FORT SMITH, Ark. — Arkansas' first black rodeo queen is putting down her crown to focus on fostering diversity and inclusion in the Western industry.
Ja'Dayia Kursh became the first black rodeo queen in Arkansas after winning the 2017 Miss Rodeo Coal Hill of Arkansas.
"I was introduced to horses. When I was six years old, I was sexually assaulted and my mom put me in counseling," Kursh said of her introduction.
Kursh credits her counselor for opening doors for her to gain strength out of trauma.
"She was like, 'This is a 1500-pound animal. If you can control this horse, you can control anything that comes your way,'" Kursh said. "I always say that she introduced me to horses, and she sat me in a saddle and handed me the reins to my freedom."
Kursh came to recognize an issue in the Western industry— a lack of diversity and inclusion. While she eventually became a rodeo queen, she had to face barriers that others didn't face.
"Especially as a kid, I didn't see a lot of women that looked like me represented in the Western industry," Kursh said. "You don't know if you've already lost because of the color of your skin."
Kursh said she's putting down her chase for the crown to foster diversity and inclusion in the Western industry.
"I've been asked to go compete at Miss Rodeo Arkansas, Miss Rodeo USA, they would message me for a while I'll age out in two years, but I'll never belittle myself to fit into somebody else's rodeo queen pageant again," Kursh said. "I'll never allow them to make me feel less than and I'll never go to another rodeo queen pageant and wonder if I've already lost because of the color of my skin. And I will never let a little girl come through one of my rodeo queen pageants and wonder the same thing."
Kursh hosted the first Bass Reeves Rodeo and the Miss Rodeo Fort Smith Pageant. She's allowed anyone to participate, hoping to inspire all to join.
"Come out and enjoy," Kursh said.
Kursh is also now the author and creator of "Cowgirl J." The book's main character is a young black cowgirl with many elements of Kursh's life scattered throughout. Her first entry as an author teaches numbers and letters the agricultural way.
"We're gonna teach kids [agriculture] more than anything," Kursh said. "But I'm also going to tell my stories, you know, the lack of diversity and representation that I've went through."
Kursh says she plans to create more with "Cowgirl J." This April, she plans to host a free book tour at elementary schools across Arkansas.
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