My Name is James Barcenas, currently living in Dallas, TX.

My journey with sneakers is a long one. I received my first pair in the early 90's (Metallic 5's) and never looked back. But what got me into sneakers was being flat footed of all things. When I was younger I loved sports. I saw my favorite athletes rocking them, I couldn't wear them because I had to wear orthopedic plates in my shoes. The metal plates would cut through the bottom so I had to wear ugly work boot type shoes. It sucked because I had to watch, not only those athletes but my friends and family wearing the sneakers I wanted to wear. Around 91-92, my arch had developed enough that I no longer had to wear the plates. My feet would still hurt after a while but I was free to wear whatever I wanted. My mom took me to the mall and I walked out with box after box of sneakers and the journey began, and I'm still waking out with box after box, pair after pair. 

Do you have any favorite brands?

I wouldn't say I have a favorite brand... do gravitate towards Nike/Jordan more than others but that's not to say I won't wear others because I do have plenty of Adidas, New Balance, Asics, Saucony, and more. I skew towards Nike because their designs resonate with me more than other brands, as well as the nostalgia that comes from retros and re-releases. I also appreciate their attempts to innovate and push the envelope, even if they sometimes miss the mark.

What are your top three sneakers you own at the moment?

Lord, that's tough... Narrowing it down to three tops pairs will be difficult: Red Supreme Blazer SB, Aleali May AJ6's, Bison SB's. These could change daily lol.

What do you plan on buying next?

I'll be chasing down the Chicago SB Dunk, the Union 4 Off Noir... and the Street Hawker SB Dunks.

If you could change one thing in the sneaker community, what would it be and why?

Being a TV/Film/Digital Content Producer I would change the poor and lack luster depiction of the sneaker community in modern day pop culture by entertainment media. It's forced, corny, and none of it has been able to properly depict what this world is like. It's trash and the representation should be better.

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