Homecoming at an HBCU is not your typical tailgate. It's a time where students, alumni and everyone in between come together to celebrate community, fellowship and pride in their illustrious institution. Nike has decided to take that pride a step further with their HBCU Yardrunners campaign. Created in 2020 by Nike HBCU alumni, the campaign's purpose is to celebrate the rich heritage, history, and contributions of HBCUs and their alumni. This year is no different. The 2022 Yardrunner's class consists of 8 HBCU alumni who are changing the game in their respective fields. Cheddar sat down with one of the class members, Heather Haynes, award-winning video producer and global marketing manager, to discuss.

Cheddar's News Wrap

Heather Haynes and Nike Create HBCU-Inspired Sneaker

switching gears homecoming at HBCU is not your typical tailgate, it's a time where students, alumni and everyone in between come together to celebrate community fellowship and pride in their illustrious institutions. Nike has decided to take that a step further with their Hbcu Yard Runner's campaign created in 2020 by Nike Hbcu alumni. The campaign's purpose is to celebrate the rich heritage, history and contributions of HB the U. S. And their alumni and this year is no different. The 2022 yard runners class consists of eight HbCU alumni who are changing the game in their respective fields and today we are joined by one of the honorees. She's an award winning video producer and global marketing manager Heather Hayes. Well, heather, let's start so much. Thank you so much for being with us and let's talk about Nike's Hbcu Yard Runner's campaign, can you tell us a little bit more about it? Yeah, thank you for having me, just to piggyback off your beautiful intro. Um Nike Yard Runners was created in 2022 like you mentioned by two Hbcu alum who happened to be my friends, Rich Lorenzi, It was also during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement and basically they challenged Nike to um give back to H. B. C. U. S and partner with Hbcu alumni and trailblazers to create inspirational storytelling and philanthropy with in florida community. Now you were chosen as one of the eight honorees for this year's campaign. So he tell us a little bit about that process and did Nike personally hand pick you all. Yes. Well actually I've been with the yard runners program since 2020 as well and the campaign just evolves year over year. So this is actually year three of the campaign and we were all hand selected because each person has featured in the yard run. This campaign is a Trailblazer in their own right now. Not only are you one of this year's honorees, but you were able to design a sneaker with the company? I'm a huge fan. I'm actually wearing Air Force ones right now. So can you tell us a little bit of some detail about the sneaker that you designed though? Yeah, shout out to Air Force one is the 40th anniversary of Air Force one. So that's a big deal for Nike as well. But my issue is the Clark Atlanta University don't low that I designed here. It was really um super amazing to have an opportunity to design my own sneaker. The big biggest call out I would say about the design is that it's two different inverse colors because its meaning behind it dedicated to my hbcu this one is the Atlanta University sneaker. This is the clark College sneaker and combined, they make the Clark Atlanta University don't clo that's amazing and it's so cool that you got to design your own shoe now that your first Nike shoe design is experiencing so much success. Do you see yourself as a future. Nike shoe designer or maybe going to fashion design in general. Absolutely. I am manifesting all of the things to my life. So I am hoping that this is one of many. For sure. Everyone has been asking me what silhouette, what I like to design next and it's actually the Jordan four. So hopefully that'll be my next design. In addition to designing my own merch for instance, I have on a Nike um parking land a hoodie, but I already cropped it to make it a crop hoodie. So design is definitely a part of my future. And now your alma mater Clark Atlanta University, which you explained that's the colors on the shoe. They have also honored you with the 40 under 40 young alumni achievement Awards. So you've made so many strides in your career already. What was it like to be honored by your former school? It was amazing that it's all happening at once. You know, everyone's telling me that 2022 is my year. I got married. This year I moved to L. A. This year for a new job and now clark Atlanta honored me and 40 and 40 on top of designing my own shoe. So it was a really humbling experience. Honestly, to go back to the school that instilled so much of me and made me who I am today and also to hang with the other honorees and get to know them and network with them. Was really the biggest take away from me now. Every year, the yard runner's campaign. It falls in line with homecoming season. I mentioned it earlier. But can you give us a little bit more insight to the significance of homecoming at an hbcu yes homecoming? If you haven't been to homecoming at an hbcu please make your way to one. It is an experience that it's hard to even describe. But it's it's this it's joyous to see so many black people together having fun. You know. Um To me that's the biggest takeaway catching up with classmates you haven't seen in years. Seeing the kids, seeing the legacy continues at homecoming is truly a remarkable experience and also it's kind of like a competition amongst species H. B. C. U. S. On who has the best homecoming but without a doubt it's clark Atlanta University. Okay so homecoming was a blast and this year it was so crazy because I have a sneaker. So seeing everyone in the sneaker at homecoming was an unreal experience. Now what is one piece of advice that you would give other creatives out there across fashion and entertainment advice? I would give? I would say just trust your intuition and always be true to yourself. Like don't listen to naysayers believe in yourself and you can definitely achieve it. Um Always listen to myself and just believe that it can happen and it does. So that's my advice. Stay true to who you are. Well thanks so much for joining us. Thanks to award winning video producer and global marketer heather hates.