The question remains whether Nike's use of these cultures for commercial reasons is a responsible tribute or a co-opting of heritage:
Still, there was some pushback from Nike and other sneaker fans around Parker. Not only was it a first for the brand, but the Puerto Rican community had a long history of cultural exploitation that still lingers today. This is why Bobbito Garcia raised a red flag for Parker. "He thought I'd love it, but I hit him up to some politics," Garcia says. "He was blown away."
The historian argued that, as a corporation, Nike hadn't supported Puerto Rico's basketball teams, artists or causes, and ignored a long history of cultural appropriation and exploitation done to the island's heritage and natural resources. "If you're going to exploit our flag and our cultural identity [for profit], you have to understand that our island's history is completely marked in the exploitation of our land, culture, military, environment, tax breaks, etc.
While Nike operates based in what Parker calls "future orders," he inverted the process to create the limited-edition drop and relied on the Hollywood hype to make the shoes a must-have item even before they hit stores. His division blind-bought 3,000 pairs of the Puerto Rico model and offered them to stores in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, promising they'd sell like hotcakes.
By 2002, Parker was inspired by another impactful community in New York City: The Air Force 1 West Indies were released in honor of the annual West Indian Day Parade, which is celebrated on Labor Day weekend by New Yorkers hailing from Caribbean islands, including the Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles and Lucayan Archipelago.
However, the question remains whether Nike's use of these cultures for commercial reasons is a responsible tribute or a co-opting of heritage. But if the "De lo Mio" Air Force 1 drop is any evidence, Nike has learned something about its past ventures into the Caribbean community.
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