Red Wing Celebrates Three Remarkable "Wall of Honor" Inductees With a Short Docu-Series

Oct. 25, 2021

Created by US-based shoe brand Red Wing, the ‘Wall of Honor’ initiative has been running since 2017, paying tribute to trade workers by sharing their epic stories and commemorating and respecting their lifetime of work. To help them celebrate this year’s honourees and highlight the importance of the hardworking and talented people in trades, Red Wing turned to creative film company Farm League to craft three very personal and charismatic films for their annual Wall of Honor ceremony.

The documentary-style shorts follow the lives of Nettie Dokes (the first African American woman in the US to become a Journeyman Lineman), José Lopez, (Ornamental Metal Worker) and Steve Medeiros, (Millwright & Contractor from Fremont, CA).

Directed by Britton Caillouette, the films bear his signature personal and cinematic approach. At the same time, the artful and elevated visuals add to the authenticity of the films, further bringing this year’s inductees’ stories to life.

The first film in the series tells the story of Nettie Dokes, who has spent her career building a legacy of dedication and perseverance, of getting the job done right, and breaking barriers along the way. Now, she aims to inspire the next generation of tradeswomen to do the same.

The stories of José Lopez, Ornamental Metal Worker and Steve Medeiros, Millwright and Contractor, are equally as inspiring and impressive. Despite having suffered an unfortunate accident when he was younger, which caused him to lose one of his arms, José hasn’t stopped searching for and grabbing every opportunity in his 35-year long career. Similarly to José, after 30 years in the job, Steve has dedicated his life to pass along his skills and craftsmanship to the next generation.

The film with Nettie Dokes was released on September 6, in line with Labour day in the US. José and Steve’s films launched on September 30 and October 25, respectively.

Tim Lynch, Founder and EP at Farm League comments:

"I’m always inspired by brands that are brave enough to put their values out there, and I’m honored to have a partnership like this one. With Redwing's entire ask being to honor the folks in the trades, I couldn’t think of a better storytelling opportunity to put the incredible careers and legacies of these humble people forward.”

 

In addition to the 90” films, Farm League also created three 30” films and three 15” films, which will be released online on Red Wing’s social media channels.