Just in time for the playoffs – and Our Heritage Month – Adidas is releasing a special edition baseball cleat. Harold Arandia Jr. and Julio Aleman drew inspiration for this unique footwear from their love for the game and, of course, their heritage. Though it’s impossible to showcase all Latin America in one cleat, the designers strived to capture its diversity and cultures with a custom tapestry background and hand-painted flowers that represent Latin American countries.
Arandia Jr, a Bolivian-American, shared that “This project has always been a celebration of dreams. Celebrating the different cultures within the Latine community through tapestry details and hand-painted country flowers on a cleat worn by players who dreamed of the big leagues since they were kids. Celebrating my parents who independently came with a dream from Bolivia, met in the USA, and whose hard work and sacrifice paved the way for my creative dreams to come to life.”
He also discusses his hopes for what a project like this can do for his community. “My hope is that other kids, especially within the Latinx community, see someone similar to them, and it plants a seed of hope and possibilities as to what they can achieve,” he adds. “I want them to plant their dreams in their minds so that they may grow into reality. ‘Hoy semillas, manana flores’ because today’s seeds will become tomorrow’s flowers.”
Aleman shared similar sentiments for this project. “It’s an honor to have a hand on this project. Not just because it’s an incredible product but because of the story behind it, the story of Latinxs in baseball, of our heritage, the beauty in our diversity, and how sport connects us all,” he added. “Our stories don’t always get told in the mainstream, especially in sports, and this project has been an incredible opportunity to amplify our people, nuestra gente Latinx, and do so with a badass baseball cleat.”
The special-edition baseball cleats are now available for sale.
