Courtesy of Nike
Justice Swann is a lot like many kids. The 7-year-old loves to do puzzles and jump on trampolines. But last year, Justice did something most kids don’t get to do. He designed a special pair of sneakers.
Sneaker company Nike asked Jewell Loyd of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to create her own shoe. Loyd thought Justice was perfect for the job. So she reached out to her best friend, Laci Swann, who is Justice’s mother.
Justice has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Like some people with ASD, Justice doesn’t speak. But he expresses himself in other ways, like through his drawings.
Nike sent Justice a blank piece of paper in the shape of a shoe. His older sister, Sloan, helped with the design. Justice filled the sneaker with his favorite thing to draw: smiley faces. But in place of a smile, Justice used Nike’s logo, a swoosh, for the mouth.