If you are like me, you might struggle to understand how you can make difference with everything going on in the world. When I left the PGA TOUR in September and started my own company, my calendar suddenly opened to new opportunities. I knew of Kamaiu Johnson's story following the APGA Tour's event that was played in my backyard in Saint Augustine last summer. (The APGA is a tour devoted to growing diversity in golf by providing playing opportunities to minorities)
I reached out to offer my PR and Communications services and experience for free to Kamaiu because I believed that I could help tell his story, that I could potentially connect him to a few companies that had expressed interest in growing diversity in golf and introduce him to some tournament directors on the PGA TOUR who might be willing to offer him a spot in their field. I hoped I could make an impact for him. What I didn't realize is the impact that he would have on me.
If you aren't familiar with Kamaiu's story, check out a few of the pieces that we were able to get published about him recently -
The Players' Tribune - Above No One, Below No One Forbes - Kamaiu Johnson Making The Most Of His Opportunities On Road To PGA Tour Debut Associated Press - Column: A shot for Kamaiu Johnson, a boost for minority tour
ESPN - Scott Van Pelt Interview
Kamaiu's message centers around an idea of how all of us can work to make change. He has said to me many times that he has dealt with racism his whole life. It's foolish to act as though racism doesn't exist. But he likes to focus on the other side of his story. When you look at his life, he has been shown love by people of all colors, people of a variety of backgrounds and means. People like Jan Auger, who in one moment changed the entire path of his life. Jan saw a young kid, swinging a stick on the side of the golf course where she worked. Jan could have easily told him that he was trespassing. She could have easily kicked him off the course or just simply walked by and kept playing golf on her own. Instead, she chose to invite him to hit balls on the driving range and then gave him access to the golf course.
When Forbes writer Michael LoRé and I first talked about Kamaiu and his story, Michael compared this moment with Jan as a rock hitting a windshield. I loved this comparison because it's truly just one moment of impact, but then look at the splintering effect that it had. From that moment, so many other people have helped Kamaiu along the way and Kamaiu has impacted so many others with his actions and his story.
Ramon Alexander took Kamaiu under his wing and helped him create structure and plans to become an adult and get his GED. Countless business people in the Tallahassee area helped Kamaiu make ends meet or pay entry fees into mini-tour events. Ken Bentley, CEO and Founder of the APGA Tour, not only provided Kamaiu with a competitive place to play and sharpen his skills, but funded some of Kamaiu's efforts personally.
Then, as notoriety came, leaders in the business world began to take responsibility on their own to bring financial assistance and attention to the efforts of the APGA Tour and of Kamaiu. Jeff Dailey, the CEO of Farmers Insurance®, heard Kamaiu speak during a press conference and immediately took action to make Kamaiu a brand ambassador in early 2020, before the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent push for diversity. Bill Powers, CEO of Cambridge Mobile Telematics, joined Farmers as a sponsor of Kamaiu's journey. David Pillsbury, CEO of ClubCorp, made Kamaiu an ambassador of their new ClubLife Gateway Program to help grow diversity in their club membership by rewarding young, deserving First Tee youth participants who come from similar backgrounds as Kamaiu, with free memberships to their facilities. Finally, Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, heard Kamaiu's story and found a way to add him as one of their brand ambassadors. Titleist has provided Kamaiu with clubs, clothing, his golf bag, balls, etc., all to try to help him further his career.
These aren't the marketing leads or PR people from these companies attaching themselves to Kamaiu for promotional reasons. These are CEOs who truly want to make change in his life and also in diversity of their companies and in the sport. Singular people who are finding ways to make change.
I've only been connected to Kamaiu since September, but he has taught me lifelong lessons.
When one person shows love to another human, lives can be changed. The impact that we can all have if we just have love in our hearts is immeasurable. I'm a better person for working with and knowing Kamaiu. My company, CR PR Group, is a better company for the work that we have done with Kamaiu. Below is a photo of the moment we shared. After he was forced to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open due to testing positive for COVID-19, I was able to give him the news that he had been invited to play in the Honda Classic and the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and that Cisco had reached out to ask him to be a brand ambassador. I'll never forget the joy that we both experienced as part of this call.
The splintering effect that a rock hitting a windshield is such a great analogy. So if you are like me and you want to help make a difference, but you don't know where to start, my suggestion is start small. Help one person and look at the impact it can have as a person, as a company and as a society.
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