HoCo sports trainer makes racist remarks, local community responds

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Local sports trainer Mark Taylor, 60, is under fire after a set of viral videos came out that show him using racial slurs.

In three separate videos posted to Facebook, Taylor makes several racist comments regarding Black people.

In the first video, the viewer can hear Taylor’s voice as he drives down a roadway in Atlanta.

Taylor says: “Ain’t seen a white person in sight. Homeless ones on the street, every restaurant looking in here is Black, every car beside of me is Black. They can have Atlanta.”

Later in the video he adds: “That’s all that’s up here, man. Stuff is just crap. You and Borf need to come up here and go hunting. Ain’t nothing here, dog. Ain’t nothing but Blacks up here.”

In a subsequent video, he threatens a Black woman in a separate vehicle by saying that an unidentified individual named “Ro,” would hang her in a nearby tree. In a third video, Taylor records himself as he pretends to call room service and, using racial slurs typically aimed against the Black community, calls Atlanta a “n—– town.”

The videos have circulated widely over Facebook and other social media platforms in the last week. Houston County community members have been outspoken on social media, and news outlets across the state have covered Taylor’s statements.

According to his business’ social media page, Taylor operates a gym and physical fitness center called Speed Edge Sports, where he trains local children eight and older in skills for football, baseball, basketball, track, soccer and lacrosse.

The business formerly operated out of rented space within Macon’s Central Fellowship Christian Academy. On Monday, the academy released a statement on their Facebook page, saying they “give no room for racism.”

“People have associated Mark Taylor with our ministry, and that is an error,” the release said. “He is neither an employee of Central Fellowship Christian Academy nor a member of Central Fellowship Baptist Church. He has rented a portion of our facility to train athletes who are typically from schools in our local area. This is why our address is listed as the business address for his training company. That relationship has ended effective immediately.”

The release was signed by the CFCA’s Board of Directors.

Another board, the Georgia Athletic Trainers’ Association, put out a statement Thursday afternoon regarding Taylor as well.

“As certified athletic trainers in the state of Georgia, we would like to clarify that the Houston County performance coach appearing in the news this week has been incorrectly labeled in many headlines as an athletic trainer. He is not an athletic trainer, nor is he a member of GATA or NATA. The GATA does not condone any racial prejudice or derogatory actions of any kind.”

Many in the Houston County community have raised concerns following Taylor’s statements.

Reverend Rutha Jackson, former Houston County NAACP president and civil rights activist, told The Journal she is concerned for the children in Houston County.

“I listened to the video like everyone else, and for the life of me I could not understand that behavior, that attitude, that burst of negativity,” Jackson said. “For him to express himself openly, that’s bold — that’s really bold, knowing that you have worked with the kids and tried to help them move forward in their education.

“I think this is despicable. It is discrimination for sure, it is an outrage with those parents that have allowed him to impart into their kids and be a part of their lives.

“I think some serious thought needs to be given towards this kind of behavior in Houston County, because we’re supposed to be the melting pot, we’re supposed to be reaching out across the aisle trying to build relationships. These kinds of things really actually tear down what has been started; it puts a dent in trust, and speaks to what we will allow in our county.”

Daryl Vining Sr., pastor of Hebron Fellowship Baptist Church said that the comments from Taylor speak to a larger issue.

“Mark, unfortunately, said the quiet part out loud,” Vining said. “It’s something we often discuss in our community, about there being a level of racist attitudes and behaviors, whether it’s through the school system or sports — when we bring up these issues, people always try to tell us, ‘oh, you’re just imagining this.

“The reality is, it’s here. It shouldn’t be, we would love that it would not be, but it is here. I would love to say that it does not belong, but it is here.”

The Journal attempted to contact Taylor via the number and emailed listed on his business’ Facebook page. Emails sent to his address were returned, and calls made to his phone would not connect.

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