The Black Footwear Forum (BFF) will convene once again this year at the Pensole Lewis College in Detroit.
The forum, which addresses and analyzes diversity issues in the footwear field, will feature a gathering of industry leaders and executives on Sept. 21-24, 2023. The annual event was created in partnership with the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (Michigan’s first and only HBCU focused on design) and the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA).
The theme of the event this year, “Culture is Currency,” will guide the forum’s sessions and speakers. Corporate partners for the event include Adidas, Amazon Music, Bacardi, The Athlete’s Foot, Caleres, Designer Brands, Nike, Puma, Rack Room Shoes, RG Barry Brands and Wolverine Worldwide.
“This year we are looking to continue to elevate the BFF community so they know knowledge is our currency and we are the culture of this industry,” said Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design president Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, who added that the forum last year brought together more than 400 leading Black creatives and industry professionals.
This year, the BFF also launched a new podcast, “Blacklights,” which discusses diversity and the accomplishments of Black leaders in the industry. The podcast launched in March and is hosted by Dion Walcott, Pensole’s director of partnerships and engagement, and LaShae Boone-McCray, director of strategic accounts for footwear manufacturer RG Barry.
The Black Footwear Forum first convened in February 2019. Since then, the forum has held an annual meeting, where industry leaders and supporters hold open conversations about the Black experience in the context of the footwear industry and work together to find solutions.
In February 2022, the forum announced the formation of an advisory board that will guide strategies for community engagement, education, networking, events, and regional BFF chapters. The board added Darius Billings, VP of marketing and outreach for The Athlete’s Foot; and April Dinwoodie, DEIB lead at Steve Madden, to a roster that also includes executives from Converse, Reebok, Puma, FDRA and Target.
“We are incredibly excited about the National Black Footwear Forum 2023,” said FDRA president and CEO Matt Priest. “This year’s forum will celebrate the achievements of black professionals, entrepreneurs, and designers while providing a supportive platform for collaboration and growth. We believe that by coming together, we can build a stronger, more diverse, and inclusive footwear industry for the future.”
