Lynnette Wukie: the Right Person for the Job

“You’re a girl and you’re Black – you’re never gonna be the Leprechaun.”

People had hinted at the sentiment, I’d even felt it sometimes, but that was the first time anyone was brave enough to say it to my face.

When the girl in my dorm said that, I was like, “Oh, wait maybe you’re right.” It crossed my mind that maybe everyone was letting me try out only to be able to say, “Look! We tried.”

Even when I walked in for the first Leprechaun tryout clinic, I could tell. There were mixed reactions of people being excited to see a non-white man step up to fill the role but also faces that said “what the hell is happening?” 

I could feel it.

And then, a few months later, there I was – a girl, Black, and the Leprechaun.

—

My older cousin went to Notre Dame, but I never thought that was possible for me. I wasn’t sure I was smart enough. Notre Dame’s for all those rich, Catholic kids from cushy backgrounds.

But I went to visit anyway. 

I sat there, in Notre Dame Stadium, on the wooden bleachers, watching the football team play Navy, and I knew then.

This was home.

The funny part is that I hadn’t even applied yet, hadn’t even confirmed they’d let me use my Evans scholarship here; I was just manifesting. It wasn’t until I opened my acceptance email – on several browsers to make sure it was real– that I started to cry. Those tears showed me something I hadn’t even realized: just how much I wanted to go to the University of Notre Dame. 

Media was my passion and my first introduction to Athletics came through an interview I was anchoring with one of the Leprechauns, Conal Fagan. During the interview, I made a joke about them not wanting a girl Leprechaun and how I don’t look like a Lep.

Conal’s response?

Texting me just 24 hours before the Leprechaun application was due and staying on me until I submitted mine.

When I was chosen as Notre Dame’s first female Leprechaun, it was alongside Conal – the school’s first Irish-born Leprechaun – and Sam Jackson, the second Black Leprechaun. It was this overly-diverse group and it did stop and make me question – did I get the role so Notre Dame could prove it was diverse, almost as a stunt?

Notre Dame does that – overcorrects itself. When all of sudden, Notre Dame is like, “It’s okay to be gay,” is it real or is it appeasing the times?

I know now that the three of us had our own things that made us special that weren’t what people saw – and we were the right people for the job.

—

Being mixed is part of my identity.

I pass the paper bag test – I’ve never been in a not predominately white community. My personality has always ended up skewing toward the white part. 

Being around Black student-athletes and white student-athletes… and automatically getting lumped into the group student-athletes was hard. So much of me is white-cultured, sometimes it was burdensome to get lumped in – I don’t want to misrepresent a community where there are things that I don’t necessarily understand.

Joining the cheer team, there were a few other people on the team that were Black, mixed, Latino and it opened my eyes to this side of me that I wasn’t really allowed to explore when I was in middle school and high school. 

The Black community at ND, especially in Athletics, are so welcoming whether you’re white or black – they even more so understand the pressures of being an athlete at Notre Dame because their race is going to be brought into it no matter what.

They encouraged me to explore every side of myself.

When I was little, I wished I was white. I was always surrounded by white people and white culture and you’re always going to wish you’re like everyone else. You want to do the same things, wear the same clothes. I think there are parts of me that are prejudiced toward the non-white part of me because that’s what I’ve been taught. Being an athlete at ND I learned that I code-switch in every environment I’m ever in but being on my team and a part of athletics had finally shown me I don’t have to shape-shift to make others comfortable. 

At Notre Dame, I finally accepted that part of myself. For the first time, I can be proud of this part of me and not worry about not being Black enough for the Black people and white enough for the white people.

Our coach, Delayna Myers, needs a huge shoutout because she did everything she could to make it an inclusive environment. She created an environment in which we could be Black in whatever sense that meant to us, not just in a way that made our white teammates or white fan comfortable. Cheer was a space in which we could find and be exactly who we wanted in a space where we were able to grow and change surrounded by empathy and understanding. Delayna helped us to become better athletes but even more so better people. 

—

Sure, I knew being the first female to portray the Leprechaun that I was a model to young girls. 

But I think I had mostly people who worked at the University or people of color, telling me this is exactly what Notre Dame needed, that this is refreshing. 

“You are what Notre Dame needed.”

When I reflect on the people who said that – and still say that – to me, it affects me more now than it ever did while I was wearing the green suit. 

It all sinks in afterward – I really did that, I really was the first woman to land the job.

You try to live in the moment – you’re doing college, living life is stressful – but it matters more now.

Representation matters. 

Having Sam there was really helpful – his confidence and knowing so confidently that he belonged and deserved to be where he was helped me. 

For so long, I questioned that and it took me a long time to find my identity as the Leprechaun.

One hockey game – I honestly couldn’t even tell you who we were playing – it was so packed and we won in double OT. The crowd was so insanely loud and to be the person directing them, that was me, this is my show. This is my moment to make this place better so that we can win the game.

And every time, I put on the suit, that’s what I did.

—

To the next mixed, female Leprechaun – don’t steal my spotlight! But, in all seriousness, just because things are part of your identity and you’re proud of them, that doesn’t have to be your schtick. 

Every Lep has something that makes them special, yours doesn’t have to be your race or your gender, what everyone sees on the outside. 

There’s no right way to be a Leprechaun – you belong there, you were chosen for a reason, and you don’t have to prove yourself in every aspect. Believe you’re good at the job and you will be. Fake it till you make it, and be proud when you do.