Evonte Shepherd is the new owner of a pair of one-of-a-kind shoes, designed by him.
The shoes were presented to Shepherd after he was named the grand prize winner of the Sole Survivor Challenge, a shoe design contest put on by Generation FREE.
Contestants were asked to choose from provided shapes to create a customized shoe design that would communicate an anti-tobacco message.
Shepherd, a student at Vicksburg High School, said he got involved after a friend told him about the contest.
“He said I had artistic potential, but I never did anything with it,” he said. “I decided to go ahead and do it.”
Shepherd said he does not smoke and sending an anti-tobacco message is important.
“I had a grandmother who died of cancer, so anything that causes cancer I just want to end,” he said. “I want to do anything I can to help.”
Shepherd said he was very close to his grandmother and she was his inspiration for his design.
“I drew a cross with smoke,” he said. The cross represents death, and there’s smoke all across the top, and there’s fire across the bottom. Then there’s a heart surrounded by a bubble because it’s protected. You can see a hand reaching for the heart, but it can’t grab it.”
Shepherd said he’s been drawing and designing for as long as he can remember.
“I always liked designing shoes as a kid, so I just went for it,” he said.
As for his new shoes, Shepherd said he’s going to wear them on special occasions.
“I’m always going to cherish these,” he said. “And yes, I’ll always tell people I designed them.”
Office of Tobacco Control Special Projects Officer IV Brad Martin said they sponsor a special contest every year to get the youth involved.
“I think this contest was an innovative way to get the attention of the kids,” he said.
Martin said he really enjoyed Shepherd’s unique artwork, and he was glad teenagers were interested in being involved in the anti-tobacco campaigns.
“I’m excited to get out there and work toward educating youth across the state about the dangers of tobacco,” he said.
The contest’s sponsor Generation FREE is Mississippi’s youth-led movement against the tobacco industry, and it is funded by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Each year, Mississippi spends $1.23 billion on healthcare costs directly related to smoking.
The goal of the MSDH Office of Tobacco Control is to improve the health of all Mississippians through the prevention of tobacco use and the elimination of exposure to secondhand smoke.