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Inspiring Passion at the Ground Level
NNPA NEWSWIRE — As one of the PGA’s rare Black Professionals – fewer than 1% of PGA Professionals are African American – Demarkis Cooper understands his role in shaping an atmosphere that more people are comfortable in and that changes some of golf’s negative perceptions.
The post Inspiring Passion at the Ground Level first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

PGA Professional Demarkis Cooper is working to make golf more inclusive and inspire passion for it in others.
By Anthony Witrado, PGA of America
As a preteen, Demarkis Cooper had dreams of playing quarterback. Maybe, one day, being the face of a franchise, or even the face of the NFL.
But over the span of a few minutes back in June 2008, after hitting a handful of golf balls while on vacation with his family, Cooper made a spontaneous declaration that would change his life.
“I’m never playing football again!” Cooper proclaimed to his father, Derwin, days after Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open on a fractured leg.
With that statement, the 12-year-old Cooper was on his way to becoming a PGA of America Member, one with an influential voice in golf’s developing effort to diversify the sport and make it a more inclusive activity.
He was recognized for that last week at the 2022 PGA Show in Orlando as a glowing example of the Make Golf Your Thing movement.
Cooper is also a part of the 2021-22 PGA LEAD class.
PGA LEAD is a two-year leadership training program for diverse Members committed to taking on voluntary leadership roles within the PGA at the Chapter, Section and National levels.
It’s another way for underrepresented Members to have a stronger voice within the Association, and the golf industry.
If you’re interested in PGA Membership, visit pga.org/membership.
As one of the PGA’s rare Black Professionals – fewer than 1% of PGA Professionals are African American – Cooper understands his role in shaping an atmosphere that more people are comfortable in and that changes some of golf’s negative perceptions.
His work at CitySwing, an indoor golf facility in Washington D.C. that strives “to change the culture of golf by eliminating the barriers into the game,” reflects that.
“All of us have to do our part to make sure we bring in more people into golf,” says Cooper, now 25.
“Being a part of the PGA and what they’re doing to really try to make things more inclusive, that’s exactly what I’m trying to do at CitySwing. So people who come from a different background, they have someone like me to look at and connect with to keep them in the game.
“I just want to be able to make the biggest difference I can.”
After that family trip, Cooper, an athlete who played multiple sports, wasted no time entering area junior golf tournaments.
To his surprise during his first competition, there was no halftime break after nine holes, and he estimates he shot “about 150” in that initial event.
Still, he fell in love with the game and went on to play college golf at the HBCU Maryland Eastern Shore while going through its PGA Golf Management University program.
The PGA’s PGM programs provide classroom courses, internship experience and opportunities for player development for aspiring PGA Professionals.
Currently 18 universities offer the bachelor’s degree program.
To learn more about the PGA of America’s PGM program, visit pga.org/membership/university-program.
Going through the program, Cooper became fully invested in pursuing a career in golf. It was his passion, and he wanted to stay involved in any way possible.
“The way I figured, I love golf, and if I’m a Member of the PGA, I’ll always have a job in golf,” Cooper says. “I knew I could make a lifelong career out of this, and that’s what I wanted to do.”
Earning Membership and becoming a PGA Teaching Professional is Cooper’s way of making a living through that passion.
And after countless hours of lessons and his experience in talking with new golfers, he believes the way to bring more people of color into the game, the industry and potentially PGA Membership, is by sparking their love for the game at the grassroots level.
Programs like PGA Jr. League and PGA Family Cup, he believes, are great ways to attract new audiences of young people and create that love at an early age. And along with non-traditional facilities like CitySwing, those experiences can focus on giving people a comfortable, welcoming experience that keeps them playing and finding their love.
Cooper also says promoting diverse golf influencers like NBA star Stephen Curry, a PGA Jr. League Ambassador, and influencer Roger Steele, the founder of progressive content agency HIPE Media, can be ways to get people of color interested in golf, even if they’ve never considered it before.
The emphasis being that the more people see others who look like them playing the game, the more likely they’ll gravitate toward it.
As Cooper sees it, there won’t be another “Tiger boom” that fuels an influx of diverse players. While it’s certainly possible that another African American golfer has massive influence, odds are they won’t dominate as Woods did, or captivate society enough to create the same phenomenal impact.
That means it’s up to people like Cooper to welcome in the next wave.
“If you don’t play golf, you’re not watching golf. So I’m focused on the ground level, what I can do and embracing those people,” Cooper says.
“The more people of color that are playing golf, the more interested they’ll be in working in golf and joining the PGA [as Members]. It just has to be a big group effort.”
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a PGA Member, visit pga.org/membership.
The post Inspiring Passion at the Ground Level first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2
Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0
Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive
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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82
Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire
Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.
His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.
Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.
In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.
The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.
Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.
Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.
As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.
Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.
His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.
“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”
Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.
“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”
Sly Stone is survived by three children.
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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

By Congressman James E. Clyburn
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.
“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.
“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”
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