From luxury fashion to hometown mission

Dominique Waters had made it in the fashion world, working for Louis Vuitton, Burberry and even under the legendary Virgil Abloh in New York City. But the Central State University graduate felt called to return to Akron, Ohio, with a mission that would have seemed impossible to most: using sneakers to transform how inner-city youth view STEM careers.

His gamble appears to be paying off. Since launching the Akron Sneaker Academy in January 2024, Waters has reached more than 800 students through workshops and summer camps, proving that cultural relevance can unlock academic engagement in ways traditional programs often miss.

The validation came during Kicks Lounge’s “Seoul, Soul, Sole” event on May 16, when Waters watched NFL players, Nike executives and artists converge in his hometown to celebrate the limited Air Jordan 3 “Seoul 2.0” release. The gathering reinforced his belief that sneakers create the perfect bridge between youth culture and serious career preparation.

Akron’s hidden sneaker legacy drives innovation

Waters discovered that his rust belt hometown harbored an underappreciated sneaker heritage that most residents didn’t even recognize. While the world knows Akron for LeBron James and its rubber industry dominance, few realize the city’s deeper connections to sneaker culture.

“Akron has an underrated history of sneaker culture. There’s LeBron and PF flyers, but also Chuck Taylor. Taylor got his claim to fame here. He played for the Akron Firestone Non-Skids basketball team and was a salesperson for Converse,” Waters explained, highlighting how the basketball legend helped establish Converse’s iconic Chuck Taylor All-Stars right in Akron.

Celebrity endorsement validates approach. Cleveland Browns linebacker Jerome Baker, who attended the Seoul event, understood Waters’ vision immediately. “It’s important for young people to witness something like this because it shows them what’s possible. A pair of shoes might seem small, but it represents hard work, creativity, and a dream brought to life,” Baker told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “When kids see that, especially coming from someone who looks like them or comes from where they come from, it can spark their own ambition.”

STEM education disguised as sneaker design

The Akron Sneaker Academy uses sneaker culture as a Trojan horse for comprehensive STEM education. While students think they’re learning about shoe design, Waters systematically introduces them to engineering principles, materials science and manufacturing processes that power modern athletic footwear.

The approach addresses a critical knowledge gap Waters identified in his community. Despite the University of Akron housing a top-ranked polymer science and plastics engineering program, local students remained largely unaware of these opportunities.

“The city of Akron has a polymer initiative now, which is material science, but a lot of our kids in the inner city don’t know what polymers are,” Waters said, explaining how his sneaker education program bridges that disconnect between available opportunities and student awareness.

Beyond shoe aesthetics lies serious science. Students learn about material properties, manufacturing processes, supply chain logistics and product development cycles through hands-on sneaker projects. The curriculum transforms abstract STEM concepts into tangible skills students can immediately apply and understand.

Countering urban brain drain through local opportunities

Waters deliberately chose a different path than many successful professionals who leave smaller communities for major metropolitan areas. His decision to return to Akron reflects a strategic effort to combat the brain drain affecting rust belt cities nationwide.

Research demonstrates that limited access to technology, education and career opportunities drives youth migration from smaller communities to expensive urban centers, where rising living costs often prevent financial advancement. Waters believes events like Seoul, Soul, Sole prove that meaningful opportunities exist in overlooked communities.

His nonprofit challenges the assumption that career success requires geographic relocation. By showcasing local polymer science programs, manufacturing opportunities and entrepreneurial possibilities, the sneaker education program reveals pathways students never knew existed in their own backyard.

Community investment starts early. Waters hopes students will recognize community development opportunities before feeling compelled to seek success elsewhere. His model demonstrates how culturally relevant programming can retain talent while building local economic capacity.

Ambitious expansion plans target global impact

Despite launching just over a year ago, Waters has already developed a five-year plan to establish a Global Innovation Center focused on sneaker technology and design in Akron. The ambitious vision would position his hometown as an international hub for athletic footwear innovation.

The expansion reflects Waters’ belief that small cities can compete globally when they leverage unique cultural assets and educational resources effectively. His sneaker education program serves as proof of concept for how targeted youth development can transform community economic prospects.

Current success metrics support his optimistic projections. Reaching 800 students in 16 months suggests strong community demand for culturally relevant STEM programming, while celebrity endorsements and corporate interest indicate broader market validation for his approach.

Replication potential extends beyond Akron. Waters’ model could inspire similar initiatives in other communities seeking to engage youth through cultural touchstones while building technical skills. The sneaker education program demonstrates how passion-based learning can effectively introduce complex academic concepts to students who might otherwise avoid STEM subjects.