Sneaker Impact News

Urban Impact Lab’s People-First Approach to Building Better Cities | Miami Climate Week + Community-Led Design Sneaker Impact News host sits down with Irvans Augustin, co-founder of Urban Impact Lab, after touring the Sneaker Impact facility to discuss people-first urban planning, creative placemaking, and moving cities from ideas to implementation. Augustin shares how he and his wife (with backgr...

Sneaker Impact News interviews Samantha Choy, marketing and communications manager at Students Run Philly Style (SRPS), a Philadelphia youth mentorship nonprofit pairing grades 6–12 students with volunteer running mentors to train for major races like the Broad Street Run and Philadelphia Marathon Weekend. Choy describes her role managing social media, partnerships, and the Mentoring Milestones ne...

Sneaker Impact News visits the Town of Southwest Ranches council meeting with the Zero Waste Advisory Board, where chair Harold Gubnitsky, board members, and council leaders discuss making the town a sustainability leader while preserving its rural lifestyle. They highlight key initiatives and challenges including education to reduce recycling contamination, increased outreach via newsletters and...

In this Sneaker Impact News episode, Bryan interviews Jake Gordon, Associate Director of Client Services at Geared for Green, a sustainability company that builds circular economy programs for organizations by collecting plastics and other recyclables and turning them into new products. Jake explains how they handle hard-to-recycle materials, partner with nationwide recyclers, and provide tracked,...

Join us in this engaging episode of Sneaker Impact News as we welcome Andy Polk, Senior Vice President at the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA). Andy discusses his extensive role in shaping the future of the footwear industry, driving innovation, sustainability, and strategy. Learn about the FDRA's mission, the complexities of footwear tariffs, and the push towards circu...

Join Sneaker Impact News host Bryan as he interviews special guest Haley Grace Poe who was crowned Miss Earth USA on July 6th, 2025, in Washington, D.C. following the premiere of the first-ever reality TV series based on a pageant in the United States, Pretty Down to Earth. She created her initiative, the Microplastic Awareness Project (MAP), to address the growing microplastic pollution crisis. T...

Sneaker Impact News: Designing Sustainability with Particle Play Co-Founders In Episode 44 of Sneaker Impact News, host Bryan welcomes Krissy Harbert and Amanda Rawlings, co-founders of Particle Play. The discussion covers their backgrounds, the creation, and mission of Particle Play—transforming post-consumer and industrial waste into innovative brand environments and products. They emphasize sus...

Upcycling Sneakers with Noor Hachem: A Family Passion Project In this episode, we chat with Noor Hachem, a 21-year-old university student with a strong passion for sneakers. Noor discusses her involvement in Sneaker Impact, a family business focusing on upcycling sneakers. She shares her personal connection to the project, her family's deep roots in the industry, and how they are partnering w...

Building Community Through Running: The Nameless Run Club Story In this episode, host Bryan the Botanist sits down with Drew Tegui and Stefan Finke, the passionate co-founders of Nameless Run Club. They discuss their motivations, origin stories, and the unique approach that sets their organization apart. From introducing cold plunges to curated wellness experiences, Nameless Run Club is more than...

Sneaker Impact News: Joao Alcolea and the Inspiring Story Behind Pushing4New In this episode of Sneaker Impact News, we welcome Joao Alcolea, founder of Pushing4New, a community-driven fitness initiative focused on motivating people to live healthier lifestyles. Joao shares his inspiring journey from being self-conscious in high school due to gynecomastia to becoming a dedicated fitness enthusiast...

Building Community Through Running: Joe Robinson & WeRun313's Inspiring Journey | Episode 2 Join us in this special interview featuring Joe Robinson, co-founder of WeRun313, one of Detroit's largest running clubs. In this follow-up episode, Joe reflects on the humble beginnings of WeRun313, how they grew from a small group to a community movement, and the importance of building a run...

Transforming Miami: Andrew Otazo on Mangrove Cleanups, Policy, and Community Impact  Join us on Sneaker Impact News Episode 39 as we sit down with Andrew Otazo, an award-winning Cuban American author, environmental activist, and communication expert from Miami. In this episode, Andrew shares his inspiring journey from working at global agencies and prestigious universities to making a tangible imp...

Healing the Earth and Ourselves: An Interview with Ludovica Martella, AKA Sustainably Lu Welcome to Sneaker Impact News! In this episode, host Bryan welcomes special guest Ludovica Martella, better known as Sustainably Lu. Ludovica is an Integrative Somatic Fitness Coach and climate justice advocate committed to empowering individuals to achieve holistic wellness through the connection of mind, bo...

Unlocking Healing Through Ecstatic Dance with Jennifer Mirambeau | Sneaker Impact News In this episode host Bryan the Botanist sits down with Jennifer Mirambeau, aka Jenergy, a visionary movement artist and the founder of Ecstatic Flow. Jennifer shares her journey into the world of ecstatic dance and how it has transformed her life. She explains the deep healing and transformative power of freefor...

Episode 35 of Sneaker Impact News features Bobbi Gio, the founder of Shatter the Stigma 5K, a race aimed at raising awareness about the therapeutic uses of psychedelics for mental health. Bobbi, a student at Florida International University (FIU) and President of the Society of Psychedelic Science, shares his journey into psychology and psychedelics, the inspiration behind Shatter the Stigma, and...

Episode 34 of Sneaker Impact News features Aaron Jordan, the visionary tech founder and community organizer behind HIPHOUSE Music Festival. Aaron shares his journey from Louisville, Kentucky, to Miami, and the inspiration behind his new festival that merges hip hop and house music with sustainability and climate action. Drawing from his experiences with the Louisville Juneteenth Festival, Aaron di...

Join host Bryan on Sneaker Impact News as he welcomes Taryn Hipwell, a renowned healthy fashion consultant, founder, author, and educator. In this episode, Taryn discusses her journey in sustainable fashion, highlighting her initiatives like 'How to Shop for Shi(f)t' and Beyond the Label. They delve into the importance of healthy fashion, transparency in the industry, and upcycling creat...

In Episode 32 of Sneaker Impact News, host Bryan the Botanist welcomes Natasha and Adriana from Pilathon, a renowned Pilates studio in Miami. They discuss the studio's history, celebrating their third anniversary at the Little River location, and the upcoming Members’ Appreciation Day on March 8th which includes a Pilates mat class and meditation sound healing session. The conversation spans...

Host Bryan the Botanist speaks with Kelly Leviker from the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Kelly, PIRG's Beyond Plastic advocate, discusses her efforts in combating plastic pellet pollution through organizing citizen science initiatives and pushing for state and federal legislation. She highlights the severity of plastic pellet loss in various supply chains and its detrimental effects...

In Episode 30 of Sneaker Impact News, host Bryan the Botanist welcomes Marissa Feinberg, the founder of Psychedel*cs for Climate Action (PSYCA). They discuss the Miami launch of PSYCA, with insights into Marissa's journey from environmental social impact to the psychedel*c space, her co-founding of Green Spaces New York, and founding the Triple Bottom Why. The conversation covers connecting c...

Teddy Lhoutellier is the current Sustainability Director for the University of Miami. Renewable Energy, Sustainability and Environmental Science are his passion. He started at the U in 2014, implementing the University's first comprehensive Sustainability Action Plan, after receiving a Silver ranking through the Sustainabiilty Tracking and Assessment Rating System program. Today, the Universi...

It wouldn't be a Monday in Miami without Los Antonio firing up the troops at the No Sleeping Running Club which meets at 7pm every Monday night in front of American Social in Brickell. Los shares what makes him tick, what keeps him fired up, why community and health matter, and what the future holds for his vision of an active Miami.  Stay Connected & Learn More https://www.instagram.com/...

In Episode 27 of Sneaker Impact News, host Bryan the Botanist sits down with local Miami environmental leaders, Maddie Kaufman and Amanda Di Perna of Debris Free Oceans (DFO). Many topics are discussed on how they are working with local and national government agencies, non-profits, businesses, and citizens to reduce waste, improve global health, fight plastic pollution, and raise awareness critic...

In this episode of Sneaker Impact News, we welcome Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Post Collections at Waste Pro. Host Bryan the Botanist introduces Mike, highlighting their friendship and professional connections. Mike delves into his background, detailing his journey from aspiring firefighter to a top executive at one of the largest waste management companies in the U.S. He explains the intric...

Join Sneaker Impact News as we sit down with Pedro Amos, a renowned visual artist and public arts ambassador from Miami, to explore his remarkable journey from starting as a graffiti artist in 1994 to becoming an influential figure in Miami's vibrant art scene. Discover Pedro's unique approach to blending creativity with business, his entrepreneurial efforts such as Miami's Best Gra...