With the Olympic Games beginning, I am very excited to view all of the tournaments and competitions. Already, I have watched Men's Volleyball, Women's Tour de Rio (bicycling), and I'm currently viewing Women's Diving. Among the games I enjoy watching, the Women's Gymnastics Team is one of my favorite tournaments to watch. I am especially excited to see Gabby Douglass, Aly Raisman, and Simone Biles.
But enough about the others. I want to bring more attention to a special woman currently competing. She is a part of the U.S. Fencing Team, she is considered to be one of the best fencers in the world, and she began her training at the age of thirteen; nevertheless, what really impresses me is that she is the first Muslim Woman to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team...with a hijab.
Her name is Ibtihaj Muhammad, and this woman kicks some serious butt.
Muhammad grew up playing numerous sports as a child, but it was not until she began fencing when she found her calling. What was special about fencing was that Muhammad could perform while wearing her hijab. Seventeen years later, she is going strong not only as an olympian, but as an American individual.
Here are a few reasons why Muhammad deserves more recognition:
1) Ibtihaj specifically states that her faith always comes first because it is a part of who she is.
No matter which country we live in, we need to be reminded that a nation has no specific color, religion, etc.
2) She is another example of why women are just as influential as men are.
We are all capable to doing whatever we choose to do. Although women and men have not received equal recognition and support in sports yet, the increasing proportion of athletes being women shows we are heading in the right direction. In fact, the U.S. Olympic Team has one of the highest proportion of its team being female (over 50%).
3) She is proof that minorities are just as capable of reaching the top as white people are.
Let me give you a few examples of people who make me feel proud to be a minority: Barack Obama (first black president of the U.S.), Jackie Robinson (baseball player), Simone Biles (gymnast), Gabby Douglass (gymnast), Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights activist), and Harriet Tubman (conductor of the Underground Railroad). No matter the color of our skin, we are all human. We all make mistakes, but we can all do incredible things.
4) MOST IMPORTANTLY: Muhammad stays true to herself, and so should we.
Family and friends are precious to have, and it's safe to say that we all have different opinions, beliefs, cultures, and lifestyles. what matters the most thought is that we all stick to what helps us be our best. Once we find what's best for us, we are then able to give back and help others.
More than ever, we are recognizing what the U.S. nation is meant to be. It is a place where all types of people are given chances to be their best without having to change themselves at all.
