HONORABLE MENTION: NIKE CORPORATION, for the AIR NATIVE N7

Honor Indians Institute would like to honor the Nike Corporation for their efforts to promote healthier Indian life habits by introducing the Nike Air Native N7. The Air Native shoe is the result of over 2 years of researching the Indian foot throughout Indian country. The shoe is wider and higher to better fit the Indian foot. Nike will offer the shoe to tribes at a reduced cost. Hopefully a better fitting shoe will encourage more Indians with health issues to exercise.

I laughed at first upon reading that Nike took two years to research Indian feet, only to conclude that we have “Flintstone” feet. I thought Nike could have come directly to me with one phone call and saved themselves a lot of research time and money. Personally, I have to buy New Balance shoes because they make a 4E wide shoe. Even then, I have to buy a shoe that is also at least 2 sizes bigger in order to comfortably fit my foot. In the past, I would never consider buying a Nike brand running shoe because it wouldn’t matter how much bigger the shoe was, it was still too tight! I might have to try on a pair of the Air Native N7, if they come in a 4E wide.

Nike has inspired Honor Indian Institute to encourage other corporations to market products to the Indian community that promote healthier life habits. In the coming days, we will be introducing our “ALTERNATIVE INDIAN MARKETING” project. As a public service, and maybe a marketing/consulting fee, we will save corporations the expense of two years of researching the Indian community.