To Be Equal: Gumbo spirit was on display at Olympics

& by Marc H.& Morial& (TriceEdneyWire.com—“In addition to giving us countless thrilling moments of athletic excellence, the Summer Games have given the DEI movement the greatest gift it could ever hope for: a picture of success that can inspire people from across the political spectrum … They represent what makes America great: individuals from diverse backgrounds, viewing their distinctive identities as sources of pride, cooperating together to achieve excellence and bring honor to their nation.”—Eboo Patel The power of the Gumbo spirit was on full display in Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The most diverse women’s gymnastics team in U.S. history was the most decorated, with 10 medals total, 3 of them gold, including the coveted individual all-around. Team USA members of every racial and ethnic background found success in Paris, bringing home the gold in track and field, swimming, and other events. But the diversity of the women’s gymnastics team has captured the world’s attention, given the historic exclusion of women of color from the sport. When Dominique Dawes competed in the Olympic trials for the 1992 Barcelona Games, she was the first Black gymnast to ever qualify. She was part of the celebrated “Magnificent...