For Black History Month, Foot Locker has announced the recipients of its 2022 Sole List. The second annual list honors Black photographers whose work showcases authentic images of Black life to ensure more equitable representation of our communities. Inductees Andy Jackson, Flo Ngala, and Joshua Renfroe have been recognized for their positive and inspiring impact in breaking down barriers and reshaping what Blackness looks like.
For the Sole List campaign, each photographer did a photo shoot. Jackson, a Delaware native who is now based in New York City, showcased the beauty of Black images highlighting how diverse our lives are. “There are so many different facets of Black culture, so no one is the same," he said. "That’s been really important to showcase, as well as bring it to a new audience I may haven't been able to reach yet.”
Focusing on Black culture and identity, Ngala calls her style "Flow on the Wall." The Harlem native has photographed notables such as Stacey Abrams and Letitia Wright, and her work has appeared in Garage magazine, The New York Times, and Nike campaigns. For the campaign, she captured the stirring movements of an Alvin Ailey dance performance in a way that calls to mind the work of legendary 1980s street style photographer Jamel Shabazz. “As the image maker, the importance of sharing Black people in their truth stems especially from the fact that history has altered and underrepresented Black stories for so long,” she said.
For his part, Renfroe, who hails from Tuskegee, Alabama, challenges the status quo with his raw and vivid images. "My responsibility to Black culture as a photographer is to continuously create exciting work that tells our stories through an authentic and a passionate lens,” said the self-taught shutterbug who is now based in New York City. His Sole List photo shoot is reminiscent of the work displayed in his critically acclaimed photography book, Black Boy Fly.
Each photographer also snapped images highlighting items by Black-owned brands from Footlocker’s Home Grown program. In 2019, the company launched it as a platform to discover and support the best streetwear designers in communities across the nation, including Bad Girl, Good Human, Broke and Board, Moneyball Sportswear, Diadora x Jim Twice, Humbl Hustlr, Grady Baby, Y.A.N.G. (Young and Naturally Grinding), S.O.O.N. (Something Out of Nothing), and KIY Studios.
In February, Footlocker will showcase the photographers' campaign photos.
