Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2023 - 27

George Floyd's death], we needed to get
people together to build richer and deeper
relationships. We needed to raise money
for these nonprofits so they don't go out
of business, and we wanted to give these
kids a shot. "
For White, the relationship-building
began on the first tee of the tournament,
where the foursomes are not pre-ordained.
For the Be the Change event, you can register
as a single, twosome or threesome,
but not a foursome-each group is filled
out by the tournament staff.
" We're going to pick the fourth so that
we can spark conversations, " White says.
" For the Houston White brand ethos, we
live by two things: human connection is
the most powerful force in nature, and we
need a more intercultural world-and we
do that by creating these cultural collisions.
People who would not normally meet up
and connect can find so much in common
across the sport that we play. The results
have been overwhelming. "
White tells stories of connections made
at the tournament that continue to flourish.
But the bottom line is that more than
$200,000 was raised in the first two years of
the event. The nonprofits benefitting from
the tournament include the youth sports
programs at Heritage Sports Foundation,
which is joining forces with The First Tee;
A Mother's Love Initiative, an outreach
program for mothers affected by gun and
domestic violence; the JB Foundation,
a youth mentorship organization; and
Sprayfinger, a youth arts organization
that the tournament supported by recently
funding an immersive arts trip to Chicago
for 15 kids.
" Golf has been the most valuable tool,
in the top two or three, to get where I am
in business and in life, " says White.
MODEL BEHAVIOR
White's barber/coffee shop is not filled
with golf paraphernalia, but on any
given day, it buzzes with activity and
commerce. His business is centered in a
Camden community hub, across Humboldt
Avenue from a Hennepin County Library
mngolf.org
branch and a food market. And as the
business grows and his brand scales, White
wants to ensure that North Minneapolis, the
place that made him, gets the benefit-and
that young people witness it.
" It's cultural representation, " he says.
" It's like moms showing their kids my
videos and saying, 'Look, Houston plays
golf.' Any number of youngsters send me
videos and say, 'I signed up for The First
Tee!' It's been super organic, but I see what's
happening with The First Tee, and the
Heritage Foundation is growing by leaps
and bounds. "
So, then is White, like Woods, a community
role model?
" I would argue that role model is not
the right term. It's more like inspiration, "
he says. " I'm finding that when I do what I
do, people are inspired. They're like, 'Well,
he's doing it and he looks like me.' Or 'He
came from where I came from.' So, you can
see yourself in that person and it inspires
you to act. It's culturally relevant. "
Spring 2023 MINNESOTAGOLFER 27
PHOTO: PAUL MARKERT, HOUSTON WHITE
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2023

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