Sunday Pick: Barcelona: streetwear with a political twist | Far Flung

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Sunday Pick: Barcelona: Streetwear with a Political Twist | Far Flung"

Episode Overview Released on July 13, 2025, this episode of TED Talks Daily highlights a compelling story from Barcelona, focusing on how a group of immigrant street vendors, known as Monteros, transformed their challenging circumstances into a politically charged streetwear brand called Top Manta. Hosted by Salim Reshamwala, the episode delves into themes of migration, labor rights, entrepreneurship, and social activism.

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1. Introduction to Top Manta and Barcelona’s Monteros

The episode opens with Salim Reshamwala discussing a provocative commercial by Top Manta, a streetwear brand that defies traditional marketing approaches by embedding political narratives into its imagery. Unlike mainstream brands like Supreme, which have evolved into multimillion-dollar enterprises, Top Manta retains its outsider roots, originating from the marginalized street vendors of Barcelona.

Notable Quote:

Salim Reshamwala [03:37]: "This brand, Top Manta, it's unlike any other streetwear brand I've come across."

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2. The Origin of Top Manta: Migrant Struggles in Barcelona

The story begins with Lamine, an immigrant from Senegal, who, along with others, faced harsh realities upon arriving in Spain. Due to oppressive local policies and illegal fishing practices that devastated Senegal’s fishing industry, many, including Lamine, migrated to Europe seeking better opportunities, with Barcelona being a preferred destination due to its geographic proximity and entrepreneurial spirit.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [05:22]: "It's the first time in the world that a union of people without papers have achieved what we've done in a few years."

Mark Sanchez [07:49]: "Barcelona might be attractive because there are many international people living here. Or maybe it has something to do with Barcelona being part of the Catalan region, which is known to be more entrepreneurial."

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3. Facing Adversity: Legal and Social Challenges

Upon arrival, migrants like Lamine encountered systemic barriers. Despite being granted a three-year exclusion, they were legally present but barred from formal employment, leaving them with limited and often precarious options such as working in fields, dealing junk, selling drugs, or vending on the streets.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [09:41]: "You're in Spain, but it's like you're not in Spain."

Salim Reshamwala [09:41]: "He's allowed to be in Spain for three years, but he's not allowed to work, which feels a little absurd."

The lack of legal protection exacerbated their vulnerability, leading to dangerous interactions with authorities and social exclusion.

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4. The Formation of El Sindicato: Empowering Monteros

In response to systemic neglect and exclusion, Lamine and his peers founded El Sindicato, a union-like organization that provided Monteros with a collective voice. This move was pivotal in shifting from mere survival to activism and entrepreneurship.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [16:03]: "We didn't have a voice. Nobody cared about our situation."

Salim Reshamwala [17:14]: "It's like recognizing the language that a system has, right? Even though you're not officially allowed into that system, you can start changing things."

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5. Launching Top Manta: From Street Vending to Fashion Activism

Using the skills honed as street vendors, the Monteros launched Top Manta by initially selling T-shirts with a meaningful logo representing their migration story. The brand quickly gained traction through grassroots efforts, including a successful participation in a local event where they sold out their initial stock.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [22:10]: "It was €10. And we sold all five shirts for €10 each."

Mark Sanchez [22:15]: "Each of the five shirts that they weren't wearing were sold immediately. And that's how the brand was unofficially introduced to the Barcelona scene."

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6. Overcoming Obstacles and Gaining Recognition

Despite early successes, Top Manta faced ongoing challenges such as social racism and limited acceptance within broader societal structures. The brand's commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, along with its proactive stance during the COVID-19 pandemic—where they produced and distributed PPE free of charge—further solidified their reputation as socially responsible entrepreneurs.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [23:10]: "We are seen as foreigners."

Lamine [24:44]: "We were able to manufacture more than 14,000 items during the lockdown. We distributed that to hospitals, nursing homes, and also private individuals free of charge."

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7. Expanding Impact: Community Empowerment and Global Reach

Top Manta's influence extended beyond fashion. They launched initiatives like Top Model, connecting Monteros with modeling opportunities, and successfully conducted crowdfunding campaigns to scale their operations. Their store in the Raval neighborhood became a hub for both local and immigrant communities, fostering a sense of belonging and representation.

Notable Quotes:

Salim Reshamwala [28:02]: "The brand also opened a Top Manta store on Don Rouge street in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona."

Lamine [30:03]: "We belong to ourselves."

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8. Addressing Internal Community Dynamics and Inclusivity

While Top Manta achieved significant milestones, it also navigated internal community dynamics, such as ensuring that the brand remains accessible and representative of all Monteros, not just those who could afford their products. This balance highlights the ongoing struggle between commercial success and maintaining community-centric values.

Notable Quotes:

Lamine [29:46]: "Behind our work, there are many conscious people who have shared their privilege with us."

Marina Esmeralda [30:21]: "We don't belong anywhere. We belong to ourselves."

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9. Reflections on Belonging and Representation

The episode concludes with poignant reflections on the themes of belonging, identity, and representation. Marina Esmeralda emphasizes the emotional challenges of migration and the intrinsic need for self-acceptance, while Lamine underscores the importance of having role models within the community to combat social racism and inspire resilience.

Notable Quotes:

Marina Esmeralda [32:05]: "We belong to ourselves."

Lamine [33:06]: "I prove that I can. I do have the wisdom and I can do it."

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Conclusion

"Sunday Pick: Barcelona: Streetwear with a Political Twist | Far Flung" offers an inspiring narrative of how marginalized communities can leverage entrepreneurship and collective action to challenge systemic injustices. Top Manta stands as a testament to resilience, cultural expression, and the transformative power of community-driven initiatives. This episode not only showcases the evolution of a streetwear brand but also underscores the broader implications for immigrant rights and social integration in contemporary urban settings.

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Attributions:

• Host: Salim Reshamwala
• Participants: Lamine, Mark Sanchez, Marina Esmeralda
• Produced by: Jesse Baker and Eric Newsom of Magnificent Noise for TED
• Production Support: Various contributors including Huate Gitana, Salim Reshamwala, Mark Sanchez, Cesar Pesquera, and others.

Transcript

[Elise Hu]

Hey, TED Talks Daily listeners. I'm Elise Hu. Today we're bringing you another Sunday pick where we share an episode of another podcast from the TED Audio Collective handpicked by us for you. When I hear Barcelona, I immediately think of the vivid colors and the whimsical lines and shapes of Gaudi's architecture, Picasso's paintings, and flamenco music and dance. But there's another art scene in this famous Spanish city that's breaking into the mainstream from the margins. In this episode of our podcast, Far Flung host Salim Reshamwala introduces us to Barcelona's street vendors known as Monteros, who are bringing a political twist to the art of streetwear. Listen to how this group of people, often immigrants without legal protections or rights to work in Spain, fought to form a union to gain the voice they needed and ended up creating a global and people centered fashion label that highlights human rights in the process. To hear more unique ideas and stories from around the globe, check out Far Flung, available wherever you get your podcasts. Now onto the episode right after a quick break. This message is brought to you by Apple Card. Each Apple product, like the iPhone 16, is thoughtfully designed by skilled designers. The titanium Apple Card is no different. It's laser etched, has no numbers, and it earns you daily cash on everything you buy, including 3% back on everything at Apple. Apply for Apple Card on your iPhone in minutes, subject to credit approval. Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch terms and [e-mail] this episode is sponsored by Dell introducing the new Dell AI PC. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor. It's not just an AI computer, it's a computer built for AI. That means it's built to help do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing images, designing present, generating code, debugging code, running lots of apps without lag, creating live translations and captions, summarizing meeting notes, extending battery life, enhancing security, finding that file you were looking for, managing your schedule, meeting your deadlines, responding to Jim's long emails, leaving all the time in the world for more you time and for the things you actually want to do. No offense Jim. Get A new Dell AI PC starting at [e-mail] AI PC how those ahead Stay ahead. This episode is sponsored by upwork. Navigating Today's Economy. Well, it's a lot. Tariffs, tight budgets, hiring freezes. But if you're trying to build something right now, one of the smartest moves you can make is upwork. Upwork is the hiring platform designed for how business actually works. Today you can find, hire and pay expert freelancers who deliver from day one without blowing your budget or your timeline. Whether you need support with AI, design, admin work or a new marketing strategy, Upwork gives you access to top talent without the overhead of full time hires people who get you and your business. Plus, there's no cost to join. Just register to post a job, browse freelancer profiles, or book a consultation to get started. They make the entire process easier and more affordable. No subscriptions, no upfront fees. Posting a job is free. You only pay when you hire. Visit upwork.com that's up w o r k.com don't wait.

[Salim Reshamwala]

So I'm watching this streetwear brand commercial. It starts with a guy running on the beach and some inspirational quotes from a narrator. Believe in yourself. If you want it, go and take it. Just do it. And then it takes one of the harder turns I've ever seen in a commercial to reveal that he is running on the the beach toward a boat full of people who look distressed. It looks like a migration situation. And there is a new narrator who is now visible. She's a black woman in a room full of other black people. She's saying life is not a sneaker commercial. We know the race is full of traps. We didn't come here in search of a dignified life for us and for our loved ones. We came here to change the rules of the game, to make them fairer for everyone. Because it's not just about doing it, but doing it right. This brand, Top Manta, it's unlike any other streetwear brand I've come across. Take a streetwear brand like, say, supreme, which started In a small 1990s New York City storefront and was marketed with counterculture messaging. Right now, it's actually a big player in a huge multi million dollar industry. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, a group of street vendors who'd been selling goods on sidewalks have found a way to double down on streetwear's outsider roots, birthing this brand known as Top Manta.

[Lamine]

It's the first time in the world that a union of people without papers have achieved what we've done in a few years.

[Salim Reshamwala]

I'm Salim Reshemwalla and from ted this is far flung. In every episode we visit a different location to understand ideas that flow from that place. And today, a story from the streets of Barcelona, where a group of immigrants changed the game and in the process gave us a new perspective on what it means to belong.

[Lamine]

I was in the same situation as all the African youth who, at the age of 18, have to work and support their families and don't have the opportunity to do so.

[Mark Sanchez]

That is Lamin. He came to Spain by boat along with other immigrants.

[Salim Reshamwala]

And that's Mark Sanchez, my co producer, a Barcelona native.

[Mark Sanchez]

Hey, Celine.

[Salim Reshamwala]

So, Mark, where does Top Manta's story begin?

[Mark Sanchez]

Well, it starts with a few guys who came to Barcelona from West Africa, more specifically from Senegal. And Damin says one of the main reasons why so many people left was because the local government started to allow illegal fishing practices.

[Lamine]

This massive arrival was also caused by corrupt governments selling our entire sea. Fishermen used to use their boats to fish for a week or three days. They would return with lots of. But now there are European boats fishing in our seas using bombs and nets. They've screwed up the whole sea, and now there is no fish. Now they have sold all the sea, and there is no fish in Senegal. Many fishermen have decided to transport people coming here to Europe.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Like a lot of people around the world. When prospects disappeared, Lamine decided to try his luck elsewhere. But why is Barcelona an attractive place for migrant workers in the first place? Like, why not Madrid or another city in Spain or any other part of the world?

[Mark Sanchez]

Yeah, that's a good question, and the answer isn't clear. I think Spain as a whole, because it's along the Mediterranean Sea and it's closer to the African continent, so then it's easier for them to come here. But I think Barcelona might be attractive because there are many international people living here. Or maybe it has something to do with Barcelona being part of the Catalan region, which is known to be more entrepreneurial.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Oh, interesting. So there's the geography of Spain as a whole, but it sounds like there is this entrepreneurial streak in Catalonia itself.

[Mark Sanchez]

Well, at least that is what we Catalonians think about ourselves.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Okay, so after the boat trip, Lamine is here. His introduction to this country, though, was not a positive one.

[Lamine]

I arrived here and they didn't consider at all what I had lived through at sea. Pain, hunger, the obstacles that I had to overcome. I thought they were going to welcome me with open arms and lots of love. And for the first time, they put me in handcuffs and threw me in a cell without having committed any crime. And no reason.

[Mark Sanchez]

When the police find people that are trying to get into the country, they take them to a center and they stay there for, like, a while. It's not legally a jail or a prison, but as you can imagine, it's very, very similar.

[Lamine]

When they tell you you're not going to be deported and they're going to let you live here. The police give you papers that say you have a three year exclusion. That means you're in Spain, but it's like you're not in Spain.

[Salim Reshamwala]

He's allowed to be in Spain for three years, but he's not allowed to work, which feels a little absurd. And we talked to an immigration lawyer and he didn't have a super clear answer as to why this is that way. But it seems like it's in place because less time than that would encourage migration. Way more people might imagine getting by for a year without work and a longer length of time would keep everyone out.

[Marina Esmeralda]

And I was in that system as well. But I came from a place of privilege.

[Salim Reshamwala]

I'm, you know, I'm Latina and that is Marina Esmeralda.

[Marina Esmeralda]

I just had a different set of circumstances that really allowed me to benefit from the process in a way that they couldn't.

[Salim Reshamwala]

She is an architect and an artist from Brazil. She came to Barcelona as a student 10 years ago.

[Marina Esmeralda]

I'd always known that I wanted to leave Brazil and maybe live abroad, but that was never really clear how that was going to be sustainable. But once I got to Barcelona, I just completely fell in love with the place. And even before the first time I visited it, there was just something about the place that I knew I was meant to be there and I want to be there for 10 months and it's been 10 years.

[Mark Sanchez]

To me, the difference between Marina and Lamine's story highlights who can and cannot find a sense of belonging here.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Right. Because for migrants like Lamine, the three year exclusion meant that he was left with four options to make a living.

[Lamine]

La Primera Estrajara del Campo. The first one is going to work in the fields. The second one is work as a junkman looking for metal to sell. Another path. It's a very bad path that we don't want to choose. It's selling drugs. And the fourth one is selling on the streets.

[Salim Reshamwala]

So Mark, when Lamin says he's selling on the street, what exactly does he mean?

[Mark Sanchez]

Lamin is talking about being a mantero, which is the slang word for illegal street vendor in Spain. And the selling usually happens in the most touristic areas in the city. And it's usually men of all ages, often of West African descent, selling things like shirts, bags and other wares.

[Salim Reshamwala]

You know, it's funny, my dad was actually a street vendor in London for a bit, selling Indian trinkets in trafalgar Square. And even when I was little, he'd import things as a side business, and sometimes he'd enlist me to help sell them at garage sales and flea markets. So I'm always interested in the techniques and tricks of getting people to buy things street side.

[Mark Sanchez]

It takes a lot of skill, and these guys are good salesmen. They make you laugh and they know how to talk to you, no matter where you're from.

[Salim Reshamwala]

How often are you yourself seeing street vendors in Barcelona? How. How common is it?

[Mark Sanchez]

I would say it's pretty normal since the Olympics in 92. Since then, I think that there's more tourists in the city, and I guess it was a good opportunity to sell things. But Marina's memory of her first encounter with Montero is much more clear.

[Marina Esmeralda]

The first time I got to Barcelona, a few days in, I was visiting Parquet, one of Gaudi's big works, in the city, with my family. And there were manteros there with their blankets and their wares spread on the blankets. And people loved to come up and touch everything and try them on and. And bargain and that kind of thing. But there was just this undercurrent of tension that I felt, particularly on this day, because I could see that the guy was tense. I think the police were coming up and he just wanted to leave, but he was also waiting to conclude the sale. And I don't remember if he did or not, but I just remember being left with this strong impression of, oh, wow, these guys have a, you know, a hard time.

[Mark Sanchez]

That's, I would say, a normal situation for a mantero, because they have to look around just in case this moment arrives. And actually, the word mantero comes from the Spanish word manta, which means blanket.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Oh.

[Mark Sanchez]

And in fact, the blanket has a rope around it just in case this moment happens. They can gather up everything in the blanket and run away.

[Lamine]

When you pull the rope, the next thing you do is run as fast as possible.

[Salim Reshamwala]

The way he's telling the story is from fun and energetic, but what they have to do is in response to something that's actually dangerous. Lemin shared a pretty terrifying story with us where a Montero was possibly killed by police in 2015 in a city called Salou, about an hour and a half away from Barcelona. Police entered the home of a Montero early one morning.

[Lamine]

The first version from the police was that a comrade jumped off his balcony. When his friends saw him, they noticed that his hands were handcuffed behind his back. And that created many demonstrations because the police version was Unbelievable. There were so many more demonstrations in Salud because we were very angry.

[Salim Reshamwala]

It's easy to forget that there's an actual danger to these situations of quasi personhood or, I don't know, quasi citizenship that the law can create. Did the protests actually change anything for the Monteros?

[Mark Sanchez]

To be honest, I'm not sure it changed anything on a systemic level. But the one really big thing that came out of these demonstrations is that the Manteros recognized their own power to.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Organize themselves, meaning they were sick of being excluded from the labor market and the social systems, all because the law made it hard for them to work.

[Lamine]

We didn't have a voice. Nobody cared about our situation. And nobody knew it either, because you only heard the police's voice, the media's voice, the politician's voice. And these three voices didn't speak well about us. That is what encouraged us to start this union.

[Salim Reshamwala]

And this union it represents.

[Mark Sanchez]

El Sindicato.

[Lamine]

The union is an organization of people, mostly from Senegal, Manteros, who have been sailing on the street for a long time. And at the end of 2015, they formed the union.

[Mark Sanchez]

They are not a legal union, they are actually listed as a people's association, but they just organize themselves in order to form fight for the right to work. So they function as a union.

[Salim Reshamwala]

It's like recognizing the language that a system has, right? Even though you're not officially allowed into that system, you can start changing things.

[Mark Sanchez]

Yes, they use the language for their own purpose.

[Salim Reshamwala]

It's almost like they didn't wait for permission in the best possible sense.

[Lamine]

That's why when we founded the union, we started giving talks to universities, schools and events with athletes. We were invited to many places.

[Mark Sanchez]

And as their union became more recognizable, they decided that they didn't want to be known for selling other brands products. They were going to launch their own brand.

[Salim Reshamwala]

After the break, Lamin and other Montero's collectively push all the way back against the system, taking what they learned from street vending and adding a whole new set of tools.

[Elise Hu]

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[Lamine]

We were enraged. We had a desire to launch this brand, to have our own products. It was also a challenge to show society that the person you see on the street doesn't just know how to sell and run away from the police. We wanted to show that we can participate in the development of society and we're capable of doing big things.

[Mark Sanchez]

They took their 200 or €300 that they collected among themselves and they invested in marketing their first product. It was a T shirt with a logo on it.

[Lamine]

With the money we have from the union, we bought 15 T shirts, and.

[Mark Sanchez]

They told the media that they were starting a brand.

[Lamine]

We told an artist comrade here how we wanted our logo, what characteristics it had to have. We got many drafts, and finally we chose a logo that represents us. We've always said that the brand's logo must be something that represents us. That's why we chose a boat and a blanket.

[Salim Reshamwala]

The logo sits in the center of the T shirt, and at a glance, it's simple. Two curved rectangles forming the image of a floating piece of cloth that almost looks like it's being set on the ground. But the shapes also form the outline of a boat, a part of their migration story. And now they had their first product ready. These shirts with a distinct logo on it. And they were ready to introduce themselves to the world. So how did they do that? Well, there was an event in town by a group of Brazilian artists who were showcasing work they'd done on street side clothing vendors in Brazil, and they'd asked some members of the Barcelona Montero's union to come as guests. The union members who are now the creators of this brand, Top Manta, had made 15 shirts so far, and they knew there would be media at the event. Ten core members showed up wearing their Top Manta gear.

[Mark Sanchez]

I asked him how much they sold the shirts for.

[Lamine]

It was €10. And we sold all five shirts for €10 each.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Each of the five shirts that they weren't wearing were sold immediately. And that's how the brand was unofficially introduced to the Barcelona scene. Top Manta was now in business.

[Lamine]

Because here they call this Top Manta as a way of putting. And we chose the very same name used to look down on us to give it worth.

[Salim Reshamwala]

The brilliance of all this is that by starting this unofficial union and this rebellious brand, they figured out a method to get some of their fellow Monteros, a very official way to stay in the country. So we looked into this and the requirements for gaining legal status are pretty stringent, especially if you're a refugee and it's hard to get a sponsor to help you do all this. But if you have a team of friends who now run a company together, well, it's like, now there's a path.

[Mark Sanchez]

The brand was strong at that moment, but they still continued to face some obstacles on the way.

[Lamine]

It was all obstacles so far. Everything we wanted to do and that we want to do is not the same for us. People from here, they go and do it and that's it. It's very difficult because social racism continues, the obstacles remain, and we are seen as foreigners.

[Salim Reshamwala]

It's tough to get hard statistics because the Spanish census does not ask questions about race and ethnicity. But black people are underrepresented in government. And a 2017 story in El Pais interviewed people of African descent and pointed to discriminatory comments they had heard throughout their careers, as well as negative stereotypes in the representation of black people in media and advertising.

[Marina Esmeralda]

I think that Barcelona has a racial diversity problem. I think that on the one hand, it's an amazing tolerant place that people can just be and do their thing, but I think that it's not really as integrated and diverse as it could be.

[Salim Reshamwala]

While they were working on getting past these obstacles, something else was happening. Covid19 so instead of prioritizing the brand, the Montero's shifted their focus, emptied out their shop and started making free PPE for healthcare workers.

[Lamine]

It was the people chased on the streets, who got their arms broken, who were fined, who Were sent to prison. These people risked their lives and decided to participate in this situation. It was a terrible, frightening situation, wasn't it? And at that very moment, we started manufacturing gowns and masks. We were able to manufacture more than 14,000 items during the lockdown. We distributed that to hospitals, nursing homes, and also private individuals free of charge.

[Salim Reshamwala]

This incredibly important work at the peak of a global pandemic was just their beginning. Their next step, and maybe their biggest as a brand, was to create a collection. And in the spirit of collaboration, they invited world renowned artists to make exclusive edition vintage denim jackets through a program they called Loteria Montera. And one of those collaborators was Marina, that Brazilian artist.

[Marina Esmeralda]

We all were, you know, mingling a little bit and introducing ourselves to each other. And we were going there to collect jackets. They were beautiful denim, vintage, or, you know, I don't know if vintage is the right name because vintage is supposedly 25 years old. But they were just these beautiful garments that we were going to customize. And the guys came out and they were, you know, they were greeting us there and everything. And then they started to invite everyone to sit down and they started to tell us their story. I just remember listening deeply and listening to their story and just really feeling full of emotion.

[Salim Reshamwala]

And that emotion, it inspired the design she put on that jacket.

[Marina Esmeralda]

On my jacket, I wrote, no one is illegal, which is one of the messages that they often use in the apparel that they make. And it goes back to that declaration of universal rights concept that, you know, freedom of movement, Everyone has the right to this, and nobody, no one person is illegal.

[Salim Reshamwala]

And Top Manta had a bigger vision than just growing a brand for the sake of making more money.

[Marina Esmeralda]

The goal was always to improve the street vendors living conditions as a community and take people out of the streets and help regularize their situations by providing visas and offering them jobs. And yeah, each unique jacket that was created was for that process.

[Mark Sanchez]

This collection was one of many things that signified Tom Manta's growth as a company. And before that, they had also created a crowdfunding campaign that would help them expand the brand.

[Lamine]

That's what allowed more than 2,500 people to participate in the crowdfunding. This allowed us to buy more clothes, to buy screen printing machines and start to print our garments.

[Salim Reshamwala]

The brand also opened a top Manta store on Don Rouge street in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona.

[Mark Sanchez]

Raval is in downtown Barcelona, next to the ancient city. It's a place where trendy, cool shops are and some tourists as well. But the most Important thing is that plenty of immigrants are living there. So there's like, I would say, a cool mix of everything.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Today, Top Manta sells ethically and sustainably made clothes, bags and shoes. For example, the Ande Dam line, which means walking together in Wolof, which is Senegal's national language. And Monteros are now being plugged into the fashion world. For example, Top Manta, Top Model was formed after fashion companies said that they were having trouble finding black models. And it now connects Monteros with modeling gigs.

[Lamine]

The media was looking for us to do stories and asked us to do reports. And they were no small media. It was the BBC, Al Jazeera, many large media organizations, even media from Portugal, Italy. Many came to do a report. Because everything we do, everything we have achieved, all the successes we've achieved is not just because of our work. Behind our work, there are many conscious people who have shared their privilege with us, who share our pain, situation in which we lived in, so that we're able to work and change things.

[Mark Sanchez]

So Tom Manta is now succeeding by traditional standards, but that doesn't mean that they are necessarily accepted by everyone. For example, we were talking to some African guys and they were saying that they don't feel like Tom Manta represents them, because Tom Manta is selling clothes to rich people, and they are not rich people.

[Salim Reshamwala]

This is interesting because it brings up the question of belonging again. Some of the people in the immigrant community you spoke to might feel excluded because they aren't able to buy these goods. In a way, Top Manta is navigating another version of that classic streetwear challenge of becoming inaccessible.

[Marina Esmeralda]

I think leaving your hometown makes you drift it forever in a way, because once you have the experience of living, it doesn't even have to be abroad. You can just move from your city, but you. You dig up your roots. Like as peoples, we were never meant to travel like it. There is a grief in leaving home. There is always difficult process in leaving your roots behind. And I'm working hard not to cry. It's hard. They have a hard life, but they're so brave as well. I really admire them. Working with Topmantok consolidated my thoughts on belonging, because I just realized that we don't belong anywhere. We belong to ourselves.

[Lamine]

We want the young people who arrive here or people born here, those who go to school, to college, to have a black role model, an example from their community where they can get help overcoming the obstacles they encounter here, the social racism they suffer. Racism that comes from teachers, from the school principals who always tell them that this is not their place and that they're not going to live their lives here. That has to stop right now. For a lot of people, we are a reference.

[Mark Sanchez]

As a Barcelonian, it makes me really proud to watch how Tom Manta has pushed back against oppression that they face when they're selling on the street. I mean, they made it and they opened the door for so many other people. So I asked Lemin how does it feel when he sees someone passing by on the street wearing Tom Manta sneakers?

[Lamine]

I fail a lot because I think I was always told that I couldn't. You're a nobody. You don't know anything. And I prove that I can. I do have the wisdom and I can do it.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Far Flung is produced by Jesse Baker and Eric Newsom of Magnificent Noise for Ted. Our producers for this episode are Huate Gitana, Salim, Russian Walla, Mark Sanchez and Cesar Pesquera. Production support in Barcelona by Alain Ruiz.

[Mark Sanchez]

Terol and Laura Grazioli.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Our production staff includes Elise Blennerhasset, Sabrina.

[Marina Esmeralda]

Farhee, Huete Gaetana Bam, Ben Chang, Sammy.

[Salim Reshamwala]

Case, Jimmy Gutierrez and Michelle Quint with the guidance of Roxanne hi Lash and Colin Helms. Our fact checkers are Nicole Boddy and Christian Apartheid. Voiceover by Jeremy House. Ad stories are produced by Transmitter Media. This episode was mixed and sound designed by Kristen Miller. Our executive producer is Eric Newsome. I'm Salim Russian.

[Elise Hu]

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[Salim Reshamwala]

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