Nike gave free “Hottie State of Mind” T-shirts and free pairs of its newest walking shoe, the Motiva, to people who participated in the mile and a half-long walk.
In an effort to promote fitness and Nike’s partnership with Megan Thee Stallion, the sporting goods company invited college students to participate in “Thee Hottie Walk,” a mile and a half-long walk around Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum guided by the Houston-born rapper.
Nike invited participants to try out and keep its newest walking shoe, the Motiva. Before the official “Hottie Walk” started, Nike revealed its surprise guest, two-time Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Chloe Kim. Nike even provided guests with a walkthrough of a mindfulness exercise.
Megan Thee Stallion made sure to emphasize the “Hottie State of Mind,” a way to treat yourself with kindness and still prioritize your mental and physical well-being. At the end of the event, guests were given a T-shirt that highlighted that the Hottie State of Mind is an energy, an attitude, and a new way to move.
“Being a hot girl, being a hot boy, having a Hottie State Of Mind just means that you are able to turn up, have a good time,” Megan Thee Stallion said. “Be who you are, unapologetically, and still handle your business. Just do you.”
Some students said they took the Hottie State of Mind message to heart, embodying the message and letting Megan Thee Stallion’s confidence embolden them.
“Being Black and gay, it’s kind of difficult just existing or in general, but I feel like she gives an outlet for me to exist and to be more confident in who I am,” said James Turner, a senior majoring in pharmacology and drug development.
For some students, the event served as a way for communities to come together, said Lucero Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in business administration who walked the track.
“It’s so fun ’cause the gym community, the USC community, and just the baddie communities are all here,” Rodriguez said.
The event parallels the Hot Girl Walk, a four mile-long walk started in 2020 by Mia Lind, who cited Megan Thee Stallion and her song “Body” as an inspiration for the trend. Lind wanted people to walk while only thinking about three things: what they’re grateful for, their goals and how to achieve them and how hot they are.
“Thee Hottie Walk” helped some people get back into being active again, said Alexandria Gee, a junior majoring in theatre. It served as an excuse to get up and walk and as an inspiration to keep going, Gee said.
Hayley Simpson, a freshman majoring in international relations, said she was “shocked” to see Megan Thee Stallion in person.
“It was fantastic, and I’m really glad that [she] promotes wellness, especially within college students,” Simpson said.
The event sought to promote more than just physical wellness but also encouraged guests to prioritize their mental health, a statement from Nike said, emphasizing the mindfulness workshop that the event started with.
“Megan Thee Stallion is a really great example for women, and [she] especially makes a lot of Black women feel empowered,” said Miko Mariscal, a senior majoring in sociology. “Having her within the community is really important. And also, she’s a college baddie, too.”
