Back in 2013, a group of young visionaries from Tema, Ghana—Jonathan Coffie, Kelly Foli, Winfred Mensah, and Richard Ormano—came together with a shared dream: to empower African youth through creative expression. What started as a simple idea to showcase Ghanaian street style on social media has now evolved into Free the Youth, a cultural movement that spans through fashion, music, and social impact. Today, it’s more than just a brand—it’s a creative agency, a fashion powerhouse, and an NGO, all wrapped into one. Their bold, authentic designs have gained international recognition, leading to collaborations with global giants like Off-White™ and Air Jordan. Notably, their recent partnership with Nike's Jordan Brand celebrates 40 years of the iconic label, marking a significant milestone for African streetwear on the world stage. As they continue to break boundaries, Free the Youth remains committed to inspiring and uplifting the next generation of African creatives.
Deeds Magazine: What was it like growing up in Tema, Ghana?
Free the Youth: Growing up in Ghana was always beautiful, you know. I won't say our childhood was like suffering, and poverty. It was fun. It was like a lot of inspiration. Tema felt like a big studio with a lot of props everywhere, so wherever you passed, you could get inspired, take a picture, or even shoot a movie. Back then, we used to shoot dance videos or music videos within our community. The environment was creatively stimulating, with art, culture, and graffiti all around. Growing up there was genuinely inspiring and enjoyable.
Deeds Magazine: The phrase "Free the Youth" is kind of self-explanatory, but what does it mean to you?
Free the Youth: The phrase "Free the Youth" is about breaking free from limitations, especially the ones placed on young people by society and tradition. A lot of times, parents and the community expect you to follow a set path, be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer—because that’s seen as success. But not everyone is built for that. "Free the Youth" is about giving young people the freedom to pursue their real passions, whether it’s fashion, music, art, or sports. It’s about proving that you can create your lane and still achieve greatness.
Deeds Magazine: Free the Youth has had several collaborations. Which have been your favorites?
Free the Youth: We've collaborated with so many brands. Free the Youth is not just a fashion brand. It’s a 360 brand, we do music, and fashion and have an NGO. And most importantly, when we do collaborations with other brands, we make sure we leave an impact behind with that collaboration. Every collaboration has been a favorite, but one particularly memorable collaboration was with Chance the Rapper. We collaborated at their flagship store for the Black Star Line Festival, which was free for the community. It involved creating signed merchandise, such as T-shirts and posters. We also hosted a DJ set, and musicians performed at the festival. Our collaborations usually start from small beginnings and grow into something bigger and more purposeful, cutting across music, fashion, and philanthropic causes.
Deeds Magazine: How special was your collaboration with the Jordan brand?
Free the Youth: Collaborating with the Jordan brand was incredibly special. Growing up, everyone around us wore Nike or Jordan apparel. Even without playing basketball, Michael Jordan was a hero to us. His story and the way he broke barriers inspired us deeply. Being approached by Nike and Jordan for a meaningful collaboration was a huge achievement, especially coming from Ghana. It felt like the beginning of something much bigger, and the response to our activation in London was overwhelmingly positive.
Deeds Magazine: Is there any point in time where you look back and truly reflect on what you've accomplished as a leader?
Free the Youth: We always evaluate the success every day. Because the value of the brand yesterday is not the same today. Every day, the brand keeps growing. Either through music, fashion, sports, or activations. So we always find a way to grow the brand because the brand is like an empowerment brand for all black youth. When we even go to America, the black kids come to us like, “Yo, what you doing inspires me so much.” It cuts across Africa and we are just celebrating blackness and empowering black people to dream big. So we always look back and always want to do more so that we give more people hope to dream bigger.
Deeds Magazine: Looking back at how far you’ve come, did you ever imagine you’d achieve all this? And what's the next big move for Free the Youth?
Free the Youth: The goals have evolved. Initially, we wanted popularity, followers, and to sell clothes. Now we want to tap into education, sports, homeware, technology, and gaming. There's no limitation, dreams keep growing. We have much we're working on, aiming for greater things.
Deeds Magazine: How important is authenticity in your brand?
Free the Youth: Authenticity is extremely important for us. Staying true to ourselves is vital for maintaining a solid and respected brand. As an African brand, we intentionally incorporate African elements into our designs, stories, and sports activities. We strive to create designs that represent Africa, making our identity instantly recognizable globally. For example, we designed jerseys for a tournament in London, and they distinctly represented African culture.
Deeds Magazine: What challenges do you face as an African brand?
Free the Youth: We face numerous challenges as an African brand. Initially, local support is strong, but as you start to flourish, some people’s attitudes change negatively. There is also significant neglect from the government regarding youth creativity and entrepreneurship. Additionally, issues like high production costs due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of materials or machinery greatly affect us. Our goal is to empower local talent and obtain industrial equipment to manufacture everything we need locally and serve other parts of Africa effectively.
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Deeds Magazine: What's your message to young Africans pursuing their dreams?
Free the Youth: Young Africans should never feel boxed in or limited. There's genuinely no limit to what you can achieve, especially in today’s world with the internet being such a powerful tool. Wherever you are, put your ideas and creativity online. Dream big and keep pushing because there is enough room for everyone to shine through teamwork and dedication.
Deeds Magazine: Any favorite African brands inspiring you right now?
Free the Youth: Absolutely, there are many inspiring African brands out there like Waffles N Cream, Subway, Adumji from Ghana, and others. These brands are making significant impacts globally, and Africa has a wealth of creative talent that is truly inspiring. Brands that attended our block party have exciting projects, definitely ones to watch.
Deeds Magazine: What does "cultivators" mean to you?
Free the Youth: Cultivators, to us, are people who research, preserve, and serve culture. Culture itself is very dynamic—it's 360. For instance, Afrobeats started authentically African, specifically Ghanaian and Nigerian, but right now, it’s global, reaching even places like Asia. Similarly, streetwear might not be originally 100% Ghanaian, but we've embraced it, added our flavor, spiced it up, and now we're sharing it back with the world in our way.
From the streets of Tema to the global stage, Free the Youth is proving that creativity knows no borders. Their journey isn’t just about fashion, it’s about breaking barriers, staying true to their roots, and showing the world what African youth can do when given the freedom to dream big. And the best part? They’re just getting started. With every collaboration, every project, and every young creative they inspire, they’re rewriting the narrative of African streetwear and culture. So if there’s one thing to take away from their story, it’s this: never let anyone box you in. Keep pushing, keep creating, put in the work, and make the world pay attention—because the future is yours to shape.
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