Niagara University welcomed trailblazing American gymnast Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas as part of its celebration of Women and Girls in Sports Day. Douglas participated in an interactive question and answer session with sociocultural club leaders and the NU community on Feb. 5.
The event was hosted by NU's Intercultural Engagement Center and the Black Student Union. Meech McIntyre, associate director of intercultural engagement and former dual sport athlete, and Peyton Bell, a member of the university’s Division I golf team and the Student Athlete of Color Alliance, moderated the session.
“Every year, we host a guest speaker for Black History Month,” said McIntyre. “We intentionally scheduled the event on Women and Girls in Sports Day to not only honor Gabby’s achievements in Black history, but her overall achievements as a Black woman in sports. We hoped the experience of this event was inspiring and unifying.”
Douglas is the first African American woman to win Olympic all-around gold, achieving the historic feat at the 2012 London Games. A key member of the “Fierce Five” and later the “Final Five,” she helped the U.S. win team gold medals in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Beyond gymnastics, Douglas is a motivational speaker, author of two New York best sellers, “Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith” and “Raising the Bar,” and is an advocate for confidence, diversity, and mental health. Today, she remains a role model and a symbol of what can be achieved through hard work and courage.