Last week, 28-year-old American figure skater, Adam Rippon, became the first openly gay man to qualify for the winter Olympics. Despite finishing in fourth place overall, Rippon was chosen to accompany Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou in Pyeongchang next month. This sparked some controversy based on Rippon’s selection over Ross Miner, who came in second place at the national championship.

In the end, Rippon’s hard work and track record paid off.

This is a big deal for not only the world due to Rippon’s openness and celebration of his sexuality, but also for myself because he happens to be from my hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Way to represent the 570, Adam!

I think Rippon can serve as an inspiration to not only people in the LGBTQ+ community, but also for anyone who has a dream. Coming from a person who knows first-hand how hard it is to keep a dream alive in the small-town of Clarks Summit, I think Rippon’s determination, hard work and confidence is admirable.

Through his figure skating, he has shown people what you can accomplish when you set your mind to something, even when hundreds of people are telling you that you can’t do it.

In a recent tweet, Rippon wrote, “I was recently asked in an interview what it’s like to be a gay athlete in sports. I said that it’s exactly like being a straight athlete. Lots of hard work, but usually done with better eyebrows.”

I can’t wait to see Rippon represent the United States at the Olympics this year. Also, I hope everyone takes away something from his story because he truly is an inspiration and is paving the way for future figure skaters. Never be ashamed of who you are or pursuing your dreams because who knows, you could be the next Adam Rippon?

Check out Adam’s routine at the national championships here: