Nike will once again pay homage to HBCUs across the country through its Yardrunners program. This year, the Swoosh has tapped Kahlana Barfield Brown and Dex Robinson, from the inaugural Yardrunners class, to create the new Air Force 1 styles pictured here. The versions pay homage to Brown and Robinson's respective alma maters with Howard University and Virginia Union University-inspired Air Force 1 Lows.
Brown's pair dons a white and brown color scheme as a nod to all the HBCUs and their students, while the red accents represent Howard. For Robinson, he gave the shoe a premium pony hair upper as a nod to the school's panther mascot combined with VUU charms on the shoelaces.
"These aren’t just sneakers—they’re a love letter to every Black student who’s ever walked The Yard," Brown said. "From the deep brown hues of our melanin to the echoes of our heritage, this design carries the soul of our HBCUs. It’s a tribute to the generations who built our legacy brick by brick, the history that grounds us, and the excellence we carry into the world."
This set of the Yardrunners Air Force 1s will be released today, Dec. 18, at select Nike retailers for $120 each. The sneakers will then drop on Dec. 20 via SNKRS.
