Sims. “This project was a whole home improvement show,” Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, founder of PLC, said with a laugh.
After a walkthrough of the space, Edwards and Carroll were joined on couches in the center of the room for a conversation with NBA star Russell Westbrook. Buckens and Banks also participated in the talk.
“I just know that this space is going to provide so much energy, so much imagination, so much creativity, and to know that it started from you all and was supported by others, how could it not win? There’s no way it won’t,” Carroll said.
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Carroll revealed how he and Edwards, along with other colleagues, became close during their days at Nike. And the group continued to meet regularly, even after member exited the company. The group was aptly named LAN, Life After Nike.
Carroll recalled, “I left in 2004 and I modeled for you all what was possible. There was this idea of, if I can see it and it looks like me or has a story like me, then it’s possible for me.”
He continued, “I’m from Philly and we have this saying: ‘Get on, put on.’ If you get on something, you got to put somebody else on. I got out, but my intention was to open up doors for you all, to model for you and to be your cheat code, your unlock.”
One of the moments of Carroll’s career that was the most inspiring to his peers is when he pursued having his book published, titled “Rules of the Red Rubber Ball.” This particular book, one of several that Carroll has penned, reveals steps on how to achieve maximum human potential via passion and creativity. He said the project was rejected by every publisher, so he self-published it. The book then was discovered by ESPN, who published it and helped it get in front of the masses.
“When you have an idea, you have to have the courage — and it’s scary — to put it out there, because others will judge it,” Carroll said.
Edwards also shared something deeply personal with attendees, an email he sent to Carroll in 2006, one where he shared his plans to leave his role as footwear design director at Jordan Brand and enter a new phase of his career. He sent the email after reading Carroll’s aforementioned book and being encouraged to bet on himself.
“This was 2006, I told you I was leaving Jordan and I want to create a school, and I told you I wanted to name that school [Pensole]. Your book gave me the courage to do that, gave me the courage to actually dream. And we’re here. So this had to be your space,” Edwards said.
Always one to offer words of wisdom, Carroll shared a motivational quote with everyone in attendance: “Work for a cause, not for applause. Life live to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to get your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.”
He also offered a message for anyone in a position to help today’s youth.
“Support young people like Rodney and Angel,” Carroll said. “They just need someone to give them an opportunity. Just get out of their way and marvel at what they make because they’re brilliant with their magic.”
After listening to Edwards and Carroll, Westbrook — who founded the fashion label Honor the Gift and launched his own school, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in Los Angeles — admitted their conversation had inspired him.
“Just hearing from you two, I understand how important it is to impact and inspire,” Westbrook said. “You guys have done things for years for people like myself to have an opportunity to step outside the box.”
He continued, “I believe that regardless of what the circumstances may be or what they may entail that you can do anything that you put your mind to. I know it’s a cliche statement, but I truly believe that from hearing you talk.”
