Hometown Heroes // Nike and Black Arrow

PROJECT OVERIVIEW

Nike and Black Arrow join forces to spotlight hometown heroes who rep for the culture and their city, and are committed to using their talents to grow the game in America on and off the pitch.  This 3-part video series showcases the diversity within black culture on and off the pitch and the limitless talents we have at our disposal to grow the game in America. 

Our first drop is in Baltimore and the D.M.V. area, home to one of the most talented Black soccer communities in the country, one that has been overlooked for far too long.

We then tap in with Teo Hunter of Crowns and Hops, in the iconic Black city of Inglewood, CA, out on the West Coast

We close out in Paterson, NJ, with WNBA ALL-STAR Essence Carson 

Against the Grain to Grow the Game in Baltimore

TY HALL IS A PLAYER, TRAINER, AND NOW COACH FROM BALTIMORE WHO IS DOING EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO PLAY HIS ROLE IN GROWING THE GAME IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHILE NOURISHING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOCCER PLAYERS ON THE PITCH. THE D.M.V. AREA, AND ESPECIALLY BALTIMORE, ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BUT ARE HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED BLACK SOCCER COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY AND TY AIMS TO PUT HIS HOME ON THE MAP.

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Proud Black American: A Military Veteran's Unorthodox Path to Loving Soccer

FOR MANY AMERICANS, THE JOURNEY TO BECOMING A SOCCER FAN CAN BE UNORTHODOX. TEO HUNTER OF CROWN AND HOPS THRIVES IN THE UNORTHODOX. FROM BEING IN THE MILITARY, TO FOUNDING A BLACK-OWNED CRAFT BEER COMPANY, HE ALWAYS WENT AGAINST THE GRAIN TO FORGE HIS OWN PATH, AND FINDING HIS LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL GAME WAS NO DIFFERENT. HE’S A PROUD BLACK AMERICAN REPPING FOR THE USMNT ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE. NIKE AND BLACK ARROW JOIN FORCES TO SPOTLIGHT HOMETOWN HEROES WHO REP FOR THE CULTURE AND THEIR CITY, AND ARE COMMITTED TO USING THEIR TALENTS TO GROW THE GAME IN AMERICA ON AND OFF THE PITCH. THIS 3-PART VIDEO SERIES SHOWCASES THE DIVERSITY WITHIN BLACK CULTURE ON AND OFF THE PITCH AND THE LIMITLESS TALENTS WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO GROW THE GAME IN AMERICA.

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“YOU CAN HAVE BARS AND GET BUCKETS” Essence Carson, WNBA All-Star and Musician

GROWING UP IN PATTERSON, NJ, ESSENCE LEARNED TO EMBRACE HER OWN DIVERSITY FROM AN EARLY AGE, AND THAT’S SOMETHING SHE’S CARRIED THROUGHOUT HER LIFE - FROM BEING A WNBA ALL-STAR TO REPRESENTING HER COUNTRY ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE, AND EVEN NOW, AS SHE FOLLOWS HER PASSION FOR MUSIC. #TEAMNIKE NIKE AND BLACK ARROW JOIN FORCES TO SPOTLIGHT HOMETOWN HEROES WHO REP FOR THE CULTURE AND THEIR CITY, AND ARE COMMITTED TO USING THEIR TALENTS TO GROW THE GAME IN AMERICA ON AND OFF THE PITCH. THIS 3-PART VIDEO SERIES SHOWCASES THE DIVERSITY WITHIN BLACK CULTURE ON AND OFF THE PITCH AND THE LIMITLESS TALENTS WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO GROW THE GAME IN AMERICA.

WATCH