Black History Month Conversation Series – Episode 7

Black History Month Conversation Series

In our newest Conversation Series, we highlight and celebrate Black History Month. During the month of February, we will highlight and celebrate a number of Region IV’s professionals that identify as Black or African American.

Episode 7 | Melissa Mapson and Courtney Rorex

In this fitness-focused episode of the Black History Month Conversation Series, we chat with a couple of young fitness professionals – Melissa Mapson, Coordinator of Fitness & Wellness with Louisiana State University UREC, and Courtney Rorex, Coordinator of Fitness with the University of Houston’s Department of Campus Recreation.

After Melissa and Courtney share their respective pathways to their current professional roles, they dive in to the importance of Black History Month – to celebrate being Black women, “being authentically ourselves,” and to continue learning about “those that have paved the way.”

Melissa and Courtney next share their experiences and challenges as Black women in the fitness industry. Courtney shared first:

One of the challenges I realized early was I was one of the only Black women (participants) in that space. I recognized an opportunity for me to be that representation for people that look like me in the space and make them feel comfortable coming in. That was a big driving factor for me to pursue certifications and to be at the front of the room.

Courtney also reflects on how important simply having access to fitness resources and opportunities can be:

I didn’t realize this at the time, but there was a lot of things I didn’t have access to before getting to college when it comes to fitness, that some people that are non-Black may have experience with. Things like yoga and mind-body formats, I had never experienced those before getting to college and becoming a fitness professional…Just being that representation in that space has made my experience as a fitness professional so fulfilling, and makes me want to keep doing the work to bring more women of color, people of color, into this space, so that we can show that fitness is for every body, everyone, and that they do belong.

Melissa added on:

One thing that I’ve learned too along the way is that as we get these certifications and we have these opportunities, a point of struggle for me is strong mentorship and where to find that. I’ve been super intentional about finding that now as a professional, and making sure I have at least one or two people in different fields, from different backgrounds, that can help me be successful and can help me navigate this. Because, as Courtney mentioned, there are so few of us, it’s hard to find mentorship in general, and to find mentorship from people that look like us.

Melissa also candidly shares the struggle of perceptions as a woman and as a Black woman, whether it’s people shaking the hand of a non-Black or non-female’s hand first, or going to another colleague to discuss fitness equipment or a program outcome, instead of coming to her.

Even if they do know your qualifications and certifications, you still experience that. Working with those two identities as a fitness professional is sometimes difficult, and it’s something that we have to fight for and stand up for and…be clear about who we are and why we’re here.

Courtney and Melissa share previous experiences working with students and fellow Black professionals, or the lack of experience in various roles prior to becoming professionals. Melissa also cites the importance of the Black Women of NIRSA group as a connection point, especially in such a challenging year as 2020 was.

After shouting out a few role models in the fitness industry, the conversation transitions to addressing some of the impacts race plays in the fitness industry. One aspect many non-Black and non-Black-women may not consider of is the impact of hair care and participation. Courtney suggests that Black female participation may increase later in the week as they “know they’re going to do their hair,” and Melissa echoes the joy of seeing Black women come in with a head wrap; “I’m still here, I don’t care what I had to do to get here, and y’all are gonna love it.”

Additionally, there may be stereotypes of Black men versus Black women in fitness. Courtney shares:

When you see Black men specifically in fitness, they’re normally, stereotypically super hardcore. You know, that boot camp attitude, that is always “pedal to the metal,” they have to go super hard…That’s why I love seeing Black people in yoga and mind-body, because that’s not typically a space where we see ourselves represented. Being able to be so diverse, and well-versed in the fitness industry is one of my favorite things when it comes to Black people specifically in fitness because of those stereotypes and those microaggressions that may not be recognized by people that don’t identify as Black.

Melissa brings back the idea of access to fitness equipment and resources as an area where race again plays a part:

Working at a predominantly white institution, a lot of the students will come in wearing Lu Lu Lemon, and they’re wearing all of the whatever they all wear because they all wear the same thing. Myself included; I’ll wear it sometimes as well. But not everybody has access to that, and not everybody feels comfortable to say, “I didn’t bring my yoga mat; did I need to bring my Yogi mat? And did I need to have the block and the strap?” Being able to feel comfortable and being able to provide that for them so that they don’t feel like that have to have X, Y and Z to participate in any given activity.

Our participants share some advice for young, Black professionals:

• “Know who you are. Know what your values are. Know what makes you unique and different, and stand by that.”
• “Make sure you’re bringing people along the way.”
• “Don’t be afraid to be in the spaces where you don’t see yourself already.”

Feel free to reach out to our participants via e-mail: Melissa and/or Courtney.

About Black History Month

Black History Month is the annual celebration of achievements by Black and African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans in the early 1900s. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.