When 31-year-old Randy Hook casts his mind back to his first memories, somehow, there are horses. In fact, he would be hard-pressed to remember a time without the gentle-eyed creatures nearby. From the first amateur competition he entered at the age of six, to summers spent on his aunt’s sprawling ranch, horses are the connective tissue and sinew that bind the group of childhood friends who have come to be known as the Compton Cowboys together.
The group, based in the South Central LA neighborhood, provides a community and mentorship collective for youth, offering a safe space for kids to go. Their distinctive identity and social mission have been augmented to the national level thanks to the Compton Cowboys’ partnerships, like Tommy Hilfiger’s purpose-driven Moving Forward Together campaign, and the brand’s FutureLearn courses. Through these platforms, the
