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  • IBTIHAJ MUHAMMAD: Winning a medal at the Olympics

  • should have been the proudest moment of my life.

  • Of the millions of girls across America,

  • it was me that was representing Team USA.

  • Many people close to me didn't think I could do it.

  • And you know what?

  • Just qualifying was actually my biggest achievement.

  • There were some who even tried to stop me

  • from realizing my dreams.

  • Using their negativity as motivation

  • has been the soundtrack to my life.

  • I didn't need their validation.

  • I became my own cheerleader.

  • Each knockback became a catalyst to excel.

  • I told myself every day I was a champion, over

  • and over and over.

  • And look at me now.

  • I could give you the sugar-coated version

  • of my journey.

  • But it's important that everyone, especially little

  • black girls and little Muslim girls, see what I've achieved

  • and know the truth.

  • No matter what obstacles are in front of you,

  • if you believe in yourself, you can make it happen.

  • I grew up in New Jersey.

  • Sport has always been a big part of my life.

  • I played volleyball, track, and softball.

  • As a whole, my hometown, Maplewood, New Jersey,

  • was pretty accepting of my family as Muslims.

  • But I do have these peppered moments throughout my childhood

  • where I was bullied or made fun of.

  • But in any of the sports that I've played,

  • my mom and I have always adjusted the uniforms to fit in

  • with our religious beliefs, adding

  • long sleeves underneath my tops or adding

  • Spandex underneath the shorts.

  • One day I was driving past this high school with my mom

  • and she noticed fencers inside dressed in all white.

  • She said, I'm not sure what sport that is,

  • but when you get to high school, I want you to try it out.

  • When I discovered fencing, it was the first time in my life

  • I had the opportunity to wear the same uniform

  • as my teammates.

  • I joined my high school's fencing team

  • and soon started to compete with other local high schools.

  • I was often the only black kid in the room

  • and the first Muslim that people had ever met.

  • That was an eye opener for me.

  • I felt like a stranger in my own country.

  • Most people don't see past the hijab, but I'm not oppressed.

  • My decision to wear the hijab is my choice,

  • and I find it empowering.

  • And I've channeled that pride into another passion,

  • which is fashion.

  • I've since started my own clothing company, Louella,

  • making affordable, fashionable, modest clothes for Millennials.

  • And really, it's grown from there.

  • I now split my time between Los Angeles and New York,

  • and I'm really focused on expanding the company.

  • I'm known for my hijab, right?

  • But what most people don't know is

  • I'm also the first woman of color

  • in my weapon to represent the United States national team.

  • Being African-American comes with historical baggage.

  • You're not smart enough.

  • You're not beautiful enough.

  • You yourself aren't enough.

  • You have to be exceptional, oftentimes, to be accepted.

  • Even in sport I've been told I'm not

  • smart enough to think tactically through a fencing match.

  • Just before the Olympics I arrived at a point in my life

  • where I refused to change parts of myself

  • to make other people happy.

  • I decided I would be unapologetic about who

  • I was as an African-American woman and as a Muslim woman.

  • I always felt I had more to give the world than just

  • as an athlete on the field.

  • The Obama Administration appointed me

  • as a Sports Ambassador, which gave me the opportunity

  • to encourage youth around the world

  • to get involved in sports.

  • I spent a long time playing with dolls as a kid.

  • So you are talking to the Barbie Queen,

  • but I never had a doll that came with a hijab.

  • When Barbie asked if they can make a doll in my likeness,

  • it was a huge breakthrough in my life.

  • Now girls everywhere, both Muslim and non-Muslim,

  • can play with dolls who choose to wear a hijab.

  • I feel so proud of what I've achieved, but I'm not done yet.

  • If I had allowed other people's misconceptions

  • to dictate how I felt about myself,

  • I wouldn't be standing here today.

  • Black.

  • Muslim.

  • Girl.

  • These aren't limitations.

  • Everything you need to be successful

  • is already inside of you.

  • You just have to take a leap of faith.

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