Manolo Lopez Manolo Lopez

Kids of Immigrants x Vans

Compton, California

Chef

To celebrate the release of their second Vans collaboration, Kids of Immigrants designed a shoe honoring one’s heritage and parents that sacrificed greatly for their children.

Before the shoe launched, Kids of Immigrants produced a photoshoot at Moonwater Farm in Compton. The photoshoot featured community leader Kika Keith from Gorilla Rx, Aura Santos & Lêcoeurcassé. At the same time the campaign highlighted students from Color Compton and Inner City Arts who were invited to help with the production.

After the day long photoshoot, Manolo prepared a dinner that resembled everyone who had a part in the production. A coursed meal that incorporated 8+ nationalities and guided by Paula Duran (Empress). This stems from the work done with Community Gatherings and brings intentionality to the table for such a meaningful shoe campaign.

Kids of Immigrants was founded by Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis in 2016, and is an outlet for the two to “express their passion to create, empower and love.” Highly significant to the two based on their first-generation American identity, the “Anything is Possible” shoe represents the passion for their heritage and community. 

Photography by David Camarena


Client: Kids of Immigrants

Date: 2021

Type: Dinner

Services: Chef | Food Curation

Photography: David Camarena

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