Several big names came together on Wednesday in Atlanta, Georgia, to give the daughter of George Floyd a memorable birthday.
With the help of Atlanta restaurant owners Ericka and William Platt, several celebrities, including Shaquille O'Neal and Lil Baby, attended a huge birthday party for Gianna Floyd, according to TMZ.
Gianna turned 7 years old, and it's her first birthday without her father.
The party took place at The Pink Hotel and was decked out with balloons, food and more. Rapper, Lil Baby covered all of the expenses for the party.
Roxie Washington, Gianna's mother, spoke with Forbes and said the party was able to bring a lot of joy to the family after suffering a public tragedy this summer.
"This is a very difficult time for my daughter, so we’re very grateful that our extended family is creating such a special experience for Gianna on her first birthday without her father," Washington told Forbes.
Former NBA star Stephen Jackson was also in attendance with his children, and Lil Baby brought his children as well. In addition, one of Future's children was there alongside the child of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, who was shot to death by police in Atlanta this summer.
The Platts met with Gianna in July and built a connection with her as well as Jackson, who knew Floyd in his youth.
Jackson and the Platts decided they would hold a birthday party for Gianna. In an interview with Forbes, Ericka Platt explained that she lost the father of her daughter 17 years ago and has fought for more attention to be paid to the children left behind after gun or police violence.
“There are a lot of children who are suffering and are traumatized. We have to continue to support them after the headlines and attention disappears," she told Forbes, adding that Lil Baby has also been a strong advocate for children suffering from the after-effects of violence, even creating the song, "The Bigger Picture," which was about the protests this summer after Floyd's killing.
“The song is really about supporting children who lost their parents to violence. Lil Baby decided to sponsor Gianna’s birthday party and has been very supportive. We are very grateful for that,” Ericka said.
From June 12 to June 25, the song was streamed 65.4 million times, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
Floyd died at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May, setting off months of global protests against racism and police brutality.
