Header: Mathew Drazic, The Third Place
AGENCY Footwear has just been named the Global Footwear Awards (GFA) Brand of the Year, a deserved recognition as their focus lies on creating products tied to fighting for what’s right. The brand’s latest sneaker, the AGENCY Guardian, is, perhaps, the piece that better shows this commitment. The shoe is made with materials like plant-based foam, vegan corn-based leather, and recycled textiles. It also includes a mid-foot strap for better fit and a sole designed for stability and comfort. But the shoes aren’t just about aesthetics, functionality, or sustainability, as they’re designed with a bigger purpose in mind.
At the heart of this release is a collaboration with The Gathering for Justice, a nonprofit founded in 2005 by Harry Belafonte. This organization was created in response to systemic failures, including a moment when a five-year-old Black girl was handcuffed in her classroom for misbehaving and the broader pattern of racial disparities in school discipline that fed into the school-to-prison pipeline.
Since then, The Gathering for Justice has focused on criminal justice reform, police accountability, and advancing civil rights, working to unite communities through their multidisciplinary projects. AGENCY Footwear also decided that enough is enough, so all proceeds from the sale of every Guardian sneaker will go directly to supporting these efforts, hoping to create a better world for our children.
For Mathew Drazic, AGENCY Footwear’s founder, this partnership couldn’t be better for the brand’s goals. After years of designing for large footwear brands, Drazic shifted his focus to creating products that align with the values of those working for change.
“As an emerging brand based on social and environmental justice, we’re honoured and excited to partner with The Gathering to launch our sneakers. The Gathering’s long-standing advocacy for racial justice and building collective power is inspiring and corresponds directly with AGENCY’s mission.”
Mathew Drazic, Founder and Creative Director of AGENCY Footwear.
The Gathering for Justice brings years of work of policy advocacy to this collaboration, having been able to blend its mission with AGENCY’s goal of rethinking the role businesses have in our world. Both brands show that even something as ordinary as a sneaker can remind people that small choices are connected to bigger movements; we can only hope that more brands follow in these footsteps and that many meaningful partnerships are set to be formed.
“It’s always exciting—and a real honour—when a company decides to invest its time and talent with us and to collaborate in a meaningful way like AGENCY has.”
Carmen Perez-Jordan, President and CEO of The Gathering for Justice
