DD: That’s an interesting point you are making. I tweeted something along the lines of the criticism that Gabby Douglas is receiving and personally I didn’t have to go through as an Olympic athlete. My feet are slightly flat and I have bow legs, but nobody talked about that or my hair in the 90’s. I didn’t have to go through any of that. Robin Roberts and I were chatting about that because I did GMA (Good Morning America) during the Olympic games and it’s definitely tough what these girls have to deal with. It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I think the best advice I can give these girls is you have to have a thick skin and not take it too seriously. Don’t take the heart what people are saying that’s negative. That’s an issue they have with themselves. When you are on top of the world people will try and push you down. That was the advice that was given to me when I was much younger. When people are saying negative things about you, it’s clear you are making waves. Keep doing what you are doing and don’t allow that to defer you from your goal.
BSO: Social media has definitely made it tougher for anyone in the public eye …
DD: But also there is beauty in that. They are able to use their platform to connect with millions of fans. I still have huge tupperware containers of thousands of fan mail letters that I open and feel inspired by and it was all snail mail. And now these young ladies have that instant, immediate connection with their fans. So that’s definitely a pro because brands and sponsors love that.
BSO: The film you are helping to promote, Hidden Figures, retells the story of three African-American math pioneers who play an integral part in NASA’s successful launch of John Glenn into space. The path wasn’t a well traveled one during those times, even now, yet they still preserved and carved out their place in history. How did their story impact you when you learned of it?
DD: I am just in awe of what 3 women were able to do in that day in age. And I am really excited to have had the opportunity to promote it during the Olympic Games just as Simone Biles was about to win her third Olympic Gold Medal. I feel completely honored. We spoke of how I was able to touch the lives of Simone and Gabby and Laurie.
These three women, when the story comes out, it’s an untold story. I didn’t learn about this in African American History, I didn’t learn about this in history. Coming up in the public school system, this story is going to inspire another generation of young girls. Not just African-American Girls but all young girls to use STEM and to see STEM as an opportunity for them to excel. Science, Technology, Enginnering and Mathematics is something that has not been pushed upon with young girls as a strength of ours but I know when this film comes out a number of young girls will be inspired and drive to follow in their footsteps.
BSO: It’s an important story be told just as young ladies watching your story and Simone and Gabby’s unfold. Is the diversity explosion happening or are those young ladies anomalies for the most part?
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