By 1825, nearly a quarter of American cowboys were Black. You probably wouldn’t guess it, considering the overwhelming whiteness of the Western genre, which largely eclipses reality in favor of straightforward legends of good versus evil. One might imagine American flags; rodeos dotting Texas and Nevada and the Southern states. What about Compton, California?

Situated below downtown Los Angeles, the suburban city might seem far-removed from the past and present of the American cowboy. But in recent years, it’s bolstered a quick-growing community of traditional equestrians. Stona Mane learned to ride in Burbank, gradually falling in love with practice. “I was getting more serious,” he tells Document. “I stumbled upon a program called Compton Jr. Posse, paid them a visit—and the next thing I knew, I was in. All the kids were around my age, and pretty much everyone was Black.” Mane found solace in riding, and it kept him out of trouble. Eventually—with the help of his family and Posse alumni—he founded his own ranch, the Compton Cowboys.

Riding bareback through city streets makes for a new kind of frontier. Mane, along with six other Compton Cowboys members, has welcomed the challenge with open arms—organizing local peace rides, and securing space to teach local youth on a plot of land further out. “It feels good,” says Mane of his ongoing project. “We get the sense that what we’re doing as a group is making noise in the world.” Here, he reflects on what got him to this point, and the spirit he hopes to impart Compton.

Rosa-Safia Connell: Could you tell me the backstory behind this ranch?

Stona Mane: I was in a riding school at the LA Equestrian Center out in Burbank, learning dressage and basic grooming and saddling. At the time, I was 15 or 16. I was getting more serious, and realized that I wanted to ride with people [who were] more my age group and ethnicity. I stumbled upon a program called Compton Jr. Posse, paid them a visit—and the next thing I knew, I was in. All the kids were around my age, and pretty much everyone was Black.

Fast forward maybe a year-and-a-half, and I got my own horse. My parents got really enthusiastic about it; I managed to convince them to find some horse property, and we ended up buying [land] behind the Compton Jr. Posse ranch. There was no house or anything—just weeds. We bought a modular home, which we got shipped in from Arizona, and then, piece-by-piece, put the ranch together.

Rosa-Safia: What’s the history of horses in your family, and your community at large—and how did it lead to Compton Cowboys?

“It’s a rigged system—but to us, Compton Cowboys is very important in [shedding] a positive light on Compton. For the youth who grow up here, especially.”

Stona: My grandparents on my mother’s side are from Texas. I actually have a cousin on that side who’s in the Cowboy Hall of Fame out there in Fort Worth. My grandmother had a horse before they moved out to California—that’s all I really know. My father always loved horses, but he was too busy to really pursue it. The Compton Cowboys formed from alumni of the Compton Jr. Posse. As we got older, we started to see that there was a kind of niche in Hollywood for Black cowboys. We pursued that, and voilà.

Rosa-Safia: You told me that horses saved your life—that is such a beautiful thing.

Stona: I was starting to hang around the wrong crowds, and I was lost on what path I wanted to take. I didn’t want to go to college, and was messing up at school. Once I started riding, and getting good enough to compete, it lit a fire in me. In order to ride, I had to do well in school—so I graduated and ended up going to college. It just kept me out of a lot of trouble, and out of harm’s way.

Rosa-Safia: I think we’re so used to seeing negative stereotypes around African American communities. How important is it to the Compton Cowboys to show the world another side of the city?

Stona: A lot of the bad stuff really stems from a lack of resources, and our communities being flooded with drugs. It’s a rigged system—but to us, Compton Cowboys is very important in [shedding] a positive light on Compton. For the youth who grow up here, especially. It’s kinda cool, showing the world something like this can exist here.

Rosa-Safia: What role does the group play in creating a space where young people can thrive?

Stona: We give them a dose of nature—being outside in a safe space, away from the streets. They can learn about animals and how to plant food, and enjoy the outdoors with their peers.

Rosa-Safia: I heard your shout-out on the new Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem track, ‘The Hillbillies.’ How does it feel to be making such a mark on popular culture?

Stona: It feels good. We get the sense that what we’re doing as a group is making noise in the world. We’ve put in a lot of work to be known—but it is pretty cool. I love it.

Rosa-Safia: What’s the most exciting cultural project you’ve been involved with so far?

Stona: We did a peace ride through Compton when George Floyd was killed by the cops. It was such a proud moment for us, seeing thousands of people come out to march with us on horseback, on foot, on bikes and skateboards. It was very fulfilling—there was no drama. We really brought the city of Compton together that day.

Talent Stona Mane and Keenen Abercrombia of The Compton Cowboys; Marlee Guillory at Heroes. Hair Ashley Lynn Hall. Make-up Johanna Nomiey. Photo Assistants Richard Ortega. Stylist Assistants Jane Dylan Cody and Bernadette Da Conceição. Producer Benn McGregor. Casting Director Ricky Michiels.