Wendy Hilliard, a trailblazing American gymnast, has been making significant strides in promoting the sport of gymnastics, especially among young athletes from underserved communities. Hilliard, who made history as the first Black rhythmic gymnast to represent the U.S. on the global stage, founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in 1996 with a mission to empower youth through gymnastics.
Reflecting on her journey, Hilliard shared, 'I became a coach after I retired and moved to New York. My gymnast made the Olympic team in 1996, and then I wanted to go back to grassroots training because the sport was not so diverse. So I started a foundation, and we were pretty quiet for a while.'
