As sweeping changes unfold across the country, local community activists and organizers remain vital. In Milwaukee, philanthropist and entrepreneur Eric “Shake” James continues his work while expanding his partnership with Adidas through his latest drop—the limited-edition “Twilight” collection.
On March 1, Shake and Adidas’ Cornerstone Community hosted a warm-up launch party at his sneaker boutique, Clicks. Following the celebration, the duo held an open-to-the-public “Friends & Family” basketball game featuring Brooklyn Queen and Bizness Boi. The event also included a special halftime performance by That Girl Lay Lay.
During the launch party, Blavity spoke with Shake about his Adidas collaboration, community efforts, and plans for expansion. With nearly 20 years of nonprofit work under his belt, he says his activism was sparked by recognizing a disconnect between what the community offered and what young people truly needed to succeed.
“I was totally disconnected from how bad it is,” Shake said. “When I started my nonprofit journey in 2008, I was just doing small things—shoe drives, turkeys, and stuff like that. But when George Floyd was killed in 2020, I saw all these companies pledging money. They said, ‘We’re going to do this, and we’ll help that.’ Now, it’s 2025, and all that little change is gone. We took one step forward and 12 steps back.”
As a property owner, Shake began seeking ways to create an immediate impact. “I have a building with a small side and a bigger one. I turned the bigger side into a store,” he said. “The small side became a space called Study Hall. During the pandemic, we offered free tutoring, SAT prep, Wi-Fi, food, drinks—whatever you needed. We did job training and other things. I wanted to be an asset to the youth. Now, as I speak to kids, they just want to know how to do it.”
Bridging the Gap for Milwaukee’s Youth
Shake sees firsthand how much kids in Milwaukee’s inner city want to succeed but lack a clear path forward.
“They don’t believe that if they go to school for four years and then college, they can have an ‘X’ career,” he said. “But when they see me and realize I walked these same streets, it validates that it can be done.”
As a lifelong sneakerhead, Shake acknowledges Black culture’s massive influence on fashion while highlighting the lack of ownership.
“We, as Black people, are the number one consumer in fashion, but we don’t own any of it,” he said. “They need to know that. There’s a pathway in footwear, apparel, and all that. That’s what I try to teach them. Every time I have a drop, I want to reinforce that message.”
A Longstanding Partnership With Adidas
Shake’s partnership with Adidas has been years in the making. “It’s been a great partnership,” he said. “When your vision aligns with the people you work with, it’s easy. We’re both trying to win in communities and make a change.”
He appreciates that Adidas consistently supports his efforts. “I’m always doing things for others. I don’t do things expecting anything in return,” he said. “But when people fly in, check on me, and make sure things are right for me—that’s special. I couldn’t ask for more.”
The ‘Twilight’ Collection
This latest drop features two sneakers:
Crazy IIInfinity (red and black) – Designed for on-court performance.
Mad IIInfinity Mule – A futuristic slip-on built for casual wear and off-court comfort.
Photo: Adidas
“I dropped my first shoe in 2023, called Day One,” Shake said. “It was about making sure kids understand that when you choose your ‘day one,’ you choose wisely. That person keeps you on the right path. This is a continuation of that. My ‘Day One’ and I bonded over basketball, so I wanted to create a basketball sneaker. Nowadays, kids wear a mule to the court, then change to play.”
Giving Back Through Basketball
Shake’s love for basketball extends to mentoring young athletes.
“I have the Jay Academy AAU basketball team,” he said. “For me, it’s not about making it to the NBA—there are only 455 players, so the odds are slim. It’s more about getting them to college. You can love the game without playing in it. You could be a manager, an equipment guy, an agent, or work in the front office. There are so many different paths.”
His nonprofit, Jay Academy, helps bridge the gap. “I’ve been doing nonprofit work since 2008, but I was doing it wrong at first,” he admitted. “I didn’t know anything about nonprofits. One day, I called Adidas and said, ‘Hey, I want to do a back-to-school thing.’ They said, ‘Sure, Shake. What do you need?’ I asked for 50 pairs of shoes, and they were like, ‘Sure, anything else?’”
Jay Academy remains his passion. “By June, the brick-and-mortar should be open,” he said. “It’ll be a neighborhood resource center. It’s in a rough neighborhood, but that’s where I want to be. I always want to be where the need is greatest.”
Staying the Course
With so much happening on a federal level, Shake remains focused on what he can control—his community.
“I think we all need to stay the course,” he said. “The number one thing is to fight for your ideas. If we want to win together, we have to learn how to work together. I’m not really into politics like that, but I know it’s a long grind. We just have to keep our heads down and keep working.”
