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Arts & Entertainment

You can rep Wakanda with this Plano company's Marvel-approved 'Black Panther' jerseys

Updated 2 p.m. on June 14, 2018

Black Panther-emblazoned baseball jerseys from Plano-based Mizizi were a hot seller and sold out within days of being made available. Good news: "They'll be back restocked on Juneteenth, 6/19," writes company head Paakow Essandoh.

The jersey costs $79.99 and can be bought via the Mizizi website, mizizishop.com.

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Previously: In Swahili, Mizizi means "roots."

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That's what drives Plano resident Paakow Essandoh, the head of "streetwear brand" Mizizi International.

He wanted to help Africans show pride in their countries of origin.

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The company's values are clearly laid out: "connection and representation." A way to do that was with wearables that signify countries, with more on the way: Haiti, Brazil, Jamaica, Ghana, etc. There is also clothing to represent the continent, Africa, and ideals such as "Black Lives Matter."

Essandoh's customers drove the company's latest endeavor. They talked on social media about what MIZIZI gear they would wear to Black Panther, the blockbuster movie based in the fictional African nation of Wakanda. And some wanted a "Black Panther jersey."

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He thought it was a good idea, though he didn't know how feasible it could be.

"I could see it," he says. "I could envision it. ... It just kind of made sense." But how to get Marvel to sign off on it? How to make it official?

Persistence. He got in contact with Marvel. And kept getting in contact with Marvel until the fans' dreams became reality.

Prices range from $49.99-$89.99 to rep your origin in either basketball, baseball or hockey jerseys.

The Wakanda baseball jerseys, emblazoned with the Black Panther's country of origin, go on sale Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m.

For more news, views and reviews, follow @DawnBurkes on Twitter.