Take a quick glimpse into black history and you will see the infinite groundbreaking achievements that various black figures have made that ultimately impacted our people and the world. One of the more popular areas that many African-Americans have left their footprint in is the world of sports. Who can forget Jackie Robinson, who faced overt racism every day as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. And we have to acknowledge our black queen Serena Williams who continues to rack up titles in tennis despite modern-day racism and sexism.
Whether it's breaking barriers as a top-tier player in a predominately white sport or proving that athleticism knows no gender, we have always found our way to victory. Following in the footsteps of these legends is self-taught golfer/long-driver Troy Mullins. After years of being a Track and Field star, Troy decided to trade in her track shoes for a golf club instead. "I fell into golf and long driving. I used to be a track athlete. I used to do the heptathlon. Shot put and javelin have pretty much the same lower body movements as golf, and so I had this natural kinda swing," she told xoNecole.
Golf Digest
As she began embarking on a new journey into golf, she started to notice how far she can hit the ball and with more practice, she started entertaining the idea of long-driving, but it was a risky move. Being a long-driver is all about hitting the golf ball as far as you can by driving it with the swing of your golf club. When she decided to meet with a long driving coach, he cautioned her that if she went this route, she would no longer be labeled as a "golfer." His warning kept Troy at bay for only so long, as she knew that this was a new avenue that she was willing and ready to explore.
So in 2012, Troy decided to enter a long driving contest as a golfer instead of a long driver, and she ended up taking second place. And in that moment, her new career in long driving began. Even with such an astounding win, five years went by before Troy decided to enter another contest and in 2017, she entered the World Long Drive Mile High Showdown and won, even breaking a world record, solidifying her position as a World Long-Drive champion. "My aspiration is to still be on tour. I love golf and I love all aspects of it so being able to hit the ball really far and do all these long drive contests is just a plus," Troy explained.
"I love golf and I love all aspects of it so being able to hit the ball really far and do all these long drive contests is just a plus."
Being successful in a sport that she picked up for only a few short years is unheard of, and as talented as she is, there are others who seek to dim her light. A black woman with big, natural curls on a golf course isn't necessarily something that you see every day, and just like the aforementioned athletes before her, her presence wasn't always welcomed.
"It's still a very elitist sport and there's a lot of country club girls that end up playing golf. There's a lot of situations but golf is---when I step onto a golf course--I'm usually the only woman of color and I've definitely had looks and comments, but nothing outright racist. I haven't been verbally assaulted or anything but I've definitely been picked on and I think it's just with any sport that's only beginning to be more diverse. I think that's expected and I don't really let it hinder [me]. I expect that people still have their views and that's ok, that's their prerogative. It doesn't stop me from what I'm set out to do."
World Long Drive
But when things do get rough, she turns to her support system or, as she lovingly calls them, "her tribe." These people range from her mom to her friends, and even the parents of students that she tutors.
As a young black woman breaking barriers on the golf course, she understands that other people are looking at her, especially children and so she always makes sure that she is carrying herself in a positive light, even when social media says the opposite. "I know in this world of social media, you can kinda get sucked into it and as a woman athlete, people try to sexualize [us] and because I have a lot of young followers, I think it's important to show that you can be who you are and you don't have to give into the male gaze," she expressed.
Golf Digest
"It's important to show that you can be who you are and you don't have to give into the male gaze."
Having morals and a strong identity of self might have a little to do with her personal heroes. One, in particular, is her father Billy Mullins, who was a professional track and field athlete and was invited to participate in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Moscow. She also admires Florence Griffith Joyner aka Flo Jo, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan, just to name a few. When she's not knocking golf balls out of sight, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her Pomeranian named Etta James and catching up on tea over tea.
Troy Mullins
But whether she's golfing or sipping tea with friends, one thing's for sure, Troy is leaving behind a legacy by laying down the foundation for other young black girls who are wanting to pursue golfing and don't instantly see themselves. Because of her, now they can, and now they do.
To keep up with Troy Mullins and her history-making journey, follow her on Twitter @Troyger and Instagram @trojangoddess.
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Featured photo by World Long Drive
- Tiger Woods challenges Troy Mullins to a long-drive contest ›
- Swing Sequence: Breaking Down Troy Mullins' Power - Golf Digest ›
- Long Drive star Troy Mullins wants you to drive like her - Golf ›
- Troy Mullins is Driven to Conquer | African American Golfer's Digest ›
- Meet Troy Mullins, a long-drive champion with LPGA dreams - Golf ›
- Tiger Woods drops the mic on Troy Mullins | Golf Channel ›
- TROY MULLINS (@trojangoddess) • Instagram photos and videos ›
- Long Driver Troy Mullins' Dynamic Drill Exercises | Golf Channel ›
- Troy Mullins is long drive golf champion but she's striving for the LPGA ›
- World Long Drive: Troy Mullins Interview - Wins The Mile High ... ›
RELATED
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
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When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
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When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
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