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Reebok, in collaboration with Global Citizen, has partnered with Houston activist and youth champion, Dieter Cantu, to drive a positive transformation for incarcerated youth in Texas. This partnership transcends traditional corporate philanthropy, serving as a testament to the change achievable when global brands, local activists, and committed organizations unite their efforts.
Cantu is an activist, community organizer, and social entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas. He found his calling in advocating for youth rights and social justice due to a deeply personal experience within the criminal justice system. When he was 16, he participated in a robbery and was arrested with three adults, one of whom pulled an unloaded firearm on the victim. His older counterparts were granted bail and avoided jail time, but Cantu, who lacked the resources to hire legal representation, was persuaded by a court-appointed attorney to take responsibility for the crime and serve 10 years in prison. Cantu served four years of his sentence, earning his GED while incarcerated, and graduated college after release.
"As a young individual, I found myself directly impacted and subjected to a harsh sentence, primarily due to the absence of proper legal representation in court and a lack of awareness regarding my rights," Cantu said in an interview with Houston Daily. "Those four years represented an unjust burden for a child who bore accusations beyond their responsibility, and the duration would have been notably different had I been an adult," Cantu said.
Cantu's experiences as a prisoner prompted him to call for the establishment of libraries within juvenile detention centers, highlighting his commitment to empowering and supporting young individuals within the system. These libraries offer a range of resources, such as African American literature, Latino studies, self-help, and career readiness books. Education and personal development resources are often limited in these centers, and recognizing this gap, Dieter established the Position of Power organization in 2010 to provide tools for personal growth and learning.
In 2022, Cantu was awarded the 2022 Reebok Human Rights Award in recognition of his efforts in juvenile justice reform and promoting mental health and physical wellness among young people. According to SI Press Room, this award recognizes exceptional advocates in the realm of sports and athletics.
Reebok and Global Citizen recently announced a partnership with Cantu to introduce the Reebok x Take Action footwear and apparel collection, emphasizing the significance of education in promoting equity within marginalized communities. Products in this collection feature a QR code linking to the Global Citizen app, encouraging consumers to engage in actions supporting equity. The collection will be exclusively available in the US starting November 14, with a global release slated for early 2024.
According to Dieter the primary goals of this collaboration are: to raise national awareness about the issues facing youth incarcerated in Texas jails, emphasizing the need for literature programs and resources and the importance of addressing their unique challenges; to advocate for the development and expansion of community-based programs that offer support and resources for incarcerated youth, helping them reintegrate into society upon release; to drive the implementation of innovative programming within the criminal justice system, with a focus on rehabilitation, education, and vocational training, aiming to provide incarcerated youth with the tools they need for a successful reentry into society; to work on crisis management strategies that address the immediate and long-term needs of incarcerated youth, ensuring their safety and well-being while incarcerated, and after their release; and to promote the establishment of individualized treatment plans that start during incarceration and continue into aftercare, recognizing that each youth may have unique needs and circumstances that require tailored support and resources.
"These goals represent a holistic approach to improving the lives of incarcerated youth in Texas and ensuring a smoother transition into society, ultimately contributing to a more just and rehabilitative criminal justice system," Dieter said.