The city of Atlanta has long been the “Mecca” of Black American enterprise and culture. Major corporations across various industries, such as The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines, call the city home and invest millions into the local culture and economy. Adidas and creative visionaries Rog & Bee Walker of Paper Monday brought together Black cultural leaders, artists, athletes, and community voices for Honoring Black Excellence (HBE): An Experience Curated by Rog & Bee Walker—a bold and immersive capstone activation at Guardian Works.
This immersive event is more than just a fleeting corporate marketing campaign for the global sportswear giant; it is an investment into Black voices, community, and historical reverence. Walking into the Guardian, attendees immediately notice Rog & Bee Walker’s intent to transform the space into a living narrative. Combining the aesthetics of a gallery with audiovisual, live performances and archival elements. The journey began with a short film shown in an intimate white room, bringing complete focus and attention to the powerful stories of the HBE honorees. From there, attendees naturally flowed into an open-concept space where small interactive installations representing the story of each honoree could be seen and experienced.
Launched in 2019, the HBE initiative has transformed from a one-time event to adidas’s dedicated platform to celebrate Black leaders who are shaping culture and driving change nationally. This year honors a trio of Black creatives that represent a new generation of entrepreneurs focused on community and legacy.
The Enduring Legacy of The Gee’s Bend Quilters
To fully comprehend the gravity of this moment, one must travel to the small community of Gee’s Bend, Alabama also known as “Boykin”. This isolated community nestled within a bend of the Alabama River, was established by enslaved people brought by the Gee family in the 19th century. Similar to the Geechee people of the Carolinas, the women of Gee’s Bend are internationally known for their quilt-making. For generations, these women have transformed scraps of common fabrics into works of art. Initially a necessity for Black families post-slavery- these quilts became symbols of resilience, ingenuity, and abstract artistic masterpieces.
Adidas’s inclusion of The Gee’s Bend Quilters in the HBE initiative acknowledges their artistic, historical, and economic impact. With this collaboration, adidas is introducing the Gee’s Bend culture to new audiences worldwide. Proving that the intricate and abstract quilts of Gee’s Bend aren’t just a relic of the past but a tradition that is living in the present and inspiring the future.
The New Faces of Community-Driven Entrepreneurship: Jaycina Almond and Sekou Thornel
While Gee’s Bend represents the deep-seated roots of Black culture Jaycina Almond and Sekou Thornell represent the growing branches of that Black culture tree. Almond, is a model who used her visibility and platform to launch The Tender Foundation, a non-profit that provides a safety net for single mothers in Atlanta. 39.8% of the city’s households are headed by single mothers, who make only 52% of what single fathers earn. Jaycina is an example of how one individual can change the lives of those around her. She has actively changed her title from model to role model.
Thornell is making space in the sports world with Kitboys Club by challenging traditional narratives in the new and growing American soccer ethos. He’s reimagining the aesthetics of the sport by weaving Atlanta’s vibrant and unique urban culture into the very fabric of the sport. Kitboys Club is proving to represent more than just an athletics clothing line, but a blueprint on how to make soccer more accessible and culturally relevant to underrepresented faces of the game.
Together Almond and Thornel represent the intersection of authenticity and innovation leading to their well-deserved recognition.
The Art of Authentic Storytelling
Centering this celebration of Black excellence is Rog & Bee Walker. Adidas has entrusted this creative duo with bringing the legacy and impact of the three honorees to life. These multidisciplinary artists are notable for their ability to authentically capture the Black American experience in all of its many facets and complexities by blending visual production, web development, and creative storytelling. Using The HBE capstone event as a medium the Walkers have given a masterclass on authentic engagement and celebration. Trusting Rog & Bee shows that adidas is willing to go beyond the normal corporate playbook. It was obvious that the global brand wanted to craft an event that was more than just branding, but an experience grounded in connection, dialogue, and investments into the Black creative ecosystem.
Generating €23.7 ($27.8) billion in sales in 2024, adidas’s commitment to continuing The HBE capstone shows that the company understands its responsibility to not just provide a platform but to listen and put its money where it will have maximum impact.
This year’s Honoring Black Excellence experience in Atlanta was one to remember and more than a capstone event. It was the collision of past and present, the new and traditional and corporate and cultural interests.