Christopher Lockridge 
This holiday season Project Swish is giving back to young males across Chicago and remembering one of their own.
On November 24th, at just 14 years old, Armani Floyd was tragically killed shortly after attending the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Chicago. Floyd was an active participant in Project Swish where he found joy in playing basketball and regularly attended open runs. Prior to his passing, he had asked Project Swish founder McKinley Nelson for a single Christmas gift—a new pair of shoes.
While Floyd was unable to receive that gift, Nelson recently honored his promise. On Dec. 10th, the Project Swish founder hosted “Swishmas at Nash,” at the Nash Community Center, which also served as a mental health day. Floyd’s father, Ulysses Floyd Sr., was also invited to share his son’s story and reflect on the memories they shared. During the event, Nelson also distributed specially designed shoes to all attendees. The shoes, adorned with the late Floyd’s likeness and name, were created in his honor. The tribute served as a moving reminder of Floyd’s impact on those around him and of Nelson’s commitment to carrying out Floyd’s final request, even after his passing.
On November 26th, Nelson and Project Swish also hosted a Thanksgiving basketball session for Chicago’s youth at Ogden Park where dinner was served and open-run basketball games were played.
Participants gathered downstairs for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner served by Dalen Terry of the Chicago Bulls. Terry expressed his passion for giving back to the youth, stating, “I love to give back especially to the youth. It’s important to encourage the youth and let them know I was once in their shoes and they can make it to the league like me. I want them to know life is not easy but they can push through.”
During that event, the organization also took the time to acknowledge the very recent passing of Floyd. “Armani was loved, and he was a excellent ball player,” said Nelson. “Our main mission with Project Swish is to give the youth something to do so they won’t be in the middle of negative actions in Chicago.”
To learn more about Project Swish, visit their website.
By Christopher Lockridge
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