Former UK basketball player Ramel Bradley teams with Floyd's Barbershop to build confidence in Lexington kids

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Ramel "Smooth" Bradley is teaming up with Floyd's Barbershop for a community event series that brings together athletes, creatives and kids to celebrate Lexington culture.

A new community event series organized by a former Wildcat is using basketball, culture and the barbershop to help kids build confidence.

Former University of Kentucky basketball player Ramel "Smooth" Bradley is partnering with Floyd's Barbershop in Lexington to create a space where young people can connect and build confidence. For Bradley, the barbershop is a natural place to do it.

"The barbershop has always historically been a place where you can come, you can gather, and you can have those conversations that you might not necessarily feel comfortable having," Bradley said.

You may know Bradley as a former UK basketball player. Now, he's using his connection to Lexington to give back to a younger generation. He said the motto driving the effort is simple: look good, feel good.

"When you feel a certain way, you, you show that confidence through how you show up and how you engage with different people," Bradley said.

The first community event kicks off Thursday night at Floyd's Barbershop on South Broadway. The event will bring together musicians, creators, athletes and members of the community.

"What better way to bring folks together, entrepreneurs, creatives, close friends, and not only celebrate life and Lexington culture but also create opportunities for the next generations of kids," Bradley said.

It's that sense of connection that made the partnership a natural fit for Floyd's Regional Manager Athena Lohr.

"Being a stylist and being here and talking to people to be able to engage and be part of their lives and hear their stories, you know, we've had some very good conversations and that's, that's a lot of fun. We get to have that special bond with one another," Lohr said.

For Bradley, the goal is simple. "At the end of the day we just want people to come as they are because this is a celebration of the people who ultimately make the community that shapes the culture here in Lexington," Bradley said.

The other two events will be held at the other Floyd's Barbershop's next month.

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