When Janee’ Kassanavoid first picked up the hammer throw eight years ago, honing her craft through intense training and focus, she had no idea how far it would take her. This summer, she became the first Indigenous woman to medal at the World Track & Field Championships, a victory that not only showed how far she had come in her practice but revealed the determination she’d inherited from her family and ancestors. The win also inspired Janee’ to reconnect with her Comanche heritage, in the hopes of inspiring other young women and Native American athletes.
Today, Janee’ is featured in Nike’s latest N7 campaign, which celebrates the connection that Indigenous athletes, creators and cultural game-changers have to the land. The track and field star appears alongside Piʻikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekauʻōnohi Lopes, the holder of the 2022 Miss Aloha Hula title crown, who won the annual competition while working towards a master’s degree in Hawaiian language and training as a powerlifter on the side, all the while keeping her sights on showcasing her heritage and her home of Hawaii. Piʻikea sees herself as a “land defender and a language warrior”, standing up for her ancestors and paving the way for the future. “I didn’t win this title for me. I won it for all of us,” she says. “I’m not the one with the title. It’s my people who hold the title.”
Janee’ and Piʻikea are seen in white performance crop tops, classic camo cuffed pants, brushed fleece logo hoodies and classic Air Max 95s with an N7 twist: a tongue top pouch and a sherpa collar for the cold winter weather ahead. The graphics — squash-inspired prints, leaf and vine motifs — and earth tones throughout the collection reference Indigenous agriculture. They also reflect a cornerstone of Janee’, Pi’ikea and Nike’s practice: the harmony that can be found through grounding and connecting with the land.
“The ‘N’ stands for Native, or Nike, and the ‘7’ reflects a belief we have as Native people that in every deliberation, we must consider the impact we have on seven generations,” says Sam McCracken, the general manager and visionary behind Nike N7, and a member of the Sioux and Assiniboine tribes in northeastern Montana on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation. Since joining Nike in 1997, inspired by his work with his own local community, Sam helped create the N7 fund, which has now awarded more than $8 million in grants to over 270 communities and organisations, reaching more than 500,000 youth through 25 different collections to date.
By sharing stories like Janee’ and Piʻikea’s through their campaigns, Nike N7 aims to uplift Indigenous folks by showcasing their connections to the families, tribes and communities they represent on the field, the stage and the world. Nike is supporting local communities directly by investing in programs that encourage folks to be active, lead healthier lives, but also helping Indigenous youth to feel seen. “We want those kids to go from the margins to the mainstream,” Sam says. “N7 is a beacon of hope for the next generation. Whether it’s the product, the philanthropic efforts, the storytelling, it’s a beacon of hope to know that this brand is there for them and their community.”
The latest Nike N7 drop will hit stores and the website mid-January. Learn more about the N7 Fund here and preview some of the pieces in the collection below.
Credits
All photos courtesy of Nike N7