THE SWAP is a transformative exchange program designed for high school and university students from underserved communities who identify as ethnic minorities. As a proud member of THE SWAP team, I had the privilege of traveling to Chicago in 2022, supporting the program’s initiatives, and mentoring students.

Over the course of the two week immersion students gained an unparalleled experience, taking them behind closed doors and to lesser known sides of the city, not only behind the velvet rope, but to the kinds of places not always celebrated but important none the less. To sites of historical significance in the black and brown communities and to meet people in the community that can inspire them to go beyond the life they may have imagined. This included visiting the United centre, home of the Chicago bulls, and playing basketball, talks from industry leaders like Don C, and getting the opportunity to meet icons like Tinker Hatfield and Howard White, as well as past and present NBA players.

Our brief was to create a basketball jersey using common themes that linked the two host cities. At the end of the programme the students successfully pitched their designs to top Nike and Jordan executives. Their work was later featured in London’s Black History Month events, being the official match jersey of the basketball matches a testament to their creativity and potential of the cohort of 2022.

Subsequently a film was made about the project for which we earned two grammy nominations.