Quevenzhane Wallis, Coco Jones, Willow Smith & Gabby Douglas Make Black History

Gabrielle Douglas

Gabrielle Douglas is a gymnast extraordinaire who made her first Olympic debut at the 2012 Olympic Games. The gymnast conquered a historic feat and left London as the first woman of color of any nationality in Olympic history to be deemed Individual All-Around Champion and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the Individual All-Around and Team Competitions. Gabrielle started out like many Olympic hopefuls, taking gymnastic classes at her local gym in Virginia Beach. A quick learner, she excelled and knew that a major move was necessary in order for her skillset to reach new heights. At age 14 and after much convincing to her mother, the brave heart moved to Iowa for expert training from Olympic coach Liang Chow. Still training under Coach Chow, Gabrielle Douglas is preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rid de Janeiro, Brazil!

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At 17 years old, Douglas has already managed to become a pioneer. Not only has she raised the bar for athleticism, but she’s also made a lasting impact on the African-American community. With Blacks being more at risk for various health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes, Gabrielle Douglas’ commitment to physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle is a live example and inspiration to modify those behaviors that put our well-being at risk. Her athletic strides as a Black woman also lay the foundation and open doors for other women of color to follow in her footsteps and set records of their own!