MEET VENITA. COMMUNITY ARCHITECT. ARTS ADVOCATE. EDUCATOR. DOT CONNECTOR. SNEAKER SOLE SISTER.

At the epicenter of anything impactful, there is always an origin story. Some may call it a North Star or a guiding light, even a calling. We have learned in the sneaker community, many of the origin stories we come across are about so much more than just a fly pair of shoes. They are meant to be a bridge of connection to inspiration. Those journeys leave us feeling empowered and ready to step into our own personal adventures centered around a common bond of sneakers.

One of the amazing women that CNKDaily is honored to know IRL is Venita Cooper. Not only is Venita a woman of color who opened up the Silhouette Sneaker + Art Store not long before the pandemic shifted our lives, she created a this community hub in Tulsa’s Greenwood District. Also known as Black Wall Street, Greenwood District holds a painful history birthed from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. While we reflected on this 100-year old tragedy this year, we give honor to the resilience of Greenwood and how flourishing businesses in that specific area are vital for community building everywhere.

Venita is a special woman. In pivoting her career path entirely, she works hard to amplify the voices of everyone around her. She is the epitome of a motto we like to go by “sneakers brings you to us, but community is why you stay”. Tap into this next CNK Chick Chat, where we vibe with Venita on ownership, sneakers, and origin stories.

THE 411 ON VENITA…

I was an educator for about a decade, and that career brought me to Tulsa three years ago. If you’ve ever worked in public education or know someone who has, you know it’s grueling, especially in a place like Oklahoma that has been disinvesting in our teachers and students for years. I hit a wall and started dreaming of other things, like opening a sneaker shop. At the time, Tulsa had no sneaker resell shops, nowhere to get the good stuff. I’ve always been a risk-taker, and ultimately I decided it was worth the risk to pursue Silhouette.

THAT FIRST PAIR FLY…

The first pair for me was the Nike Air Swoopes 2 in the Game Royal colorway. My parents copped me a pair while I was in middle school, and man, nothing quite feels like putting on that fresh pair on the first day of school, knowing you are about to turn heads. Sheesh, it’s been all love for kicks ever since.

“I hope that Silhouette represents hope and joy and prosperity for the Black community. I am so grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy of the Black entrepreneurs before me. ”

— Venita Cooper

REMEMBERING THE ROOTS…

It was one of the greatest honors of my life to meet Mother Fletcher. She is an inspiration and a reminder to us all of the sanctity of life and this ongoing fight for racial justice. I hope that Silhouette represents hope and joy and prosperity for the Black community. I am so grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy of the Black entrepreneurs before me. One of my favorite things is when kids come into the shop and tell me they’re going to open their own sneaker shop. I tell them yeah! Put me out of business!

THE FORCE IS FEMALE, AND UNITY IS A MAJOR KEY.

We have to come together, craft a vision we can get behind, and be strategic in its pursuit. Collectively we are so much more powerful than we think, but we have to know each other and work together. I love what Her Grails is doing. I love what CNK Daily is doing. I need to be more involved.

You are more ready than you think. Utilize the resources in your community and establish relationships helpful and healthy to your pursuit. Believe in yourself so much that it can’t help but to rub off on others. You got this, sis.

ON THE EVOLUTION OF SNEAKERS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA…

I think it’s facilitated huge growth and diversified the community. Social media is such a great platform for shopping, and sneakers and streetwear make for great visual content.

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO TRIUMPHS…

I’m not taken as seriously as men sometimes. Men don’t always respect my knowledge of the market and culture, but I’m not trying to win their approval. I believe in the value of what I bring to the community. It’s not what a man would bring, and I think that’s what makes it so valuable. My focus now is on doing a better job of amplifying that, amplifying what we do at Silhouette that brings value to the community.

“I’d like to see more woman-owned and woman-led brands. Imagine a big brand with top market share and a men’s division.”

— Venita Cooper

CREATIVE EXPRESSION THROUGH SNEAKERS… AND ART.

Art and music and sneakers and streetwear are all intertwined. They provide platforms for one another and inspire one another’s evolution. I always have local art hanging up in our shop, and I collaborate with local artists on streetwear. We have a custom stage in our shop for local musical artists to perform on and have partnered with collectives like World Culture Music and Fire in Little Africa to help share their music and their message.

A CONSUMER FOCUSED RETAIL EXPERIENCE…

An important part of our mission is to make sneakers accessible to as many people as possible. I intentionally curate a wide variety of silhouettes at a wide range of prices. I want every single person who comes into Silhouette to feel like a pair is within their grasp because that means this shop and this community is for them. So many of us are just seeking belonging and connection; I try not to take for granted that we have the opportunity to provide that.

CREATING COMMUNITY IS THE BLUEPRINT.

Having the opportunity to impact a person or a place is such a gift, and Silhouette has given me a vehicle to reach a larger audience and potentially achieve a larger impact. Every day is a blessing.

Connect and check out more of Silhouette Tulsa on INSTAGRAM + WEBSITE

Chick Chat: Deepening the Roots with Venita Cooper