TED Talks Daily - The Olympic spirit — and how you can tap into it | Allyson Felix

Episode Date: August 7, 2024

Allyson Felix is an 11-time Olympic medalist and the most decorated track and field athlete of all time. She joined us live from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris to share her sharp take on how to navigate setbacks, thrive under pressure and find purpose beyond winning — tips that will resonate with everyone, not just those going for gold. (This conversation was hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers. Visit ted.com/membership to support TED today and join more exclusive events like this one.)

TED Audio Collective. You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. Every two years, the world is captivated by the Olympics. I sure am. Yet the lasting global impact of the Games happens outside of the competition.

No one knows this better than the 11-time Olympic champion, cultural icon, and women's rights activist, Alison Felix. She joins TED curator Whitney Pennington-Rogers live from Paris to share how her Olympic track and field career shaped her influential voice. And we'll get an inside look at what's happening on the ground at the 2024 Summer Games. But first, a quick break to hear from our sponsors. Support for this show comes from Airbnb. If you know me, you know I love staying in Airbnbs when I travel. They make my family feel most at home when we're away from home. As we settled down at our Airbnb during a recent vacation to Palm Springs, I pictured my own home sitting empty.

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It's a step to keep your team and community safe. Visit OntarioOneCall.ca and avoid unnecessary damages to get the job done right. Data sourced from the ORCGA 2023 Dirt Report. And now our TED Talk of the day. Now, listen, unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the single most exciting and anticipated sporting event in the world is currently underway in Paris, the Olympic Games. There have already been so many memorable moments that have happened from an unforgettable opening ceremony to record-breaking performances from some of your favorite athletes. And what's happening in competition is only a teeny tiny bit of what mark the Olympics and the athletes will make out in the world. Our guest today, of course,

knows this better than anyone beyond her performance on the track. Alison Felix made big waves when she publicly took on Nike in 2019 for their lack of maternity protection. Alison now runs her own footwear company, Seiche, is a staunch supporter of gender equality and one of the most influential voices out there on maternal rights. Joining us live from Paris, please welcome Olympic icon, Alison Felix. Hi, thank you so much for having me. Hi, Alison. It's great to see you and thank you for being here with us.

We have so much to talk about, but before we get into all of that, I know that this has been a really big year for you, both professionally, which we'll dive into, but also personally. And we all were really thrilled to see the birth of your son and you expanding your family to now having two kiddos. And so how has life been as a family of four? Well, thank you so much. It's been amazing.

Definitely an adjustment for sure. We're finding our way, but I'm just so happy that I had a beautiful birth experience and didn't face the same complications and really blessed to now be a family of four. That's awesome. Well, of course, these are your first Olympic Games since retiring from track and field. And I know the Games are just getting started, but how has this year so far compared to your past Olympic experiences? It's such a different experience.

You know, it feels a little bit odd being at the games and not competing. I oftentimes feel like I should be doing something, preparing, getting ready for a race. But at the same time, you know, it is very nice to be on the other side of it. I'm able to take it all in. I have all of my family here. And so that experience is great. But of course,

there's a bit of a loss there as I'm finding my way into new roles and new positions. And I'm really excited to talk more about all of that. But I think one thing people are really eager to know just that sort of in this new space as a spectator for the first time, what have you really been enjoying most? What events have you been attending? What has been most exciting for you?

So far, gymnastics has really been the top of my list. I bumped into the women's team right before they went out last night and, you know, got the gold. And it's just incredible to see them, you know, so confident, so much joy. A lot of them have been through such adversity. So to see that just displayed

in such a strong, powerful performance was incredible. Of course, swimming is underway and that's been incredible watching that. And then, yeah, just seeing some beach volleyball, like a lot of things happening. And there's just an energy here in the city. And that's something totally different that I've been able to experience, you know, just being able to be out and about with the crowd and the people and really feeling like there's something special here. It must be a very special experience for you having been on the other side of that and to sort of know what that energy is like for people who are, as you mentioned, like the women's gymnastics team or, you know, experiencing a win that that's that special moment. I'm sure

I can't, no one else can relate to that if you haven't actually been through that. Well, I know part of what you're focused on in Paris is thinking about the impact athletes are having outside of competition, which is obviously something that you know very well. And I'm curious just why do you think it's so important that we highlight the work athletes are doing beyond the sports that made them famous. Yeah, I think for a long time, you know, athletes really felt, and myself, you felt like you had to like fit in this perfect box and you really had to stay in your lane. And, you know, your only value that you had to add was the contributions to the sports that you did. And I think we're

seeing a really different time right now for athletes that their voice is loud, they have impact and they have work that they're passionate about. And I think it's really important to highlight them as a whole. And so for me, I think we're seeing more and more just a different generation of athletes who are willing to speak out on things and i think it's

it's really important to highlight that as well to that point you know i think in many ways you're sort of a trailblazer in this space of of speaking out on on things and in 2022 we were really lucky to have you come to ted and give a talk about the work that you were doing in the maternal rights space uh stemming that that was stemming from your own struggles. And of course, you made a big impact at this year's games. I know you've erected what is the first nursery in the Olympic Village for parent athletes. And so I'm just curious how you think attitudes toward working parent athletes and working mom athletes specifically has changed since you gave your talk a couple of years ago. I feel like we have a lot of momentum and we're moving in the right direction. When I went through my experience, these weren't conversations that we were having.

You know, pregnancies were being hidden. I had my pregnancy. I had so many teammates and colleagues who had just a struggle, a really difficult time. Right now, I'm so happy that there are so many examples of incredible moms that are athletes and that are competing here at the games. Having the space in the village, the family space for families to come together, to bond, to spend time. To me, it really sends a message to women that they are absolutely capable after they have children to still be at the top of their game, to still be here at the Olympics and really

shifting the culture to show everyone that doesn't mean that you have to start another chapter in your life. So I think we've come a long way, but of course there's still more work to be done. And it's work that we have to, that no one singular person is going to do on their own. We have to all collaborate to do it, but I do feel like we are moving in the right direction. Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, and I think when you think about just female athletes in general, it feels like there's really been a big moment this year. And I'd love to know if you feel like, is this just a trendy thing that's happening this year? Or do you think that women's sports

are finally getting their due? Yeah, I think that it's been a long time coming. A lot of us have been screaming about this, you know, many years ago. So it feels really good to see, you know, some of the world take notice to it. And I think that if we continue in this path, this will be here to stay. I think we have a lot of work to broaden the sports that are getting the attention. Obviously, women's basketball is

really at the forefront right now. But there's no reason that other sports can't follow in the same path. And, you know, we have to show up for them. We have to watch them. We have to buy the gear and the merch, all the things in order to continue this trajectory. Well, I want to pivot for a second to something else that you've been really vocal about, which is connected to maternal rights, but specifically thinking about the Black maternal mortality crisis, which is, I know, an issue that also has arisen from your own experiences and the challenges you face around childbirth. And, you know, we've seen headlines about this for years, about how Black women are disproportionately at risk for experiencing

birth, excuse me, experiencing death, rather, as a result of childbirth. And I'm just, you know, what does it seem like we're, what are we missing here? Why do we keep seeing these headlines over and over again? We have to do something about it. And until we do, you know, there's not going to be an improvement. And I think a lot, there's a lot of different reasons, you know, why we are in the situation that we're in. But to me, the most blaring always comes back to the statistic around, I believe it's 80% of the complications and deaths that women of color face are preventable. And that just always stops me in my tracks because that means that we can do something about it. And it also makes me hopeful

because there's change there. A lot of it is around implicit bias. A lot of it is around medical professionals listening to women of color. And I hear these stories over and over from women about them knowing their bodies and bringing things up and their pain not being perceived or not being taken serious. And so that's a huge issue. Also policy change and getting different things passed, raising awareness. You know, there's all these different angles that we can come at it from. But the main thing is that we have to take action. And to me, it's really unfortunate that it's more dangerous for me to give birth today

than it was for my mother. And, you know, that's just not the path that we want to be on. It's scary. It feels like all of these things. So, you know, thinking about maternal mortality, thinking about maternal rights and women's sports and sort of the rise in that space, it's your impact in all of this is so huge. And we saw earlier this year that we are not the only ones who think that. Obviously, Melinda French Gates, she committed a billion dollars to advancing women globally and granted $20 million to a small handful of activists. And you were one of those recipients to do work that

advances women's health. And what was it like for you to learn about that major gift? And what are your plans for that money? It was super humbling. I mean, I just stopped me in my tracks, first of all, to get an email from her. And I think also just that she's been following the work that I've been trying to do. And she was just so encouraging. And I think, you know, really being able to deploy these funds to organizations that might not otherwise get the funding that they needed is really important. And so I'm excited to focus on Black maternal health. And I've just been learning more about organizations in the space who have been doing urgent work

and excited to get these funds to them and excited about the impact that it will have on the most at-risk individuals and hopefully begin to turn things around. And so I'm really looking forward to what these funds and these organizations are going to be able to accomplish. And the influence that you're having in the maternal rights space is one thing. And then there's also thinking about the influence on the Olympic Games themselves.

And we know you're currently campaigning for a seat on the International Olympic Committee's Athletes Commission. So I think for most of us, we may not know exactly what that means. So would you first tell us what is the Athletes Commission? So the Athletes Commission is basically having representatives of the athlete's voice. And so I was appointed a member, and that is how the nursery, the family space came into existence by bringing that issue up before the commission. And it was well-received. And I was thrilled about that because usually you think things like that take even more time, especially dealing with the Olympic games, but it was well-received. So I would love to stay on that commission.

And so that's why I'm up for election and really just to listen, you know, to what are the concerns, what are the things happening and how can we have an impact? How can we try to create some change for those athletes who are, you know, representing their countries at the highest level? And what does that change look like for you? Like, what are some other things that you think can be evolved when you think about the Olympic games? Yeah. I mean, I would love to grow this family space, you know, even more leading into LA 28. And so that is top of my list. And then we deal with things as far as, you know, doping and how athletes deal with, you know, fair play. We also deal with, you know, issues like Russia, Ukraine, and how that impacts athletes and, you know, their performance at the games. And so really wanting to listen to what are the issues that are most prevalent and being able to address those and also bring new things to the table as well. What you've highlighted makes so much sense and makes a really

clear point about the fact that these Olympic games aren't happening in a vacuum, right? These are real people coming from these countries experiencing whatever's happening there, whether it is conflict or any sort of hardship. And I'm curious how you think the Olympics could also do a better job of sort of reflecting what those experiences are like, also outside of the competitions themselves. Yeah, it's been really interesting, you know, as I sit on this commission, that it is, it's global. And I think a lot of times, you know, we have a perspective of where we come from. And one of the things that was put into action was a refugee Olympic team. And so you have these refugees who are now able to compete under that flag here at the Olympics.

And just hearing the different stories of what that means and having a place to still be able to compete in the hardship, I think it just really gives a face to some of those issues and also just the challenges around the world of what's happening. You have war happening and people fleeing and all these different things. And you think we're all here to play a game or to run a race, but it really puts into perspective just the issues around the world and how the Olympics, you know, the goal is that we all put everything aside for two weeks, but on the commission, we're working to help those individuals who are dealing with those things every single day. To that point, for a lot of us who watch the Olympics, myself included, you know, I think there's not really a real appreciation for what it takes to compete at the highest level in any sport. And you sort of get used to seeing Olympians

perform seemingly superhuman feats again and again. And then there just begins to be this expectation for professional athletes that you're just going to, you're going to do that. And so I think a question here is how does that pressure impact athletes and how are you able to sort of maintain that focus amidst all the things that might be happening in your life? Yeah, I think it'd be very difficult. I know for myself, there is a pressure, there is an expectation. And I do think that when you have longevity, it almost becomes that these performances, like you said, are expected. And so you win a gold medal and it's what everybody expects you to do.

But when you don't, that's really when you feel the weight of the world. And I think it really can wear on you, especially when you're at the very top. And I think we've seen examples of this and it can really ruin your mental health and all of it. I'm really excited now that we're having more conversations about it. And I think athletes are being more transparent. At the height of my career, I don't feel like even the way that I approached it was really healthy. There was really this mentality of you just, you got through it at any cost. You didn't take time off. You didn't step away. You didn't talk to someone. You just, you went forward because as an Olympian, you have two weeks where the world takes notice of you. And so you don't want

anything to get in the way of that. But now even with what Simone did in Tokyo, I think we really saw an amazing example of stepping away and prioritizing your mental health. And so I hope that we continue to understand that athletes are just people and they have the same issues and the same challenges as

everyone else. And I hope that we continue to provide resources for athletes as they deal with, you know, the very real struggles that happen when you're competing at the top level. And, you know, we had so many questions that are coming in from the audience around this idea of mental health and how to take care of that. And I'm curious for you, you know, as it relates to thinking about like being a mother and I love what you're saying around resources. How does that look different for people who are coming off of what no matter what is a really life changing experience of, you know, giving birth to a child? Like, how does that affect your mental health and the way you think about your sport? I think it's all in that same kind of theme. I think it's understanding when it feels like too

much. I think any big change in life comes with that, you know, that feeling of possibly needing some help and recognizing that and understanding that that's not a weakness. You know, that is just a way of life that so many people go through. And I know that for me, it has been a lot to, you know, to go through a retirement, to have another child, to have all these kind of new life moments and understanding that I have to give myself grace. I have to sometimes take a moment. And I think we have to bring that grace. I have to sometimes take a moment. And I think we have to bring that to a place where it's normal and where we extend that same grace to everyone. And that's just on a professional level, no matter what your industry is.

Sort of specific to the Olympics. And you talk a little bit about this when you think about the sort of influence you'd like to have with the Athletes Commission. Every year we're seeing stories too about the growing popularity of performance enhancing drugs and other ways that people are aiding themselves in performing better as an elite athlete. And I wonder what role you think this culture of perfectionism and how we're sort of putting mental health aside? What role does that play here? I think there's still that very real pressure that individuals feel to cheat, you know? I think that you see whatever the benefit is and that there's this, you know, shortcut that you can take for whatever. I think you have a number of reasons, you know, to do that.

And so it's really unfortunate. And one thing that always comes to my mind when I think about doping and athletes, and a lot of these athletes are young, a lot of them, they can't go down that path by themselves. You know, there are other people who are involved and who take advantage. And I really think about that part, like who are the coaches and who are, it's all about your circle. And I just don't think that that's something that you choose on your, just solely on your own. You need help to execute that. And so I think even when I think about, you know, the athletes commission and how do we really, you know, change things around doping, I think about punishing other individuals who are helping athletes, you know, go down that path. And I think we really have to think more about that as well.

And also the pressure that we put on individuals. You know, I think sometimes it can feel like, you know, like there's so much expectation that you want to do things out of your control and that's always a bad place to start. And what role do you feel like the public plays in all of this? That there's, you know, this culture is not, it starts at the competitions themselves and within sports, but how do we as spectators contribute to these feelings and how can we help prevent this from being a big challenge? I think, you know, we have to realize that athletes are human. I think a lot of times, even since I've retired and I've been able to take in some events, it's really been interesting because I see how this is just entertainment, you know, for people there, you're watching it, you're consuming it.

And for a spectator, after you watch it, you go about your day and you're going on to the next thing. And I know as an athlete, you never feel like you can do that. You know, if you lose on the Olympic stage, oftentimes it feels like the end of the world. You know, you've put so much attention to it that that weight and that devastation can feel so heavy. And so I think it's having more conversations around, I think like no matter what happens on the stage, you will be okay after. A lot of times when I talk to athletes or, you know, mentoring, I really talk about that. Like, what does it look like if you achieve your highest goal?

Or what does it look like if you don't? Like on the other side of it, you'll absolutely be okay. You know, obviously there's disappointment that comes along with it, but you pick up the pieces and you keep going. And so I think we just have to remember and put things into perspective. I think with social media, there's so much access to these athletes and there's so many nasty comments and things that happen. And I think just being kind, you know, to people who are participating in these things and understanding the weight that

they have going on as well. We're getting a lot of questions that are coming in and many of them are sort of focused around this idea of the of the athletes mentality and mindset and and how we can think about mental health. And so we have one, for instance, from from Dana, where she says, I'm currently preparing for my first New York City marathon this year. Go, Dana. So how did you drown out the mental noise during training when there are no crowds and it's just you without any external distractions. Well, that's awesome. Yeah. Good luck on that. For me, I love the process and I love the part that's away from all the noise. And for me, it's all about building. I think especially with running, there's this beautiful relationship that you have with just you and your training and that environment where you can go from not being in shape at all to building a little by little.

And so I would just encourage Dana to embrace that time, put together your plan, and then go after it. And you give yourself grace. You listen to your body. You take rest and space as you need it. But I think it's beautiful to be able to look back and to see all the work that you've done and what you have built.

And then when you get to that moment, you get to embrace it and enjoy and have fun and be so proud of the work that you did to get yourself there. Sort of connected to this is this idea of like what you're suggesting that athletes are, they're just people where you're just, you know, you're experiencing the world in the same way that everyone else is and the

things that are happening. And you have people in your life who are important to you. And, and how do you use those, those people, the things you love, what you're, you know, your family, your friends, your country, especially when you're thinking about the Olympics to, to motivate you as opposed to distract you from achieving your goals? I just deeply believe that you don't accomplish anything by yourself and that's within sports or without. And so to me, my team is everything, my family, my friends, like they pour into me and

they help me. And there's the moments where you just don't want to think about training or a sport or anything. And you're able to, you know, just come and have a normal evening or a dinner or whatever the thing is. And then they build you up. But I remember in 2016, I had a really bad injury right before the Olympic trials. And it was my team that got me through it. You know, they were the ones that uplifted me, that encouraged me, you know, when I couldn't see the vision of how it could ever come together after this devastating injury, they were the ones who got me through. And I ended up making the Olympic team. I ended up still performing and, you know, coming home with medals. But if it was just me by myself,

there's no way that I would have had the vision and the motivation to continue on. And now back to the episode. Thank you for sharing all this. And there's so many people who are just saying that they're just so inspired by you. They really appreciate hearing these stories about how you've managed to maintain the sense of calm and mental health around performance. And there's a question from Faith about, you know, thinking about all the brave athletes that are busting the stigma around mental health. What do you think needs to change

from the Olympic athletic competitive world to also make a healthier environment? So I guess, what specifically can the Olympics offer to athletes to aid in this work? I think a huge thing is resources as far as therapy, people to talk to around this, because I think it's really hard at the Olympic level when you know you just have a moment in time. And so it can feel challenging to step away, to do whatever you need to help because you know, okay, well, I don't want this to pass me by. So I just think better resources. I think training for coaches, you know, making sure that they have the tools necessary to be able to deal with the things that athletes are going through.

I think there's a lot of old school mentality, you know, when it comes to the coaching that we're exposed to, and we have to make sure that, you know, they're up to date with what they see as well. I think there's, there's signs where you can encourage, point your athletes to, you know, to, to the resources also that are available to them. And a lot of people are also asking about the transition for you. And it seems like the work that you're doing now, it didn't just start, you know, once you retired,

you've been doing this work in different ways prior to retirement. But how has this transition for you been going from professional athlete to what you are now? And I guess, how would you describe your work now? Would you say that you're a full-time activist, full-time business person? I guess, how do you define yourself these days? I feel like entrepreneur is top of what I'm doing now, an advocate, you know, it, you know, I'm always trying to make things better

for, for women, for female athletes, just around some of the things that I went through. But it's definitely been a rocky transition for sure. I think it's interesting because I kind of felt, because I have started this work before I stopped competing. I thought, okay, well, maybe I've always heard that it's really challenging. And I always imagined that it was challenging because you're trying to figure out what are your next steps. So I thought, okay, I've got my next steps. This shouldn't be too hard.

But it's still, it's shockingly hard. And I've struggled at times just because there's this great sense of loss. I've done something for 20 years that I've absolutely loved. And it's an interesting feeling to see the sport continue on without you. And so it's figuring out like, okay, what does that mean? And working through those different feelings and approaching everything for the first time. And so I've started to find my way, but it's taken a lot of work and work that I didn't expect to show up in the way that I needed to do it. And so I think a lot about just athletes as they go through this path and how they're supported. I think that you're used to such

a structured regimented schedule and a team of people helping you. And then sometimes it can feel very lonely and isolating as you pursue different goals without the same support system. So yeah, it's an interesting transition for sure. Yeah. I mean, and do you feel like there's an element of the training that, um, that you had that prepared you for, for this transition or is, are, I'm sure there are some things that, that carry over and at least how you tackle or attack your day. Yeah. I think the biggest thing has really been like the adversity that I've dealt with on the track because I have been through all different kinds of things.

And it's always been about the long game, you know, in training. And I feel like that same approach, like I know that I will get to the point where I figure it out, you know, and I have that determination and that perseverance to get there. And so that's really has motivated me and I think helped me coming from the athletic space. Well, Siobhan is really interested in getting some tips from you on what, what do you tell yourself to, to push yourself to the next level, sort of hearing a little bit of what that conversation, I guess, looks like for you inside of your head. And how do you think about how you can go beyond all the amazing things

you've already accomplished in track and in life? For me, I just take it one step at a time. And I think that's really been helpful being an Olympian because it can feel very ambitious to have like this very big goal of, okay, I want to win a gold medal at the Olympics. But once I take that and I start to break it down into smaller things and it's okay, well, this year I want to win world championships. Well, how am I going to get there? I'm going to do X, Y, and Z. And that means that this month I need to do this. And this week in some days, it's just, okay, what do I need to do today to get through it? And so I think you just make it into manageable bite-sized pieces. And then when you put it all together, you have this kind of master plan of

how you're going to get to this very ambitious goal. So that's the same way I've taken that same approach in business and tackling other issues. And it's just kind of how I've always done things and how I make it not feel too big. And do you feel like there's an element of the way you've thought about tackling goals and accomplishing things early on in your career as an athlete and sort of seeing the evolution of that, as you mentioned, like experiencing hardship and adversity and adversity that has changed the way, I guess, you, you, you think about this, like, do you feel that it becomes easier over time? Yeah, it's definitely shifted for me. I think like early on in my career, I was very much just obsessed with this idea of success only

looked one way, like success is very black and white. It is winning at the Olympics and anything else is a failure. And that really was my driving force for so long. And then as I went through that adversity, those real life issues, I started to realize, okay, my purpose is bigger than running fast. I'm here for more than that. And I started to understand the platform and how I could have impact. And that's really when I started to find my voice and speak out on things. But I would say that the way that I define success, change, it really evolved, you know, from being something that was so clear cut and tangible to being something more associated with purpose and creating change. And so I think just going through

the experiences that I did really brought me to that place of having a different definition of success. We have a question also from a member around the added pressure, you know, sort of speaking to this idea of success and how you tackle it for you as a Black athlete and also as a female athlete? Like, you know, do you feel like that pressure is different in some ways? I have always felt like a little bit more of a weight because of those things. And only because, you know, we all know that representation matters. And, you know, when you have something like the Olympic games and you know that the attention is here during this time, you want to be able to be the best example of

that. And oftentimes when something goes wrong or you don't do everything that you want, you feel like you're letting people down. You know, you feel like, wow, like I really miss what this could have been. And so I do feel that at times, obviously, you know, you try to work through that, but there is that bit of added pressure. Well, you know, I think part of the magic of the Olympics is that it creates the space for dreams to really flourish. And obviously for the athletes who are, they're living their dreams, but really for so many people who are watching watching especially I would imagine young people, what is the,

I guess the message for young people who are inspired by what they're seeing at the Olympics? What, what do you say to them today? Yeah. I mean, if they have athletic dreams, you know, to go to the games, I think that they should absolutely pursue them. And I think oftentimes the motivation can go outside of sports. You know, I think it is to reach whatever that top level is of the thing that you're passionate about, because I think that's what you see at the Olympic games. You see all of these athletes pursuing their passions and we know that there is such a range.

And so I hope the message really is whatever your passion is to go after it. And we see like time after time, just through all of the stories that are highlighted through the Olympics is that it's never just a straight path. You know, there are so many ups and downs and that's just life. And that's something that every single person is going to face. And I think that it's a great reminder when we're watching some of these amazing pursuits. You know, we're seeing all these glory moments. We're seeing, you know, a glimpse of, you know, of someone's life.

And what we don't see is all of the training, all of the hard moments, all of the tears and the struggles and when it didn't come together. And I think we have to remember that as well. You know, it's not just this picture perfect, you know, piece of the puzzle, but it's all of it as a whole. And so I hope that there's this full picture for young people that they see that no matter what path you choose, that you're going to have that. And that's good. That's healthy to go through all those things. But it's not just the glory moment. And to your point of no matter what path is chosen, you know, how do you see this also translating for people who are, you know, most people will not be elite athletes, right? Even if that is an aspiration. But there's so many other places, right, where you can make an impact. And, and so how do you, I think, see the impact of what people are seeing at the Olympics? How do you see that impacting the way people make choices about

what dreams to go after outside of sports? I think you're absolutely right. I think we can all start with where we're at. You know, we're not all going to be on the Olympic stage, but we all have jobs and work that we're passionate about and things that we do. And I think that you bring that same energy there and you start with the work that you're doing and the circles that you're in and your own families and the decisions that we all make there. And so I think there's opportunity, you know, wherever you're at to be able to go down that path if that's what you choose. And keeping sort of with this thread of inspiration, you know, the Olympics are an opportunity for us to also see people from countries that maybe we only see in a certain

light. You know, we talked earlier about how these are real people and they're experiencing the real things that are happening in their countries that we see on the news. And it's an opportunity to sort of put a face to what may feel like faceless experiences for people globally, you know, when you're not able to actually be on the ground in many places. And so I wonder what impact the Olympics can have in inspiring change in spaces where we need to see change um even if it has nothing to do with sports to the point of thinking about like how we approach conflict or issues related to you know sustainability or global poverty or these big big weighty issues that um

affect all of us and you know that people return to when you know, sort of cast it out of your mind for two weeks during the Olympics. Like how can the Olympics inspire people to, to, to make change and think about those issues in a different way? Yeah, I think it really puts it on the stage of thinking about people from other places. Like you said, I think it really brings this human nature to it when you are looking at the person from, you know, whatever small country it is and you see their uniform and their story is highlighted and it's such a different experience. And I think sometimes, you know, when you're more fortunate or you come from a privileged place, you don't often stop to think about that. But I know for myself, as I've crossed paths, I think the beautiful thing

about the Olympics for me, you know, being here on the ground as the people that you meet. And I've come across, you know, individuals who they might have 10 members in their team, their entire team here, and they have a whole different experience and the pride that they feel of just stepping on this Olympic stage is so different. Like that is a success for them. And, you know, we come from here in America, you know, such a different mentality, but it makes you think about, okay, what are the issues that you're facing? You know, you might have a whole different kind of background in real life issues that are, that don't put your goals the same as it's not to get a gold medal, but it's being here and being the pride of your nation and all of those things.

So I think the Olympics, you know, do a great job of just stopping you in your tracks and making you think about somebody else and the, the real life things that they face from where they're from. It feels like it's almost a shame that it only happens every two years for that reason and among others. But I wonder for you, like, you know, when you think about the work that you're passionate about, the work that you're really dedicating so much energy to now, how has that experience of interacting with people and from other parts of the world. How has that affected the way you approach that work or think about, about those issues?

Yeah, I think it just definitely makes me have a heart for them. When I'm exposed to whatever the other issues are that someone is facing and brings them top of mind. And I think it's really important when you're doing that type of work to make sure that you're being really inclusive to everyone. I know for like seeing the family space in the village and being able to see athletes' responses and, you know, videos that they've made interacting in the space has really just brought it home how much it's needed and the impact that it's having. And so it's motivating for a lot of other work as well, and just that we have a long way to go. When you think about what more of an impact you can

have and what more you can do, both in like the space of thinking about gender equality, you know, women's rights, maternal rights, you know, where else do you see yourself making an impact in the future? I think in the sports landscape, I really want to continue down this path of supporting female athletes with children. I think of what we were able to accomplish here at the Olympics and growing that and then taking it outside of the Olympics. I've always really felt strongly that child care should be at all major sporting events. And I've seen some good examples of what that looks like.

I've seen on the tennis circuit, the child care that they offer. And I would love for eventually one day that just to be the standard across the board. So that's something that's really top of mind for me. And then, you know, kind of in every area, when I think about maternal health and what we need to do there, I think a lot about policy and, you know, especially speaking from the perspective of the United States and what we need to pass to continue to support women in that space. Yeah, those are things that are top of mind as well. So kind of a lot that I'm thinking about doing, but tackling it little by little. It seems like that's the only way you can, right? You can't go up the mountain in full. Well, you know, and of course, I feel I'd be

remiss not to also bring up the fact that, you know, we're talking about the United States, like this is obviously an election year. And there's like a lot of conversation happening around a lot of the issues that, you know, you're, that you are vocal about advocating for. You know, we've seen lots of changes to things that impacting women and women's health. And, you know, what are you, what are you hopeful about or what do you feel like is a great opportunity for us in, in the months ahead? Yeah. I mean, I think it's going to be really crucial what happens, you know, I think about women's rights and just what has happened in the past. know, how are we going to combat that? And so I think we have to really take it, take ownership of that, show up and be able to create change in

order to make things different. I want to sort of leave us with a few questions from the audience, which I think you've addressed so many of them and there's so many that we won't get to, but there's a couple of good ones here. One from Jessica, where she asked, I was wondering how much your success has impacted your possibilities of making the changes you talk about and, and highlighting those important issues, I guess, essentially, how you feel your success positioned you to really be that change for so many people? Being able to have the career that I've had, it's given me opportunities that I want to take advantage of on behalf of others. You know, I really feel like I want to use whatever I've been given to make things better. And so that's something that I don't take lightly at all.

And I'm very, you know, serious about. And so I think I've been put in this position in order to do some of those things. And so I'm going to definitely, you know, work as hard as I can to make that happen. And then when you think about the people who have inspired you, I guess, who are your greatest inspirations in doing your work, both as an athlete and beyond? Yeah. I mean, as an athlete, I have been inspired by Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who, a phenomenal athlete, but even greater person. And she, to me, really sparked, I guess, some of this desire. She has an incredible foundation that I really grew up around and grew up watching her give back to her community. And I think also just my own parents, they're people of service. My dad is a pastor and my mom was a teacher.

And so I've watched the impact that they've had on people's lives. And I think that I've just had a lot of that around me. I've seen the people who have paved the way so that I can have an opportunity. And so that is never lost on me. And it inspires me to want to do the same for someone else. And Miriam asks, you know, how do you prepare for competition at a world cost level? If you come from a place where there's not necessarily, you know, I think to the, we were discussing a little moment ago, where maybe you're in a country where there's not as much support for athletes. How do you think people can really find a way to excel? I think the incredible thing about sports for the most part is

you still can excel. And I think that sometimes it can be a way out, a way to bring attention to your situation. And I think a lot of times that's the motivating factor. But I think you prepare as best you can and you do the best that you can with what you have. And you just carry on that way until it brings about change. But I think that's the thing about the Olympics is it highlights a lot of those issues and brings attention to some of those areas that maybe we wouldn't be on our radar otherwise. And also to the point of like, you know, thinking about this moment for women's sports, we have a question from IO where they ask about the 2024 Summer Olympics and sort of the impact that that's having on the way you view the future of women's sports. And, you know, do you feel like obviously the games are still going on, but that there's an opportunity for that this way you view the future of women's sports? And, you know, do you feel like, obviously,

the games are still going on, but that there's an opportunity for that this work that's happening there to advance even further? Yeah, I really think about the young girls and boys as well, who are watching these games. This is the first time that we have an equal number of men and women participating. I think about even my daughter is five years old and I think about the images and, you know, what she sees. And I think that I hope for her and her generation that are watching that it's not out of the norm to see a woman who's doing incredible things, to see a mother who is out there just excelling. And so that's what I love about the games is that you do have these incredible examples of fascinating people doing amazing things. And I think it begins to become the norm. So right now, obviously, there's so much momentum in women's sports, and I hope that it carries on much further than the games. But I'm really thinking that it's going to have a lot of impact on those who are at that really impressionable age right now and are able to witness all of this happening.

And to that point, you know, speaking of your own families, is that something that you encourage for your own children to sort of follow in your footsteps in this way? Do you hope that they'll become Olympians as well one day? Not necessarily. Okay. I mean, I will support them in whatever path they choose. And I'm sure there's a good chance because they are growing up around sport and being exposed to it that they'll want to go down that path. But as a mom, I really want to expose them to really diverse sports and arts and all the different things. And hopefully they can find what they're passionate and what they choose. I find sport to be very difficult at times, especially, you know, the track and field and all of the things that I went through. And so I think

that's why I'm very protective of that. But also, you know, my daughter has grown up on the track. And so she's constantly asking about racing here and there. I've tried to get her to do every other thing before we land on that. But whatever she chooses, you know, I'll be right there as her biggest cheerleader, my son as well. I love that. Well, you know, these final minutes, I'm curious just if there are, you know, things when you think about, you know, the work that you've done that you're doing right now and sort of the lasting impact that this can have on folks who are both athletes, you know, experiencing like the benefits of the things that you've

brought to the Olympics and people outside who are just sort of watching your impact and thinking about how it's changed the way they think about their own experiences as working mothers or the way that they see, they might feel empowered as women. What is your lasting hope for how this work impacts and influences people out there in the world who are admiring and are inspired by you. Yeah, I really hope that it does all the things that you just mentioned, because it's such collaborative efforts. You know, I think it happens at the level of, you know, where I am in the rooms that I'm in, but it absolutely happens for everyone in the space that they're in. And so I hope that, you know, someone might feel empowered at their job or, you know, within their family to have these conversations, to bring things up,

whether it's with maternal health, sharing stories, amplifying them. If it's talking about, you know, the nursery in the village and maybe where there should be childcare somewhere else, pushing the limits and pushing what we have accepted previously and saying, okay, we don't have to go down that same traditional route. We can do things different and maybe we should. I love that. It feels like there's an opportunity for us to finally make this change that there's momentum here and we just have to keep riding, riding that wave and pushing things forward. It sounds like. Yeah, I agree. I agree with you.

Well, Alison, thank you so much for taking the time to, to, to talk with us and for answering questions from our, our members. I feel like we've received so much love and I don't know if you can even see that people are sharing so many hearts in the Zoom webinar here, but we appreciate you and we're grateful to you for everything you've shared

and everything you're doing. So thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me and for all the members who joined. Appreciate it. Did you know 66% of utility damage is caused by not requesting a locate? Don't let your project become part of this statistic. A quick locate request can save you from unexpected downtime, financial penalties, and keep you safe.

Don't let avoidable damage cost you time and money. Click before you dig. Ensure your next project is safe. Visit OntarioOneCall.ca. It's free. It's easy. It's the law. Data sourced from the ORCGA 2023 Dirt Report. Support for this show comes from Airbnb. If you know me, you know I love staying in Airbnbs when I travel. They make my family feel most at home when we're away from home. As we settled down at our Airbnb during a recent vacation to Palm Springs, I pictured my own home sitting empty. Wouldn't it be smart and better put to use welcoming a family like mine by hosting it on Airbnb? It feels like the practical thing to do, and with the extra income, I could save up for renovations to make the space even more inviting for ourselves and for future

guests. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.ca slash host. That was Alison Felix in conversation with Whitney Pennington Rogers at a TED membership event in 2024. If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green,

Autumn Thompson, and Alejandra Salazar. It was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan. Additional support from Emma Taubner, Daniela Balarezo, and Will Hennessey. I'm Elise Hugh. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed. Thanks for listening. Looking for a fun challenge to share with your friends and family?

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