“Do it right”: the line of sneakers launched by manteros de Barcelona to compete with the big brands | the Chronicle

Six years ago, migrant sellers of Barcelona decided to join the fight against racism and the xenophobia they lived as refugees. Gathered in the Union Mantero of Barcelona they helped their peers to regularize one’s professional life, but they didn’t stop there. Three years later he was born Manta top, and went from selling cheap copies of popular brands to make your own sportswear in an ethical and ecological manner.

Its motto, “It’s not just about doing it, it’s about doing it right“, Parodies Nike’s well-known slogan recalling that for Senegalese refugees and immigrants” just do it “ This is not an option. Crying out against the police and the institutional violence that persecutes them, the cooperative shows that “things can be done differently. Because it’s not just about doing it but doing it well“, they said.

A few weeks ago the premiere of his main project took place: sports shoes Ande dem. Partners named the product in Wolof, one of the languages ​​spoken in Senegal, and means “walk together”. “It is a song for a new march; of the community, respect for all lives and anti-racism as a flag. A critique of the insane path we grew up on, the false meritocracy, the “if you want you can, it’s all up to you, do it!”“, shared the union at the launch.

The brand manufactured its goods in local workshops from Alicante and Porto to encourage craftsmanship shoes and avoid labor exploitation, stick to Ethical principles under which the partners seek to live. On sale by 115 euros in its online store, the shoe is an alternative to responsible consumption in front of the big sports brands.

The design has been angled by the manteros themselves, displaying traditional Senegalese prints and Barcelona-inspired motifs. The architect Sara González from Ubieta, winner of the Ciutat de Barcelona award for design and graphic designer Helga juarez contributed to the construction of the product.

The initiative, which reached remove 120 of manteros from the street, has manufactured 400 pairs between sizes 35-46 and plans to make more as demand dictates. All the profits will go to the regularization of the life of the members of the union, which currently has 300 members. “The goal is to create your own economy where all these people can work in one legal way without having to worry about whether the government provides them with jobs or not“commented the spokesperson Aziz Faye a RT.

The fight for belonging

Since its creation, the Union Mantero de Barcelona has fought against the institutionalized mechanisms that prevent immigrants from living legally in Europe. In the specific case of Spain, the group has repeatedly spoken out against the Foreigners’ law which regulates entry into the country.

Described by the union as a “bureaucratic maze “, the law obliges immigrants to reside at least 3 years in the country before you can apply for a residence and work permit. “Those who demand that we pay taxes and rent a store, they are the same who deny us the possibility of doing it“, relates the popular association from its account of Instagram.

The group recently orchestrated peaceful protests against the Detention centers for foreigners (CIE) established across the continent, where migrants are detained even though he has committed no crime. “We denounce the physical and psychological violence that we suffer in the CIEs, places that are worse than a prison», Declared a spokesperson at the mobilization.

the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM) released a report detailing the reasons for the incarceration of the thousands of people held in these centers, and said in its presentation that most of the detainees are released within the first 72 hours since the arrest. “Why intern so many people in a CIE if the vast majority of returns are carried out before admission? Internment is unnecessary“, said the institution.

The overwhelming demand for their product, which two weeks after its launch They are exhausted, represents hope in the fight of the manteros. “We believe everyone should have the basic needs covered, such as food, roof and the ability to move around freely“shared Faye to RT, and I add: “It is fundamental, fundamental, legitimate. When they make universal declarations of human rights they say, but they don’t respect him“.