Bill Text: NY K00581 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Resolution 581

Introduced

Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim October 9, 2023, as Sneakers Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-31 - adopted [K00581 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K00581-Introduced.html


Assembly Resolution No. 581

BY: M. of A. Jackson

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        October 9, 2023, as Sneakers Day in the State of New
        York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  this  Legislative  Body  to  recognize
official  days that are set aside to increase awareness of American made
products that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  it  is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  October  9,  2023,  as
Sneakers  Day  in  the  State  of  New  York,  in  conjunction  with the
observance of National Sneakers Day; and

  WHEREAS, National Sneakers Day celebrates sneakers, which are  shoes
designed  for use in sports or for other types of physical exercise, but
are often also used as an informal shoe for everyday use and referred to
by other terms such as tennis shoes, kicks, or gym shoes; and

  WHEREAS, The origins of sneakers can  be  dated  to  the  late  18th
century when people wore rubber-soled shoes called plimsolls; and

  WHEREAS,   Around  1892,  the  U.S.  Rubber  Company  designed  more
comfortable rubber sneakers with canvas tops, called Keds; and

  WHEREAS, In 1917, Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent,  used
the  term  "sneaker"  because the rubber sole made the shoe stealthy and
quiet, and much easier to "sneak" around; and

  WHEREAS, In 1923, an Indiana  basketball  star  named  Chuck  Taylor
endorsed  the  shoes,  after  which came the Chuck Taylor All-Stars, the
best-selling basketball shoes of all time; and

  WHEREAS, Sneakers went international in 1924, when  a  German  named
Adi Dassler created a sneaker he named after himself, Adidas; and

  WHEREAS,  The  rise of the anti-mainstream hip-hop movement of 1970s
New  York  formed  products  of   creativity   and   self-determination,
particularly amongst black culture; the movement uplifted subcultures of
music  and  fashion,  amongst  which  contributed  to  the popularity of
sneakers which would soon become a mainstream fashion staple; and

  WHEREAS, Furthermore,  South  Bronx,  New  York,  would  become  the
birthplace  of  the  first  sneaker  stage  in  the  1970s with sneakers
socially recognized as markers of street identity and urban culture; and

  WHEREAS, Sales of sneakers really took off  in  1984,  when  Michael
Jordan  signed  a  contract  to wear a Nike shoe called Air Jordans, the
most famous sneaker ever made; and

  WHEREAS, With the  advent  of  the  internet,  sneaker  trends  from
previous  decades  were accelerated due to the invention of smartphones;
globalization  and  the  advancement  of  new  technologies  have   also

increased  the  worldwide spread of sneaker popularity with social media
as a communication tool; and

  WHEREAS,   In   2020,  the  global  sneaker  market  was  valued  at
approximately US$79 billion and is predicted to reach US$120 billion  by
2026; and

  WHEREAS,   Sneakers   were  born  in  the  United  States  and  have
continually evolved throughout the last 131 years since the introduction
of the Keds in 1892; sneakers  are  designed  for  sports  and  physical
exercise which is important for overall wellness; and

  WHEREAS,   We  continue  to  see  the  impacts  of  the  sneakerhead
subculture throughout New York today; in 2015, the  Brooklyn  Museum  in
New  York  displayed  "The  Rise  of  Sneaker  Culture" exhibition which
featured about 150 pairs, some dated back to the 19th Century while also
showcasing the current style trends of the time; and

  WHEREAS, In addition  to  the  health  benefits  of  sneakers,  they
epitomize  cultural  trends  such as the Converse with rock 'n roll, and
Puma, Nike, and Adidas with hip-hop; today, collectors of  sneakers  are
known as sneakerheads; and

  WHEREAS, Sneakers are comfortable, and many people love to wear them
to  any  occasion whether you are just relaxing at home, playing sports,
going to school, or even for work; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  October  9, 2023, as
Sneakers Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.