Black designers only represent 3% of the footwear industry. To help achieve more innovation and inclusivity within the space, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards founded PLC Detroit, the only design-focused HBCU. PLC Detroit started by convincing corporations like Nike and Adidas to invest in the education of their future workforce. In 2022, he also opened the first Black-owned athletic footwear factory, JEMS, in the U.S. In this fireside chat, learn impactful ways to drive change by exploring new approaches to workforce development, materials, and processes in design and manufacturing.