By Laura Medina
An epiphany, sometimes comes when you least expect it.
It happened to prime time tv actor, J. Mallory McCree, who happens to be a sneakerhead and a shoe addict.
Someone suggested he do something about his love for sneakers and shoes, perhaps a YouTube segment or talk show, when tv and film production came to a halt during COVID-19 quarantine.
Using his and others' love for sneakers and shoes, J. Mallory use it as a physical metaphor for euphemism for empathy and sympathy to get know a person better, "Walking A Mile in Their Shoes," which later changed to his YouTube talk show, "A Mile in These Shoes," #AMNTS, https://www.notasneakershow.com/, (360) AMNTS: A MILE IN THESE SHOES EP 1 - NICCO ANNAN - YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=481WSrRZDr4&t=0s
J. Mallory recognizes, like any other fashion and costume historian, that shoes worn by people, much less historical people, soak and represents not only their lifestyles and the times they live in, but the shoes themselves tell that person's history.
Of course, his first episode he started with fellow Detroit and actor/dancer/choreographer, Nico Annan, who plays "Uncle Clifford" in Starz's "P-Valley."
They both chat about their shared love for upscale designer sneakers, citing these designer sneakers are stylish as they are comfortable, which provides Nico a much needed break, physically and mentally from his "Uncle Clifford" character on "P-Valley."
J. Mallory premiered his sneaker/shoe lover talk show, on his birthday, at custom-sneaker/shoe cobbler, Comunity/MADE, https://www.comunitymade.com/
Proving that every pair of shoes tell a story, Comunity/MADE's founders, Sean and Shannon Scott not only know that every pair of shoes tell a story but shoes can also mentally and emotionally direct you.
As sneaker veterans of Nike, ASICS, and Vans, with Sean founding TOMS, and having both met while working at ASICS, both Sean and Shannon know about over-seas, cheaper productions where it's impersonal, mass produced quickly with shortcuts and waste.
As sneaker experts, they know how important sneakers and how much people, especially men, love and admire limited-edition sneakers, so why not used custom-designed, personalized sneakers as the new haute couture that are actually worn and adorned?
Plus, their sneaker wisdom and adornation while wearing and walking in their pair of sneakers, directed them to Downtown Los Angeles' Art District. They checked out other neighborhoods, but DTLA Arts District was their first choice to literally set up shop. It felt right. Sneakerheads get custom-designed, well-fitted hand-crafted sneakers made out of quality materials, while cutting down on waste as they increase quality while supporting the local community and artisans. Anyone can walk into Comunity/MADE and design a custom sneaker to their taste and choice.
In fact, if you subscribe to #AMNTS on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=481WSrRZDr4&t=0s, the second episode will be about J. Mallory getting in-depth conversation with Sean and Shannon on their custom-sneaker cobbler shop, https://www.comunitymade.com/
During the post-screening Questions & Answers panel, J. Mallory said doing what Oprah does, interviewing people is a craft. He said you have to monitor and guide the conversation, like a rudder on a boat.
There's nothing shallow or superficial about "A Mile In These Shoes,' #AMNTS, https://www.notasneakershow.com/
If you wear "these shoes" to empathize then when you walk further in these shoes, you'll go deeper to actually know the person.
Plus, no matter how stylish, sneakers are just plain comfortable.
This busy, on-the-go scribe can attest to that.
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