without a doubt the kick-off to caribana literally starts with a fresh pair of kicks; and what better sneaker is there than the 1982 classic the nike air force 1!? My presence in Toronto's sneaker culture is well documented but was isnt known is that the AF1 is probably the nike silhouette that i've bought the most of any sneakers i've owned. So when i was contacted by the @crownmasto team specifically @calvinhyman_ & @thedavidsb expressing how they've witness my consistency within the sneaker game over the past 20 years and that the dear folks at @nike @niketoronto were gifting me a pair the 20th anniversary retro west indies AF1 low i was honestly taken by surprise. How fitting to have received a re-make of an AF1 classic - that in 2002 was originally only released in NYC to commemorate their annual labor day parade, and at the @torontorevellers mas camp where my mother has volunteered for 10+ years assisting with their costume production. Before now the closest i've ever came to owning these were via online pics and thru my cousin @litework29 who was was able to scoop a pair of the second yellow edition that released in 2003 while visiting extended family in brooklyn. As many know i am of guyanese decent and although my native country isn't listed on the insole amongst the countries/islands that makeup the formal west indies guyana's population unmistakably as a whole is made up of indian decent. Thank you @niketoronto @nike for the fresh kicks but also to @crownmasto for the dedication you all display in preserving the culture of playing mas because CARNIVAL IS SPORT! ps: i have never received a free pair of sneaker my entire life so prior to being informed i was receiving these i had already copped a pair in anticipation of caribana weekend which i will now pay-it-forward to someone over the long week, so if you're size 13 or know someone who is drop a flag from the west indies country you're reppin in the comments cause it could be you 👀