Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How MMA Pro Stephanie Mankin Is Helping To Change Our World
…I think for the first time in my life, I’m going to say it’s okay to pause, It’s okay not to be so analytical, it’s okay not to be the tough one, and it is okay to take time to prioritize my private life…
I had the pleasure of talking with Stephanie Mankin. Stephanie’s journey from a martial arts novice to an undefeated MMA champion and beyond is a testament to her resilience, ambition, and the pursuit of empowering others. Born and raised in Florida, with significant time spent in New York, Mankin’s childhood was marked by a mix of strict discipline, structured education, and an early introduction to sports and martial arts. The mix of these experiences, coupled with a natural inclination towards physical activity, paved the way for her ascent in the world of mixed martial arts.
Mankin’s career in MMA is not just a series of victories in the cage; it’s a groundbreaking journey that challenged and changed the perceptions of women in the sport. As one of the first women to enter the MMA arena, her undefeated status speaks volumes about her skill, determination, and the barriers she has broken down for future generations of female athletes.
However, Mankin’s influence extends far beyond the octagon. Her multifaceted career also encompasses roles as a motivational speaker, media personality, model, fashion influencer, and designer. This diverse portfolio reflects her dynamic personality and her ability to inspire and influence in various domains.
Driven by a passion for empowering women, Mankin is actively involved in outreach efforts aimed at those in women’s shelters, sharing her story and strength to inspire them to overcome adversity and abusive relationships. Her commitment to creating safe harbors for women is a cornerstone of her advocacy work, aiming to ensure that all women have access to resources and support in times of need.
Mankin credits her mother as a significant influence, admiring her strength and independence, qualities that she has clearly inherited and embodies in her own life. Despite her success, she remains grounded and focused on being authentic rather than emulating celebrities or seeking fame for its own sake.
Her background in fashion, stemming from her family’s legacy in the industry, has seen a resurgence alongside her athletic and advocacy efforts. Partnering with a nonprofit like Hope Unite International ( Hopeunite.org) for suicide prevention and mental health awareness, Mankin will be the celebrity ambassador using her platform to address stigmas and support those in need, not just locally but on an international scale.
Mankin recently was featured in the European Fashion Art Media Magazine as one of the top 20 Highest Achieving Women WorldWide.She also will be collaborating with the CEO and Founder of Aberdeen Fashion week in Scotland. Keep an eye out for further announcements.
Through her remarkable journey, Stephanie Mankin embodies the essence of a modern warrior: fierce in competition, yet compassionate in her mission to uplift and empower others. Her story is a compelling narrative of overcoming personal challenges, breaking barriers in professional sports, and dedicating oneself to the betterment of society.
Thanks for joining us. Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you ended up where you are?
Between private school homework, after-school extracurriculars, I was kept busy. In my family, everything’s very structured, and militant, like, you have to do things according to plan. So it was there from day one. And I guess I got lucky and I ran with it, and it worked.
Can you share who your biggest influence was when you were young? Give us some examples of what you learned that helped shape you.
My mom. I’ve just watched her be an alpha independent female and allow me to be one. People always ask celebrity-wise, and truthfully, I don’t emulate anyone. I just do my own thing and I want to be myself. Celebrities are not necessarily people to look up to just because of whatever made them famous, right? Sometimes I get concerned and it makes me nervous about what the kids are now emulating.
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Florida and spent a lot of time in New York. So it was always Florida, New York. It’s still to this day, Florida, New York.
Who has been your biggest catalyst more recently? What can you share that you’ve learned from someone that has led you to make changes in your life like in more recent years? It sounds like you’ve done a lot besides ‘just’ being an athlete.
Unfortunately there is not one person. The changes in society and people’s actions or lack of,have shown me I need to be more guarded and cautious. I am no longer going to be the “yes” person. People like my bodyguard and my business associate are like big brothers. They have reinforced and reminded me that I need to have two personas. A private Stephanie and a public Stepahnie.
You don’t always know who you’re going to learn from. This one I didn’t see coming. When you have a seven-foot man and a six-and-whatever-foot man going, “Alright, we’re going to tell you how to be the fighter now.” Every night, they always check on me. It’s crazy. They’re family. They watched me get so intense and so sucked into a world of being a celebrity, that I was losing myself and they brought me back to me.
Can you share the single most significant sports moment or achievement from your career?
These are the moments that now that I’m getting older, and more mature, I kind of don’t know if I take pride in them. Well, I take pride in what I did indirectly. I don’t know how to say it. My first day out of the gate, I ended up busting a girl’s hand on my first day of training and I was like, “Whoa”, I didn’t realize what I was capable of. The emotions I felt caught me off guard. I was all of 17 at that point.
Perspectives change as we get older. Although I am proud of what I have achieved. It went from an “aha” moment to “uh-oh” this is not what kids should be looking up to right now. I’m 40. There has been time for reflection. As years have gone by, I look back on what I’ve done. Between all the technology and social media the kids find everything. And I say to myself, “Alright, it’s time to stop. I’m not cool with what I did”. I have to live with it. I’m not saying I’m not proud of my accomplishments, because they laid a platform and I did some amazing things with amazing people. But I will flat-out say fighting is not the answer.
What disciplines guide you even today? Like what are the top things that you prioritize and that you make sure are part of your life or of your routine no matter what?
At the current moment, I have to say my physical and mental health. Meaning what I eat, how I take care of my body, fitness,exercise and sleep, along with maintaining a healthy private life. it’s the people around me,
What is a critical lesson that you’ve learned from? What happened and how did you respond?
I’m actually sitting in that current moment right now. Everyone, including myself, forgets what it takes on a daily basis mentally and physically to remain an all around champion.of wh disciplined and I went for an MRI. After all this time, I didn’t realize the toll I was physically taking on my body. You know, people would joke, “Stephanie, you’re not 20 anymore, you’re not 25”. The years went faster than I would have liked them to. There was an angel on my shoulder as the MRI reconfirmed my physical capabilities are still there.
Can you share any examples of some of your disciplines that people around you have picked up from you or made a part of their lives that you feel like you’ve influenced others?
So anybody around me will tell you its all about clean living. However, it’s okay to live life. But during work hours there’s that structure and discipline. Don’t ever work with me, for me, any of the above and not be organized. Always make sure to have my proper schedule. I’m OCD. I need to know what, when, where, how, why everything, down to the outfit. It just has to be a package of structure.
Do you ever find yourself at a crossroads where your commitment to discipline clashed with other realities in your life, like team dynamics or short-term goals? How do you handle that? And what was the outcome?
It’s hard. I’m very hard-headed. I need to sit and listen to someone before I do my own analytical processing. It’s hindered me a lot in life because I don’t want to say I overanalyze things, but I have to keep things in mental folders per se and can alienate people. It’s just not always a win-win.
I mean, it’s hard. It’s day by day for me because I’m literally either training, doing nonprofit, or making appearances. It’s just go, go, go. I’m so all over the place that the slightest thing could just mess me up or throw me off. And it throws a whole day out of whack. Then days can be exhausting and I’m just now learning to take a moment to breathe.
People just want to see this big bad, “I’m going to knock you out” person. And I’m really not that all the time.
When it comes to pursuing the highest level in your sport, what valuable advice would you give someone that you wish someone would have told you?
That it’s okay to fall down. Brush your knees and get back up. For me, it was always “win, win, win. There is no number two. You have to win” and the stress takes a huge mental toll.
People don’t realize that behind the fighter or the celebrity we are human. And I’m just now getting to that point where I’m accepting myself and being okay with, “Hey, I’ve got to redo this or I’ve got to try it again.
Let’s transition to your fashion and charity work, and what you’re focusing on now.
I was born into a fashion legacy. My family are the Dubinskys, so fashion has always been in my heart. I guess I just kind of channeled it or pocketed it for a minute for MMA. But I’ve opened my fist rather than fighting again.
I’ve seen how much opening my hand and working with charities like HopeUnite for mental health can have an impact. The things that I’ve got to do and that I have planned are more exciting than a fight right now to me.
Well, so tell me, what are you working on right now? Like what’s your latest project or whatever?
Right now, I am working with HopeUnite International. It is for suicide prevention and mental health. I don’t think we realize how much of a stigma has been put on it, how many people either hide or just won’t ask for help. This is a world wide situation. I’ve been fortunate enough to team up with Aberdeen Fashion and they’re all the way in Scotland.
Anything else you want to leave for our readers?
Ya know, it’s funny. I always get asked that and usually, I have the same answer. But I’m going to say something new.
I think for the first time in my life, I’m going to say it’s okay to pause, It’s okay not to be so analytical, it’s okay not to be the tough one, and it is okay to take time to prioritize my private life.
How can our readers follow you online?
At the current moment I can be found on Instagram at @Stephaniemankin1. Unfortunately, I was hacked and my team is slowly in the process of rebuilding everything.The FBI is involved.
Wow. Okay. Thank you so much. So nice to meet you. Best of luck with everything.
Thank you. You as well.
Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How MMA Pro Stephanie Mankin Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.