1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Emily and you're listening to stuff Mom 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: never told you. First, I want to give a major 3 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: shout out and huge thank you to everyone in Colorado 4 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: who came out to our Powerful Women in Podcasting panel 5 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: on Tuesday night this week. It was so awesome to 6 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: share a powerful space with so many rad, sminty listeners 7 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: who came out to say hello. So shout out to 8 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 1: you you came out to that event, and many thanks 9 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: to Cat Jaffee of House of Pod who organized the event, 10 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: as well as my fellow panelists there, Barry of Podcasts 11 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: in color and Claire Enjoy, the fitness duo behind the 12 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: podcast Girls Gone Wad That's w O d Wad as 13 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: an work out daily. It was such a blast to 14 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: hang out with y'all in person, and I hope we 15 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: can do it again soon. Today's Conversation is a similar 16 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: kind of shout out episode in that we are just 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: bringing some love to today's Conversation for a few absolutely 18 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: incredible women who are currently representing Team USA in the 19 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: Winter Olympics. That's right, Emily, I couldn't be more excited 20 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: to shout out these awesome, dynamic women of color who 21 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: are really doing their part to change the face of 22 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: how we think about winter sports exactly. And it's so 23 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: critical that we trying to spotlight on women of color 24 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 1: of the Women Olympics, because in the past, the Winter 25 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: Olympics have looked pretty darn white. And as much as 26 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: we'd love to give a shout out and tell the 27 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: stories of every amazing woman of color at the Olympics, 28 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: this year, we're sticking to the US team so that 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: we can basically not be here all day. Um, but 30 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: there are so many great American women of color who 31 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: are representing Team USA that we wanted to shine a 32 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: spotlight on their incredible achievements. Yeah, it's interesting. I'm definitely 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: guilty of spreading the misnomer that winter sports are things 34 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: that white people do. Growing up, we never really went skiing, 35 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: we never did ice skating, and I sort of got 36 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: into my head that those were things that black folks 37 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: didn't do. I also grew up hearing the misnomer that 38 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: black folks don't really die with the cold. And so 39 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: again you can see how these cultural misconceptions that I 40 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: myself I'm guilty of holding and perpetuating, can keep this 41 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: particular subset of sports to be thinking of as kind 42 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: of a white thing. Yeah, And I mean, honestly, that 43 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: misconception isn't grounded in nothing, because if you look at 44 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: the nine point four million skiers in the United States, 45 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: of them are white. So I mean skiing is also 46 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: from a socioeconomic standpoint, such a privileged sport. It's a 47 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: hard thing to get into because it's expensive, especially when 48 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: you go for just a day. Right. A lift ticket 49 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: on a daily basis is super expensive, but a lift 50 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: ticket on a season pass level, as I am the 51 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: proud new owner of, is super affordable. But it's sort 52 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: of like a barrier to entry in terms of especially 53 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 1: if you're urban dwelling quite frankly, access to ski mountains 54 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: and all the expenses that come along with it is 55 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: a pretty high barrier to entry, right. And if you 56 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 1: just don't grow up having these kinds of winter sports 57 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: be part of your every day, like you don't grow 58 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: up going to the mountain every weekend or whatever, you 59 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: can sort of see how that perpetuates this idea that 60 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: it's something that's not for you, And that's probably why 61 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: you don't see more folks of color getting involved because 62 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: of these different barriers that just habits so that it's 63 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: not an everyday part of your upbringing. Exactly. One of 64 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: the incredible Olympians who were going to talk more about today, 65 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: Aaron Jackson, said when offering advice to young athletes of 66 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,839 Speaker 1: color who hoped to compete internationally, she said, quote, don't 67 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: let the representation or lack there uf deter you from 68 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: getting out there and trying these sports. Even if you 69 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: don't see other athletes out there, it's always nice to 70 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: be the first, which she knows a thing or dear about. 71 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: So I love that this year's boundary breaking Olympic athletes 72 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: are in so many ways changing the look of the 73 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: Winter Olympics. In the past, it was really dominated by 74 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: wealthy Nordic and Scandinavian countries, and even now the Winter 75 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: Olympics only include less than half as many countries as 76 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: the Summer Olympics. So you know, from a global standpoint, 77 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: there's a lack of representation. From a racial standpoint, per 78 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: the countries that compete in the Winter Olympics, there's also 79 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: been a historic lack of representation, which is part of 80 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: what gets me so excited about these incredible women and 81 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: the changing look of the Winter Olympics this year totally. 82 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: I'm so excited that these women are finally getting their 83 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: due and helping to really flip the script on this narrative. 84 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: Because if you're a little black girl or a little 85 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: brown girl watching these amazing powerhouse athletes kicking on the 86 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: snow and on the ice, you might think that could 87 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: be me one day. And so something I always like 88 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: to remind folks is you don't know who's watching and 89 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: who you are, planting that seed within that this could 90 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: be something that they could do. And part of me 91 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: wishes a young bridget Todd and maybe seeing more girls 92 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: that looks like me out on the ice. I had 93 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: to confess I'm not super into the Olympics in general. 94 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: I mean, this year has really been you know, I 95 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: mean it sounds bad. I just love it when black 96 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: women win, right, So I'm like, wake me up with 97 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: a black woman win, so my kids and be like, yeah, 98 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: let's go, girl, get it, blah blah blah. And then 99 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: any other time I'm like, Olympics will at Olympics. Who. 100 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: So that's my that's my confession. Not watching the primetime 101 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: coverage every day, not at all. But I know when 102 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: one of us wins, and then I'm all of a 103 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: sudden Bob Costas, I'm like, let me break down from 104 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: what happened in this In this Bob sled historic black 105 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: women's win, overnight snowboarding expert Bridget Todd's here to weigh 106 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: in on how incredible pretty much I love it. I mean, 107 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: this year's Winter Olympics are extraordinary when it comes to 108 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: how much representation shin of of folks of color, people 109 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: of color are competing this year. However, before we get 110 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: too excited, before we share with you some of the 111 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: stand out, extraordinary athletes who are competing on behalf of 112 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: Team USA, I think we should also temper those cheers 113 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: for a moment with a quick reality check on the numbers. 114 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: Out of nearly three thousand athletes competing at this year's Games, 115 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: black athletes and this isn't just black women, this is 116 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: black athletes in general make up just one point four 117 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: five percent of those vying for medals. According to BuzzFeed, 118 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: Non white athletes, meaning black Asian American Olympians, et cetera, 119 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: account for just under nine percent of the American team. 120 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: So it's great and historic and all of that, but 121 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: let's not get too excited. It really demonstrates how much 122 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: further we actually have to go to get racial parody 123 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: on this issue. I am all about celebrating the awesome 124 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: achievements of these awesome women, but I want to keep 125 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: it real that we have a long way to go. Yeah, 126 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: exact way. And as to your prior point, you know, 127 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: people can't be what they can't see. So I think 128 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: progress begets progress on a thing like this when we 129 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: see more people representative different backgrounds and different races and 130 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: different sexualities, which has also been kind of groundbreaking. Uh 131 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: and this year's Olympics, it gives permission to others to 132 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: see themselves in that light as well. Maybe I could 133 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: be a little future Olympians someday. There are lots of 134 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: children who are saying that right now. I hope that's true. 135 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: But I hope there's a little brown and black girls 136 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: out there thinking that's gonna be me. Yes, me too. 137 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: If you sminthy listener, know a little black or brown 138 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: girl who's got those kinds of vibes going, we want 139 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: to see the photos. We want to see her, um 140 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: so share her story with us after today's episode. So 141 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: let's get down to it right there are two women 142 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: who I am especially excited about for this year's winner Olympics, 143 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: and that is Alana Myers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs. And 144 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: I have to put in a little disclaimer here because 145 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: I am very biased in that I adore Lauren Gibbs. 146 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: Because when I was a little college freshman entering my 147 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: freshman year at Brown University on the volleyball team, Lauren 148 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: Gibbs was my senior captain and she was by far 149 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: the strongest member of our team. She was a lefty 150 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: like me, she was a right side player like me, 151 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: and she was all my goals embodied into one human being. 152 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: And so to see my former college captain of the 153 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: volleyball team ascend to new heights, granted in a totally 154 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: different sport, has been an amazing years long sort of 155 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: journey that I've I've borne witness too. So she just 156 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 1: an amazing athlete large Like whether it's volleyball or winter 157 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: sports or whatever, she's like good at whatever she touches. 158 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: She is fierce. Okay, she got really into CrossFit, and 159 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: I think that's part of how she was discovered in 160 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: some ways. But let me back up for a second 161 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: and mentioned that Alana and Lauren are competing in this 162 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: year's US Bob sled team, and going from volley ball 163 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: to Bob's letting is not, you know, and not a simple, 164 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: I think thing to do. But what's fascinating is that 165 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: a lot of Myers Tailor is a veteran of the sport. 166 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: She has long been one of the most powerful pilots 167 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: in the sport writ large. She competed in the Vancouver 168 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: and Sochy Olympics, as well as numerous World Championships that 169 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: she was a part of. Uh and she was on 170 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: the hunt for her teammate, you know, she was sort 171 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,959 Speaker 1: of looking and searching for and taking a very active 172 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: part in grooming the next champion to be her teammate. 173 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: So it's really cool to see her paired with Lauren Gibbs, 174 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: who has been training very hard for years now to 175 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 1: qualify and make this year her Olympic debut. The pair 176 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: are a spotlight in terms of the strengths that they 177 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: bring to the table, One a season veteran and one 178 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,599 Speaker 1: described by NBC as a quote eager first time olympian, 179 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: which is a major understatement. Knowing I just gotta make 180 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: a quick plug here. You know how they always do 181 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: those female reboots of movies like Female Ghostbusters Female this. 182 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: I would die for someone doing a cool running style 183 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: boot of black women Bob's Letters. Yes, this thing writes itself. 184 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: It does. Who would you cast as obviously those two? Yeah, 185 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: I mean who would you if they were in the movie. 186 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: Who would play your friend Lauren? I don't think anyone 187 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: could play Lauren Gibbs, but Lauren Gibbs. Okay, knowing these 188 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: women and knowing Lauren especially, there's no one you can 189 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: do it like her. If you're a Hollywood Asian out there, 190 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: call them make this movie happen. Please, We're dying for 191 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,319 Speaker 1: a cool Runnings reboot. And actually, isn't this year Jamaican 192 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: bob sleddings happening at the Winter list is so wait, okay, 193 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: smithy listeners, I have to level with you. We just 194 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: took a quick break to look up the details around 195 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: the Jamaican bob sledding team because we were right. This 196 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: is the first year that Jamaica was putting up a 197 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: women's bob sledding team, which is extraordinarire talk about women 198 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: of color at the Olympics, and yet the head line 199 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: we just came up against is Winter Olympics Jamaican bob 200 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: sled coach Quits says she owns team sled, so basically 201 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: the coach is like that, only am I out. I'm 202 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: taking that sled with me taking sled. Oh my goodness, 203 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: it's awful. It's hard out there for a bob's letter. Seriously, 204 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: I hope it all works out. But this is a 205 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: developing story. You can always count on Sminthy for your 206 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 1: late breaking Jamaican bobsled team news and updates. Stay tuned 207 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: for more. We should really be um the announcers for 208 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: the impacts. What are they that we I think the 209 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: commentator you would be Tera Lepinsky. I would be Johnny 210 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: weirphones amazing, amazing. I love that that you watch something 211 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: and it's like these this beautiful display and they're both 212 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: so unimpressed. But yeah, they're like that contrast. Yeah, all right, 213 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: let's get back at it to refocus here on the 214 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: incredible a lot of Myers and Lauren Gibbs. A little 215 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: background on Alana. She actually played softball at g W 216 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: you right around the corner from here before she became 217 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 1: one of the world's top bobs letters and a decorated Olympian. 218 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: She didn't just compete in those World championships and at 219 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: the Olympics, she also meddled there. She won the bronze 220 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: medal at the Winter Olympic Games as a part of 221 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: the two women bob sled teams. So now she's back, 222 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 1: she's hungry for more. But what's really interesting is the 223 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: Washington posted this great article kind of chronicling her come up, 224 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: and she says that the hardest part of her job 225 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: is constantly looking for talent. She says, quote, I'll do 226 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: whatever I need to do to bring more athletes into 227 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 1: this sport because, according to the USA women's bob sled 228 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: coach Sepplaza, she says, quote, you never can have enough 229 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: people and athletes coming in to try out. That is 230 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: what we live for. Really, not enough athletes in the 231 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: United States grow up bob sledding to field a national team, 232 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: So the federation has to work double time on recruitment 233 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: efforts um and really convince them that their path to 234 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: the Olympics comes in the form of bob flooding. It's 235 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: a really interesting persuasion campaign. But I mean that makes 236 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 1: sense because what kind of kid grows up thinking they're 237 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: going to bob sled their way to the Olympics. Yeah, 238 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: that seems someonelikely, but what I love about that is 239 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: the investment in lifting up new talent. And so you know, 240 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: one of our sort of de facto sayings on the 241 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: show is lift as you climb. I love that she's 242 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: not just thinking about herself. She says, I need to 243 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: get a team together. How can I develop and foster 244 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 1: new talent and make sure folks know this is an 245 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 1: It may sound unlikely, but it is an avenue and 246 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: a sport that you could actually do exactly. And what 247 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: I love about how Lauren got into the picture here 248 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: is that I actually interviewed her for a Bossed Up 249 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: webinar that we were hosting a few years ago now 250 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: because of the fascinating career transition story that she has 251 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: behind her. Lauren Gibbs has an NBA from Pepperdine. Lauren 252 00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: Gibbs was crushing it on a corporate career trajectory when 253 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: she was persuaded to leave that behind to train full 254 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: time for the Olympics. Can you imagine that conversation at 255 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: your dinner table, mom, Dad, I have some big news. 256 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: I'm leaving my successful corporate gig. Oh what am I doing? 257 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to be a professional bobs letter chasing boss 258 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: led glory. I know. It's insane, amazing, It's really insane. 259 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: And Lauren herself has said, and I quote, I had 260 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: a corporate job and wore a suit to work every day, 261 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: and I just kind of felt like I wasn't living 262 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: my authentic self or doing what I was passionate about. 263 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: At the time, she was living in Denver, of all places, 264 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: working as a sales manager for an online retailer, and 265 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: doing CrossFit as a hobby. You know. Granted, when Lauren 266 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: does anything as a hobby, she crushes it. So she 267 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: was making waves in the CrossFit community in Denver when 268 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: she encountered a friend UH and a rugby player, Jillian Potter, 269 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: one day at the gym. Potter recognized Lauren's strength and 270 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: power right away and started asking her questions leading up 271 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: to urging Gibbs to try out for the US bob 272 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: flooding team, which really, I mean, if it hadn't been 273 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: for Jillian Potter probably wouldn't have occurred to her. But 274 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: she had played on the US rugby team with Myers 275 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: Taylor and saw that Gibbs had the strength, speed and 276 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: power to be a brakeman for Myers Taylor at the time, 277 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: who was also in Bob's letting. How what a story. 278 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: I mean talk about a come up story. And it's 279 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: like meeting all the right people who encouraged her and 280 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: all the right ways at all the right times really 281 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: is kind of why she is where she is. It 282 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: sounds right. And her first reaction in the gym was quote, 283 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, no, one, Bob's led That's just not something 284 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: people do. And I mean, that's what I would think, Like, 285 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: Bob sledding is something that you people just don't grow 286 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: up thinking is a thing that people do, and this 287 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: incredible Bob Slayer is no different. It's not like she 288 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: grew up wanting to be a Bob's letter exactly. So 289 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: after doing some research, Gibbs went on to Colorado Springs 290 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: the training center there to learn more and she's like, okay, 291 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: this is like in the Olympics. And you know, at 292 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: the time she was connecting with Myers, who was already 293 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: a two time Olympic medalists, so she knew she was 294 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: in good hands. And then it was years of intense 295 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: competitive physical training and competitions in the World Cup level 296 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: for her to really get there. But that meant walking 297 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: away from her mb A corporate job, right, Like walking 298 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: away from that kind of stability to pursue this all out. 299 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: So I could not be more excited that that initial 300 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: meeting between a lot of Myers Tailor and Lauren Gibbs 301 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: went swimming lely and seemed to go, well, Uh, they 302 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: were on the right track. Did I couldn't make a 303 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: swimming reference and then not get it right? Okay, So 304 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: I'm excited to be cheering them on, especially seeing someone 305 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: like Lauren Gibbs I've known for so long just rise 306 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: up in this Bob setting world. So get excited, y'all. 307 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: What a story, right, Let's hear more of those stories 308 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: after a quick break and we're back, just getting pretty 309 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: excited talking through some of these awesome red women of 310 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: color on skates, on sleds, on skis, all of that 311 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: good stuff, one of whom is Aaron Jackson. Aaron will 312 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: be the first black woman to compete for the US 313 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: in a long track speed skating, which is freaking awesome. Again, 314 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: Aaron is someone who really kind of took to this sport. 315 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 1: A fun fact about her is that she just sort 316 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: of didn't get her start skating at all. She was 317 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: initially a roller derby champion and just four months into 318 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: speed skating nailed it and qualified, which is she still 319 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: skates with the new Jack's City Rollers out of Jacksonville, 320 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: where she's from. At just twenty five years old, she 321 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: only had four months of speed skating on the ice 322 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: before making it to the US speed Skating Trials in 323 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: early January. She really at the time said she hoped 324 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: to someday make it to the Olympics, and boom, there 325 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: she is. Again. That just shows what can happen when 326 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,360 Speaker 1: you try new things and try something out. The same 327 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,400 Speaker 1: way we were talking about how you might not grow 328 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: up thinking that bob sliding is the thing that you do, 329 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: but if you try it, you never know. And so 330 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: I love that Jackson maybe thought of herself as a 331 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: derby girl rocking her scathe on the rink and just 332 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: try it, tried trying out those skills on the ice 333 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: and it was really successful. I also think it's important 334 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: to note that the same thing that we were talking 335 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: about earlier in the show about how you don't really 336 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: see many women of color out there in winter sports. 337 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: Jackson is pretty keenly aware of this. She's quoted as 338 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: telling Time it's a pretty exciting thing, especially since you 339 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: don't see many people of color in Winter Olympics. And 340 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,239 Speaker 1: again that only is she aware that she's sort of 341 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: breaking barriers in that way, but who knows what her 342 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: presence in the Winter Olympics will do. I'm so excited 343 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: to see the legacy that these women have made reverberate 344 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: through history and through time, and I do not doubt 345 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: that they will be responsible single handedly for changing the game. Absolutely. 346 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: Don't you think that there must be a lot of 347 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: women out there and people in general out there who 348 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: are like potential Olympic athletes who have just gone undiscovered. 349 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 1: Oh my god, Yes, it's just it's just hitting me. 350 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: How are you saying that maybe I'm a potential Olympic 351 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: athlete undiscovered because of racism and systematic barriers and gendered 352 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 1: by its Yet Oh my god, I could be it. 353 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: That's exactly what I'm going for. A RB Bridge is 354 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: about to go try for you in four years for 355 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: the Olympics. I'll do it in I love it. So 356 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: there's another incredible speed skater that we have to mention 357 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: as we're talking about Aaron Jackson, and that is mom 358 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 1: A Biny who is. I am convinced the happiest human 359 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: being I have ever seen in my life I've ever 360 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: seen on TV. When I was watching the opening ceremonies 361 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:49,919 Speaker 1: because I do because I'm an Olympic nerd and I 362 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: love that stuff. Um, they interviewed mom A and just 363 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: the kind of beaming, smile and effervescent personality that was 364 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: coming through may me lean in and want to know 365 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: everything I could about her. And the more tape I 366 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: watch of Mammy, the more you will see like she 367 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: is this overjoyed every time there's a microphone in her face, granted, 368 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: because she's crushing barriers and she's absolutely dominating in her field. 369 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: So let's say to listen into the interview she gave 370 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: right after succeeding in the qualifying trials that would determine 371 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 1: whether or not she would make it to the Olympics. 372 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: It's crazy awesome because like, I've dreamt about this movement 373 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: for like since June, and I am just so happy 374 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: right now. She's completely losing it with joy, which I 375 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: absolutely love. You have to watch mom a viney on 376 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: video to get the full effect. But she is just 377 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: the most overjoyed, grateful, fierce competitor I've ever seen interviewed. Yeah, 378 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: I love the effervescence that she gives off, Like, how 379 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: do you listen to her speak and not feel happy. 380 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: It's so easy to root for someone when they seem 381 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: genuinely excited to be doing their craft and genuinely stoked 382 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: to be doing it so well. So I'm really rooting 383 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: for her. And again, I just think it just goes 384 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: to show how when you give black women and black 385 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: girls a chance, they nail it and it's just amazing. 386 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: It's amazing for everybody, and so we need to be 387 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: inspiring and lifting up and encouraging and all of that 388 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 1: to make sure that we have more. Maybe Bailey's out 389 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: there exactly, and I think she kind of knows that, what, 390 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: you know, what kind of an importance her presence at 391 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: the Olympics is serving. She says, quote, I am super 392 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: honored to be able to be part of this because 393 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: I know that US African American girls and women haven't 394 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: been able to be in this situation before. I'm really 395 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: honored to inspire other women African American or any other race, 396 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: to get out there and do what you can to succeed. 397 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: So it's no coincidence to me that almost every woman 398 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: that we've talked about so far, when asked what does 399 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 1: this mean to you, how are you feeling, they all 400 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: throw it back to that that I understand that there 401 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 1: are not that many of us out there, and that's 402 00:21:58,119 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: why it's so important for me to be here. I 403 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: think that it's so interesting and not at all surprising 404 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: that each and every one of them seems so keenly 405 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: aware of what it means that they're They're absolutely and 406 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: I mean she is breaking down barriers. She's becoming a first. 407 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 1: Viney is the first black woman to qualify for the 408 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 1: short track team, following Shawnee Davis, the first black male 409 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: athlete to make the short track team back in two 410 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: thousand two. So we've got Aaron Jackson, the first black 411 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: woman to serve on the speed skating team for the 412 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: long track, and in the same year, mam A Viney 413 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,679 Speaker 1: the first black woman on the short track. It's just 414 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 1: an amazing year full of first and it shouldn't go 415 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: without being mentioned that Mammy turned eighteen just days before 416 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: the opening ceremony of the Games of January, making her 417 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: the youngest member of Team usas speed skating team as well. 418 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: Can you imagine a lot of first, a lot of first? 419 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: Can we say this might be one of the most 420 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: historic Black History Months ever? Right? And tell you last 421 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: Black History Month open with Beyonce performing at the super Bowl. 422 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: This one is opening with all these amazing black women 423 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: killing at the Olympics and black panther and black panther. 424 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: So it's it's been a it's been a good February. 425 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: It's been a good February. All right, let's take a 426 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: quick break, and when we come back, we've got more 427 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: wildly awesome women of color at the Winter Olympics. And 428 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: we're back and we're talking through some of the incredible 429 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 1: women of color at this year's Winter Olympics who are 430 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: representing Team USA. And we were just mentioning how incredibly 431 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: young mom a Byney is at eighteen years old. She 432 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: just turned eighteen a few days before the opening ceremonies. Now, 433 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: one of my favorite performances to watch at the Olympics 434 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: thus far has been the half pipe. Um the snowboarding 435 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: half pipe is just an incredibable feat to watch the 436 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: way that those athletes make It seems so effortless as 437 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: they're floating through the air and trying to stick their 438 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: landings on the way down, only to soar once again. 439 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: Gives me chills, especially as someone who does on occasion 440 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: fly down a mountain on a pair of skis. I 441 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,679 Speaker 1: just cannot imagine doing what these snowboarders are doing on 442 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 1: the half pipe. And the one you have to watch 443 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: if you missed it is Chloe Kim, who already earned 444 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: a gold medal on Tuesday morning, and in doing so, 445 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 1: basically realized this American immigrant dream. I love the way 446 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: that she was talking about her parents who immigrated to 447 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: the United States from South Korea only to go watch 448 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: their incredible, profound daughter compete at the Olympic Games in 449 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: South Korea. It seems like this coming home American story 450 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 1: and that VI was totally totally on display after her win. 451 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: After she won, her father reportedly pointed to himself and 452 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: kept shouting, American dream, American dream, and honestly, give us 453 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: you chills, because that is the American dream, right that 454 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: we all are Americans and that we can all represent 455 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: our country and no matter where what our origin story 456 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,239 Speaker 1: is where we come from for all Americans United, and 457 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 1: it's just it's I don't often feel that sort of 458 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: patriotic rara warm fuzzy feeling. But I definitely got it then, Yeah, 459 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: I mean, Chloe says that herself. She says, quote, my 460 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 1: dad is definitely sacrificed a lot for me, and I 461 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: don't know if I could do it if I were 462 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: in his shoes, leaving your life behind and chasing your 463 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: dream because your kid is passionate about this sport. I 464 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: think today I did it for my family, and I 465 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: am so grateful for them. Is As it turns out, 466 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: John Jin, her father, prodded Chloe to jump out of 467 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: snowboard when she was only four years old, and nearly 468 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: a decade ago, he quit his job as an engineer 469 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: to help his precocious daughter reach glory on the slopes. 470 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,640 Speaker 1: Her parents frequently drove Chloe from their home in Torrance, California, 471 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,880 Speaker 1: to Mammoth Mountain, where she trains, a six hour ride. Wow. 472 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: That just goes to show you that oftentimes when these 473 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: athletes win, it isn't just a win for them, it's 474 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: a win for their entire family. Right, It's a win 475 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: for your dad who quit his job and got up 476 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 1: early to drive you to practice and all of that. 477 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: And I just love seeing these athletes reaffirm that. It's 478 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 1: it's so beautiful and it just reminds you how behind 479 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: every athlete is a village of some kind or another, 480 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: our family who has made their athletic dream possible by 481 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: shuttling their kid around, or by getting them on the slopes, 482 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: or by making those opportunities a priority. And it's just incredible. 483 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 1: And beyond that, something that's been really heartwarming to see 484 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: is how that community, that village in a lot of 485 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: these cases is often to other athletes. It's other athletes 486 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: lifting each other up and getting them there and and 487 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: lifting as they climb. It's really a beautiful story about 488 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 1: how athleticism really is a tapestry of support. Just really, 489 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: it's really something. It is a beautiful story. And if 490 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 1: you have missed it, like I said earlier, you have 491 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: to go back and see Chloe Kim's performance on her 492 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: very first run, she landed a score above ninety three 493 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: out of a hundred. I mean, I'm no sportscaster here, 494 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: but she was landing tricks that I can't even pronounce, 495 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: and the entire rest of the competition was struggling to 496 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: keep up with her scores after Chloe's first run, but 497 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: by the time that her final take on the half 498 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 1: pipe came around, she was already gold medal secure. She 499 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 1: was free to take a victory lap, but instead she 500 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: added an extra exclamation point, as NBC described it, by 501 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: landing her most technical sequence of tricks, the back to 502 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: back ten eighties, the combination of a front side ten 503 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: eight into a cab ten eight in the middle of 504 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: her run, and her final score from judges came in 505 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 1: at nine eight point to five, which is insane, making 506 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 1: her officially the new Olympic Champion. I love her. You 507 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 1: have like a girl crush on her. I do have 508 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 1: a girl crush on her. She's just so California cool. 509 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: Everything about her is like so effortlessly cool, and she's 510 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: like the epitome of snowboarder cheek in every way snowboarder 511 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: ch Well, I'm a skier, so it's not me. Um. 512 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: Snowboarders are like the way cool, laid back, like you know, 513 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: shredding on the slopes without even looking like you're breaking 514 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: a sweat kind of cool people. Um, at least some 515 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 1: of them are, some of them are very annoying as 516 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: a skier. But Chloe is like the epitome of just 517 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:30,399 Speaker 1: effortless perfection and it's amazing to watch her. And I 518 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,199 Speaker 1: don't want to say that to detract from all the 519 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: effort that went into it, because clearly she busted her butt. 520 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: But that's the thing. She makes it look easy, something 521 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: that takes an incredible amount of training and skill and 522 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: poise and talent. She makes it look easy. She makes 523 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: it look like anyone who get out there and do it. Yeah, 524 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: she's amazing. And speaking of making things on the snow 525 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: and ice look effortless, we would be remiss to not 526 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: mention Marai Nagasu. Now, Marai made history when she became 527 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: the first American woman at the Olympics to land the 528 00:28:56,360 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 1: coveted and notoriously difficult triple axel, and she did so 529 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 1: making it look like it was nothing like it was 530 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: the easiest thing in the world, you know, just the 531 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: vision of poise and athleticism. And again it shows you 532 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: how difficult these things are, how much training and talent 533 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 1: and skill and strength they take. These women do it 534 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: and they make it look so easy. Yeah, it's an 535 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: incredibly tough skill because the triple axel is the only 536 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: jump in which the skater flies into the air while 537 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: facing forward, requiring a three and a half rotation before landing. 538 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,719 Speaker 1: Only two other women in the entire world throughout history 539 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: have ever completed such a feat at the Olympics, the 540 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: two others being from Japan Midori Ito and Mao Asada. 541 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: Something that I love that Nagasu said about her win 542 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: is that she said, this is definitely history or history, 543 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: whatever way you want to put it, and it kind 544 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: of it just goes to show these women know that 545 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: they are breaking barriers out there and how important that is. 546 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: I think it's interesting how each and every one of 547 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: these women they're not just out there doing it for themselves. 548 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: They're doing it for all of us, and they're keenly 549 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: aware of how significant their presence is. I love that 550 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: she finished for the one thirty seven point five three 551 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: overall score, which was the second best of the Ladies 552 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: free skate, helping Team USA to win a bronze for 553 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: the team event in figure skating. When speaking to the 554 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: press after her win, she said, quote, I knew in 555 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: my heart that this day would come. I love that 556 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: don't you kind of want to be best friends with 557 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: all of these women? Yes, I mean I saw her 558 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: performance lived. It was beautiful. It was absolutely astounding. And 559 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles native has competed in the Olympics before. 560 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: She was at the Olympic Games in Vancouver where she 561 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 1: finished fourth, so she has a long history of crushing 562 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: it at the Olympics, and it's just wonderful to see 563 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 1: such a poised, incredible athlete like her absolutely nail this 564 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: incredibly hard trick under all of that pressure, with all 565 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: of those eyeballs, making this Olympics her moment to shine. 566 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: I can't even imagine. And beyond the physical strength, this 567 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: takes the mental and emotional poise you would have to have, 568 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: I certainly laugh, do not have it. I mean what 569 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: we've talked about the world of figure skating and how 570 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: hard it is to be a fierce athlete and ladylike 571 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: throughout the whole competition with Sanya Harding's up. Yeah, it's 572 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: just a good reminder how it's often this tight rope 573 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: of balancing so many things mental, emotional, physical, you know, 574 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,959 Speaker 1: looks this that, and some of these women do it, 575 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: and they do it so well. It's just almost hard 576 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: to fathom. Absolutely, it's amazing. Well, I hope you have 577 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: enjoyed walking through with me some of the most incredible 578 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: women of color competing at this year's Olympics. I certainly 579 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: have enjoyed watching them get up there and prove to 580 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: the world that women can do anything, and that we 581 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: need more women of color in these arenas totally. So 582 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 1: go out there and encourage the women of color in 583 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: your life to do whatever they want, whether that's bob sledding, 584 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: or ice skating or whatever, skiing, snowboarding. Let's build a 585 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: culture that says it's okay for women of color to 586 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: do those things. I love it, So tell us s 587 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: Mendy listeners, who are the women that are inspiring you 588 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: this Olympic season, Because we know we couldn't have mentioned 589 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: them all. These are just some of our favorites we 590 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: wanted to shine a spotlight on. Hit us up on 591 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, Send us a snap of 592 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: the Olympic dreamers in your world on Instagram at stuff 593 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: Mom Never Told You, And, as always our inboxes open 594 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com.