Source: Jed Jacobsohn / Getty
Whether it’s cultivating youth empowerment initiatives through his Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation or backing historically Black colleges and universities, NBA star Stephen Curry has displayed his dedication to uplifting underserved communities and underrepresented groups. For his latest project, the Golden State Warriors guard has set out to diversify the world of golf.
The sport has historically lacked representation and remains white-male dominated. Research shows that 9.5 percent of professional golfers are Black, and 14 percent are Latinx. Women account for only 8 percent of golf professionals. Cognizant of the racial and gender disparities and barriers to entry, Curry uses his lifestyle brand Underrated to make the sport more accessible.
Through the company—which he founded in 2019—he’s leading a project dubbed Underrated Golf that is centered on creating pathways in the sport for youth through education and equity. Student-athletes who are part of the program will have access to exclusive golf courses and will have the opportunity to network and foster connections with power players and leading corporations to learn about career paths within the sport. The top youth golfers will compete in the brand’s upcoming Underrated Golf Tour for a Curry Cup.
Underrated Golf will also be used to develop a pipeline of diverse talent for sports corporations. Curry says the initiative will help push the needle forward when it comes to inclusivity.
“I created Underrated back in 2019 with the goal of celebrating the underdog,” he shared in a statement. “Underrated is a mindset, a motivation, a calling, a compliment. With this inspiration, I am excited to expand the brand into Underrated Golf, which happens to be one of the most inaccessible sports for underrepresented individuals across the globe. Underrated Golf will provide equity, access and opportunity, recognizing the instrumental role the sport plays as one of the greatest vehicles and connectors for life successes.”
Curry has continually used sports as a means for social change. News about the Underrated Golf project comes a year after he pledged to financially support Howard University’s golf program for six years.
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Stephen Curry Unveils Project Centered On Diversifying Golf was originally published on newsone.com
