Michelle Landrum

Did you know your sneakers are making a social statement?

Like it or not, the kind of sportswear you buy—or choose not to buy—is a hot topic ever since Operation PUSH went for Nike Inc.‘s throat Aug. 11.

The plan: to force the sportswear giant to deal with more black-owned businesses and hire more executive-level minorities by boycotting Nike products.

The reason: PUSH claims Nike isn’t doing enough business with black-owned banks and advertising companies and doesn’t have a black on the board of directors or among the company’s vice presidents.

The PUSH’s boycott seems simple enough: If you oppose Nike, don’t buy their products.

But it’s gone beyond that. After People United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) picketed Nike Inc. headquarters in Oregon, its latest call is to picket sports stores that carry Nike goods. The picketing will take place off and on, for about a week, in 10 major cities, including Chicago.

Picketing will not only hurt Nike, but all the sportswear stores that carry Nike and other products by scaring away shoppers. Some of these community stores have even donated money to minority causes within their communities.

With less shoppers, store employees who work on commission also will suffer.

PUSH members have the right to boycott whatever products they choose. But while they’re opposing Nike with the picketing, they’re also hurting outlet stores caught in the crossfire.

Even without the picketing, Nike is sure to feel PUSH’s heat. The lack of sales caused by a boycott won’t be enough to crumble Nike’s empire, but the negative publicity that’s already been stirred up will.

Ever since PUSH was founded by Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1972, the group has taken on some formidable giants. PUSH led successful boycotts against Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken to promote minority advancement.

And before PUSH was formally organized, Jackson organized boycotts against Walgreens and A&P grocery stores. However, Jackson’s demands went even further then.

He called for store space for products made by black manufacturers and more business with black lawyers, black-owned banks and black garbage collectors.

PUSH’s ramrod demands might be hard for Nike, a giant, private business, to swallow. There’s no reason Nike has to comply, but like any other business, Nike is out to make a buck and the recent attention can’t be good for business.

It already looks like Nike is trying to calm the publicity with its promise to recruit a minority to its board of directors within two years.

Perhaps after all the hoopla is over, Nike will find appointing some black executives to be as lucrative as the advertising campaigns centered around Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson and Spike Lee.

If Nike can have a mutually beneficial relationship with famous black athletes, why not with black executives?

Suddenly, it looks as though PUSH is the one saying, “Just Do It.”