Sneaker Industry Vet Is Helping Youth of Color Break Into the Business

Working in the sneaker industry is a dream of many, but Black and Brown youth have it especially hard when it comes to breaking into the business. One Nike employee is doing his part to change that by sharing insight and motivation through his podcast, “Claima Stories with Bimma.”

Hosted by Bimma Williams, a nearly 10-year industry veteran who works in Global Entertainment Marketing for Nike and has also held positions at Adidas and Saucony, the podcast has just wrapped up its first season. Spanning 24 episodes, the series sees Williams talk to Black and Brown peers in positions including footwear and apparel design, marketing, merchandising, and product creation, offering invaluable insight into the business.

“Due to systemic racism, Black and Brown youth do not grow up with early exposure to career opportunities at top sneaker brands. Therefore, they are unaware of how to take their passion for collecting sneakers to creating the next classics,” Bimma said in a press release.

With backing from marketing specialist BJ Frogozo, who’s worked at companies including Interscope Records, “Claima Stories with Bimma” is set to launch Season 2 in early 2021. In the meantime, readers can catch up on what they missed at claimastories.com and check out a preview below.