Disclaimer: No kicks were harmed in the making of this video. Instead, the Emperifollá crew got to finally meet and spend a rainy morning with, @evemeetswest. However, despite the gloomy NYC weather, we witnessed ourselves the infectious energy that is Evelynn Escobar-Thomas —  behind and in front of the camera.

If you missed her being the first influencer we featured in our Instagram sharing what Emperifollá means to her and don’t yet follow her (or us!) on the ‘gram and have also sadly missed her countless #OOTDs, #DIY manis, and her overall growth then remember her name (and hit that follow button) now.

Born and raised in Northern Virginia to a Guatemalan-mom, Escobar-Thomas takes the lessons and teachings from [the Latinx] culture that her mother and grandmother have taught her wherever she goes.

Whether it was when she moved from Northern Virginia to LA almost five years ago to pursue more creative opportunities or when she’s projecting the start of a bicoastal lifestyle out into the universe, this Social Media Manager at Undefeated, freelancer and influencer is disrupting hyper-feminine, Latinx stereotypes one pair of kicks at a time.

“The way that I express myself is still rooted in lessons and teachings from our culture.[For example], things that my abuelita instilled in me like always have clean nails because presentation and just being passionate and expressive in general.”, told Emperifollá.

That expression has lead Escobar-Thomas into being as comfortable as she can on her own terms, which involves lots of kicks.

“At the end of the day, I dress for comfort, that’s why I wear sneakers and that’s why I’m so into it and it’s literally about honoring my highest self. And if I’m comfortable on the outside, I’m comfortable on the inside —   in any situation. And making that little choice is how I put my best foot forward —  pun intended. So, if I can be comfortable on this end, everything will fall into place.”, Escobar-Thomas shared to Emperifollá as she slipped into another pair of kicks.

And as you saw in the video, that deserves a happy, sneaker-filled dance, too.

From dominating the hyper-masculine word of sneakers in her personal life and her work by placing  women first, for Escobar-Thomas, it always comes down to her choices. By deciding to get Emperifollá one kick at a time, she shows how self-empowerment has come a long way from our mother’s days of wearing heels because it was society deemed feminine and how the definition of Emperifollá has evolved as well.

“I feel like the empowerment comes from the choice that’s what’s most comfortable to me —   the literal and figurative sense. And by honoring what I prefer is empowering in itself, and being comfortable in that choice and embracing that choice. But also, the sneaker world, in general, is this very weird place where it is the opposite, which is hyper-masculine. So, as to fully embrace that [being in that world] as a woman, it just goes back to being comfortable and confident in that choice.

It’s just empowering.”

— Photographed by Stephanie Stoddard Cortés and edited by Maridelis Morales Rosado.