Albert Myles Mejia (BA '14, ACST '10) has always been on the hustle. As a child, he'd shovel sidewalks, mow lawns, run errands — anything (legal) to make a buck. Today, the 27-year-old designer and entrepreneur owns his own streetwear company called Legal Hustle Clothing Inc. — just one of many ways Mejia serves as an ambassador for street culture.
"I'm not pushing clothing; I'm pushing a lifestyle and a story," he explains. "I am very influenced by street culture, from hip hop, dance, street art and fashion to sports. It's what I grew up on."
He's the founder of the YYC SOLEdiers Facebook group — a community of 6,200 people passionate about sneakers. He and his team are the drivers behind the YYC Sneaker Swap, an annual event that's grown to more than 800 attendees.
Mejia is also a professional dancer (he co-founded dance crew Empirical Freedom); the promotions coordinator with the SAIT Students' Association; an active volunteer (with Movement with a Message, providing opportunities for artists advocating for social justice issues); and a role model for Calgary youth.
"I get to show people that you don't have to do what people expect you to do. The only person that stops you from doing it is you."