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Charlotte's Darius Lockhart (right) added an entrepreneurial side to his wrestling resume by launching ASÉ to promote diversity in the sports entertainment industry. |
Professional wrestler Darius Lockhart recognized the need for racial equality in sports entertainment and did something about it.
Lockhart, who grew up in Charlotte, fell in love with wrestling at age 12. Inspired by North Carolina pro stars like the Hardy Boyes, he began training at age 17 to pursue his dream of stepping inside the ropes.
“I was trained by George South and Cedric Alexander, who is currently active. [World Wrestling Entertainment] He's a superstar,'' Lockhart said. “I did a little overseas training in England after graduating from college. I attended UNC Greensboro from 2013 to 2017 and have been traveling wrestling all over the world ever since.”
Lockhart has two wins in the National Wrestling Alliance and a professional record of 9 wins and 16 losses. But in a sport where the outcome is predetermined, Lockhart began to realize the ever-present reality.
“There are huge racial disparities in almost all forms of entertainment,” Lockhart said. “In professional wrestling, black entertainers have been kind of boxed in for the last 50 years or so. This is a sport where the outcome is predetermined, but for some reason black wrestlers have been given a limited amount of wins. You can see that we are not that successful.
“A lot of it became very clear to me.”
Lockhart saw an opportunity for black wrestlers to make an impact and gain attention. He founded his own professional wrestling organization ASÉ (pronounced ah-shay). This means “life/force energy” and “the power to make things happen and create change.”
“I decided to take action into my own hands,” Lockhart said. “I want to create a space where performers of color and marginalized performers don't have to feel understood or have certain limits placed on them due to a lack of equity between businesses. I wanted to.”
Lockhart is proud of his startup because he was able to build it from scratch himself.
“I set aside some money and saved up to invest in a business fund,” he said. “From there, I started funding this dream with my own money because I felt like it was needed. Enough people were asking for it, so it was needed in the industry. We felt that we deserved a place to be celebrated when so many other places are suppressed.”
ASÉ presented its first professional wrestling show at the Grady Cole Center in December and hosted a Black History Month meet-and-greet with former wrestlers of color in February.
The company's name has African roots and embodies Lockhart's vision of the brand.
“This touches my heart,” he said. “The fact that we have created a space where people feel empowered and acknowledged is proof that we are moving in the right direction. There's no telling what we can do if people see us building something while doing so. I think that's really the core of ASÉ.”
Lockhart doesn't like to think too far into the future, but he feels big things are in store for ASÉ and the wrestlers involved. He wants to leave a lasting legacy.
“I want to continue to grow,” he said. “I would love to move outside of North Carolina and try other places if I could. Really, keep creating moments and memories, even if they last five, 10, 15, or just two years. , it was a body of work that we can all be proud of.
“We want people to feel like this was a really strong, good piece of work. Regardless of identity politics, it was just a good piece of work. It was good wrestling, good content, good storytelling. I hope that this tradition will continue to be passed on five or 10 years from now.”