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Bull rider using fame, skill to drive diversity in sport

Posted at 4:46 PM, Mar 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-22 20:11:58-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This weekend, PBR fans will pack Sprint Center to see one of the top riders in the sport. who is hoping to make the sport more diverse.

But Ezekiel Mitchell, 22, isn't just concerned about winning. He wants to help make the sport more diverse.

"Its an indescribable feeling honestly,” he said.

Especially when you are the only black person in the PBR.

"There are a lot of guys that have never reached this point, and this is something every bull rider dreams about,” Mitchell said.

Professional bull riding is a majority white sport, but looking different doesn’t discourage Mitchell.

"I look up and see all the people flood in this place, and I am like, 'This is where I belong,'” he said.

Mitchell is from Texas and is currently ranked 10th in the world.

While in Kansas City, he learned about the rich history of black baseball players when he visited the Negro League Baseball Museum.

He knows he looks different, and it's why he wants to encourage other to take a leap of faith.

"I just want people of all races, colors and ages to believe in themselves and step out of their comfort zone," he said. "The experiences you get here are unlike anything else.”

The job he loves can be dangerous, but he competes and lives with the same mission.

"Pray a lot and have that comfort through God and know what he wants to happen is going to happen," Mitchell said. "Everything else is out of your control. Everything in life is out of your control, so you might as well have fun."