B(l)ack to Nature & Volunteering: The Compton Jr. Posse Legacy
When you think of equestrian sports or anything involving horses, you probably don’t think of Compton, California or it’s Black population. Well, that’s changing. Compton Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Organization is at the helm of that change and they are dedicated to connecting youths to nature. Compton Jr. Posse is a nonprofit organization founded by Mayisha Akbar in Richland Farms, a semirural part of Compton. CJP has been breaking down barriers and changing lives for nearly 30 years! Akbar noticed the potential of Richland when she was a realtor and decided to invest and provide a safe space for kids in her community. Since then, Compton Jr. Posse is flourishing with educational, riding, ranching, and outreach programs.
Transcending Expectations
Akbar grew up in a rural area herself, and through her experience, she knew that working with horses and nature was a way to get youth in contact with themselves. Empowerment is key for Compton Jr. Posse. What keeps this organization running at it’s best and highest is the support of volunteers and donations. When I heard about the chance to volunteer with horses, you couldn’t have turned me away! I am still overjoyed! It was a beautiful experience, and I met Mayisha Akbar, other local leaders, and alumni of Compton Jr. Posse. It was an enriching chance to be truly selfless.
I volunteered with family and made new friends, assisting CJP in preparation for their upcoming summer program. Driving up to the Compton Jr. Posse grounds, you wouldn’t think there are beautiful horses gnawing on hay in the humble and quiet neighborhood. But when I got out the car and sniffed the air, I knew they were close. On the ranch, two riders were out on the horses, decked in riding gear. I instantly felt awe seeing the two young Black women riding with such control as if they were born to be on horseback.
Historically, Richland Farms has been home to many Black horse riders since the mid-20th century. There is a rich culture of Black cowboys and horseback riders in the area due to the expansion West. Compton Jr. Posse is continuing that legacy, establishing the first inner-city equestrian team, in 2009, to compete in the Interscholastic Equestrian League (IEL). My opening sentence that kicks-off this blog post isn’t just food-for-thought. Equestrianism can be highly expensive, and an activity reserved for the ‘elite’. Compton Jr. Posse is able to compete with donated riding gear and much more. Seeing the riders, I got a glimpse of how special CJP is for being a space where youths can ride, compete and win, all while learning about the nature of horses. For more information on their programs click here.
Being of Service
When it got down to putting the words ‘being of service’ to action, I worked on the stables with a group of seven people, one of which was Ty, an alum of CJP and one of the riders I saw before. My group worked on some “construction” that directly affected the lives of two horses. Pirate, a horse with a strong build and lovely black coat and mane, is basically retired. He was a champion in his day, winning equestrian competitions with his riders. Now, he likes to eat and do his business in the same space. The spot he stood in was basically his Lazyboy recliner and trusty television set: he didn’t want to leave. Yet, the work we did, clearing out the area and leveling the ground, was helpful in keeping his legs healthy and strong.
While we were cleaning, he came over twice to see just what the hell we were doing. It was obvious he had a sweet demeanor, all he wanted was to be in his space again. And when we were done and Ty guided him back to his stable, he admired his living space, touching his nose to the new even ground of his favorite spot. Then he went on back to eating. That felt like a ‘thanks’ to me. It was a small, and strenuous, action cleaning up the stable yet it was significant to Pirate and helped Compton Jr. Posse immensely. One of the coordinators of the volunteer day, Mark, said what we did in just a few hours, would have taken months to accomplish.
Compton Jr. Posse’s services are in high demand and in order to meet that need, they need people who are willing to share their time and donations. While volunteering I was able to see a glimpse of some of the materials needed like more work gloves, grooming materials, pickaxes, and wheelbarrows. While my group worked on the stables, other activities that needed tending to were painting, gardening, helping build a fence. So if maintaining stables isn’t quite your thing, there are other ways to lend a hand. Click here for ways to get involved and be a change agent!
Talking to Ty, helped me to further understand the basic necessities that may not cross a donors mind. One of the biggest she said was simply dirt. Dirt to maintain the stables and keep the ground level for the horses. I saw just how important it was to have dirt when one of my group members was swinging a pickaxe to break ground. While I worked with six other people to shift the loose earth around, filling up the spot in Pirates stable.
The Compton Jr. Posse Legacy
What made the volunteer experience even more impactful was to hear Mayisha Akbar and another alum, Randy Hook, speak about how Compton Jr. Posse is a form of environmental justice. A big part of Compton Jr. Posse programs are to encourage better communication and expression of emotions. she stated “kids learn how to deal with their emotions,” and “see what it takes to nurture and bring out the best in another being.” This is vital for inner-city youth, to speak in nonverbal ways. The kids learn to do public speaking, write essays and other forms of writing to better express themselves and build relationships with people. Compton Jr. Posse kids are known for public speaking, doing apprenticeships and being ambassadors in places like South Korea. Many create goals for their futures, go to college, and continue to do amazing things.
Compton Jr. Posse truly is an entryway to getting b(l)ack to nature in the inner city. Although Compton and the greater Los Angeles area is close to the ocean, sometimes in the city, you can feel landlocked, physically and mentally. To challenge that idea, CJP’s motto is “Keeping kids On horses and Off the Streets!”
If you need any more proof of CPJ’s success, look to the Compton Cowboys, the group Randy Hook is a part of. It is composed of alumni from Compton Jr. Posse. Randy himself, and his twin brother Carolton, were involved with CJP since the beginning. Randy recognizes that the ranch is a type of “oasis” in Compton and it’s helped to transform the lives of himself and his friends. Randy stated that much of the attitude of kids around the ranch when he was growing up was “Regardless of what I have to do, I’m going to get myself right to ride these horses” because the ranch draws kids intrinsically to explore nature.
The Compton Cowboys are transforming cowboy culture, riding their horses bareback and wearing clothes like Air Jordan’s, which member Anthony Harris mentioned in a New York Times article focused on the group. Many in the group were actually in CJP since the nonprofit began. They ride their horses around Compton, to represent cowboy culture as they see it and as a way of protection in the high crime area. They carry the legacy of transcending barriers and expectations to the predominately white rodeo scene as well.
I love animals and I hadn’t been around a horse in almost a year. As I was volunteering, I couldn’t help thinking to myself that I would have loved to be in this program as a kid. To build a kinship with a horse or one of the other animals in CJP’s care (goats and a llama) and bond with other kids that realize the significance of such a connection. CJP embodies honoring and servicing the vast potential of people that live in underserved communities. I’m definitely volunteering with Compton Jr. Posse again
Email: contact@comptonjrposse.org for more info.
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Best,
Kai 😀
