lifestyle, photography, fashionKia MarieMarch 22, 2021flojo, visionary society, flojo forever, thenotoriouskia

FLOJO FOREVER

lifestyle, photography, fashionKia MarieMarch 22, 2021flojo, visionary society, flojo forever, thenotoriouskia

Close-up as American athlete Florence Griffith Joyner displays her_.jpeg

For nearly twelve years of my life, track was my life. I can remember the feeling of nervousness the night before a meet, waking up at 6AM to get ready for an all day meet, & the anxiety that came along with waiting for your event to start. Sitting in the blocks, heart about to beat out of your chest. That last 100m in the 400m where you feel like your legs are jello. I can smell the grass, turf, smelly spikes and blue Powerade as I type this. Track taught me discipline, how to build a healthy appetite for competing, the importance of team work & how imperative it is to hold yourself accountable. My first introduction to mind over matter - where mental shape is just as important as physical shape. I attribute so much of my life and success to those moments on the track. It taught me to go after what i want no matter how tough the race. To stay in my lane with my eye on the prize, and to keep my head up and push through.

It’s with an enormous amount of gratitude & excitement that I announce my collaboration with Visionary Society! This collaboration was designed to express my love & admiration for the G.O.A.T, fashion & track icon - Florence ‘FloJo’ Griffith Joyner. In honor of FloJo’s World Record for the 100m (10.49), we released the FloJo Forever t-shirt at 10:49am on March 17, 2021. This was my first official clothing release that I created in partnership with a brand. When thinking of a person to honor, FloJo was the first to come to mind. She represents so much that I value - strength, ambition, excellence. On & off the field, her ability to blow away the competition was unmatched. She moved with intention, competed fearlessly, & broke world records while doing so. That energy surrounded me during the process of this release & reinforced a quote of hers that speaks to me the most: “I believe in the impossible because no one else does and that gives me an excellent chance at accomplishing it!”

Research is a huge part of my process; my intention is to always speak from an educated place. It’s also important for my storytelling that I speak from a personal perspective. The more I learned the more I’m aligned. When researching FloJo for this campaign I ran into a few facts about her life and career that exemplify how multi-faceted she was. I’ll call these #FloFacts 🐐

She was a licensed cosmetologist. She did her own nails and hair.

She was also a designer. She designed her own track uniforms and designed the Indiana Pacers jerseys from the 90-97 seasons

She still holds the World Record in both the 100m & 200m races

Black Power _ A Celebration of Black History Month through Photographs of Athletes.jpeg

There’s no denying FloJo’s athleticism but her cultural impact extended past the track. She pushed boundaries, refused to conform, and carved out her own lane - setting an example for generations of women to come. And with that being said, Happy Women’s History Month! I am grateful to be in a position to honor someone so impactful. I hope this project inspires you like it did me to reflect on those pivotal years in our childhoods that really shaped us. Reflect on how those experiences mold our ideals and standards as we continue to grow. Tap into that. Nostalgia can be a helpful tool in your journey. Use it to reignite that flame. I always say, I’m my first inspiration. My journey, seeing how far I’ve come, how far I’ve grown inspires me. Like Drake said, “The proof is in the progress,” and I couldn’t agree more.

To all the female athletes, past and present. Keep pushing the bounds and striving for excellence. To the Black women athletes that inspired me greatly by showing me the possibilities like FloJo, Serena Williams, & Sheryl Swoopes, thank you. Their dominance made me feel like I could accomplish anything. To the Black girls where sports was/is our outlet, this is for us!I