Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself

I am thrilled that I get to write for Fat Girl Reviews and I am thankful to have their platform to tell my story.  This past February I had the opportunity to spend some time with some of the best Track and Field Athletes in history and learned a beautiful lesson about life.  Here is an excerpt from my latest blog post for Fat Girl Reviews, “Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself”.

For the whole story please check out the  Fat Girl Reviews (link) website!

“Allow me to reintroduce myself…”- Jay Z

I love this lyric, or line of a rap song, or however, I am supposed to refer to it.

I’ve seen this quote quite a bit recently on my social media feed from a number of people I follow. I wonder if there is something in the atmosphere that is making us all just a little forgetful.

My name is Dawn Ellerbe. And from now on, this is the only name to which I will answer. No more, no less.

Have you ever answered to a name that was less than you deserve? Or maybe a name laid on you by someone else’s expectations or limitations? I am not sure which is worse, living less than who you are or living someone else’s narrative for your life. My name, my story…no more, no less.

In February, I was invited to participate in the Willie Davenport Olympian Track & Field Clinic, named after Willie Davenport who won gold in the 110m hurdles in the 1968 Olympics. This year was dedicated to that 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City.

To give a little perspective….

These games were the first to be fully broadcast in color and America’s team took full advantage of the spotlight. Al Oerter won his fourth gold in the discus. Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump by pioneering the back first technique, dubbed the Fosbury Flop. Bob Beamon set a world record in the long jump; Jim Hines did the same in the 100m, breaking 10 seconds for the first time; and Wyomia Tyus became the first to repeat as a gold medalist on the 100. *

This all came in a year that was one of the most tumultuous in U.S. History. Civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were both assassinated. The Vietnam war raged on, protests heated up, social activism was on the rise, all leading to one indelible image during the Mexico City Games. In a highly controversial gesture, after Tommie Smith won gold and John Carlos won bronze in the 200m, each raised a black-gloved fist in protest on the medal podium. Not only was this a significant time in Olympic History, but this Olympics also marked a significant time in American History. *

Over 65 Olympians, World Champions, and history makers were invited to attend and importantly, I had a seat among these champions too.

Dawn Ellerbe. Champion…no more, no less.

Head over to Fat Girl Reviews to read the entire blog post(link)