On June 24, adidas will open the doors to its Honoring Black Excellence (HBE): An Experience Curated by Rog & Bee Walker—a bold and immersive celebration of Black culture, legacy, and creative expression. The visionary duo behind Paper Monday, Rog & Bee Walker, bring their distinct lens to this powerful moment, which will unfold in the heart of Atlanta as the culminating event of adidas’ 2025 HBE initiative.
Launched in 2019, Honoring Black Excellence is adidas’ platform for celebrating Black leaders shaping culture and driving change. Through storytelling, giveback programs, and community activations, the initiative elevates voices that inspire the next generation of athletes and creatives. HBE: An Experience Curated by Rog & Bee Walker is a direct extension of this mission—spotlighting the 2025 Honorees through film, photography, archival artifacts, live performances, and interactive workshops.
Centered on the theme of “Pathways & Pipelines,” it is a visual exploration of Black Excellence in practice. It guides observers through passageways showcasing narratives and themes highlighting the Black experience. As part of the adidas Honoring Black Excellence initiative, the project is an offering to the culture not just of faces but as symbols of prosperity, representation, and resilience; a portrait of excellence. Each portal honors individuals that are architects of community, dreams, and hope. Told through the lens of our Honorees—Sekou Thornell, Jaycina Almond, and Gee’s Bend Quilters—this experience embodies belonging and facilitates gathering around universal themes that define what it means to create pathways for one’s community.
In celebration of the upcoming experience, adidas and Rog & Bee are debuting the official Hero Film today—a cinematic culmination of their year-long collaboration that weaves together each Honoree’s story into a powerful visual love letter to Black creativity, resilience, and legacy.
“With this experience, we wanted to create something that doesn’t just honor Black excellence—it embodies it. These stories aren’t told through a distant lens; they’re lived, felt, and remembered. From the quilted legacies of Gee’s Bend to the visionary futures Sekou and Jaycina are building in Atlanta, this exhibition is about tracing the lines between past, present, and possibility. We hope it invites people to witness, reflect, and ultimately feel connected to something greater than themselves.” — Rog & Bee Walker
Throughout 2025, Rog & Bee collaborated closely with each of this year’s Honorees—creating a series of powerful short films that spotlight their respective stories and elevate their enduring impact on Black culture.
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Gee’s Bend Quilters – Descendants of enslaved African Americans who transformed generational stories and survival into a celebrated quilt-making tradition, blending bold artistry with cultural preservation in their rural Alabama community.
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Jaycina Almond – Model, writer, and founder of Tender Foundation, a grassroots organization reshaping narratives around Black motherhood by providing essential financial assistance and resources to single mothers facing hardship in Atlanta.
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Sekou Thornell – Creative director and founder of Kitboys Club, Atlanta-based streetwear brand with a mission to expand access to soccer and empower the next generation of Black players and creatives.
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