“You cannot tell me that in your community there is no one with a disability. So make sure that they know they feel welcomed; make sure that they know it’s for them as well; and when they come and train with you, keep on thinking in possibility; never say no; maybe say no to yourself, but in silence and think of a yes. Representation, we are doing it, but action is really up to you.”
LIFE IS SPORT: FRÄULEIN MAGAZINE IN CONVERSATION ABOUT CREATING A FUTURE OF INCLUSIVITY AND EQUALITY
vor 2 months
Sina Braetz: How did you experience the Paralympics in Paris? What do you take away from it?
Marlou Van Rhijn: It was the first time I really got to experience them as a spectator, which was strange at first because entering the stadium I felt like I had to do something. But I could just chill and sit down. I particularly enjoyed seeing the continuation of the Paralympic legacy, which made me feel proud.
Who would you consider your most important (life) coaches?
I wouldn’t have gotten into sports if it wasn’t for my mother. In my early years, she was the driving force behind not only getting access to sports but also feeling welcome in all different clubs and able to thrive. Thinking in possibilities is something I learned from her and looked for in a coach ever since.
Do you have any idols you look up to?
I don’t have any specific idols; I think you can find inspiration from anyone, anywhere.
Which other sports did you try out and consider for a career before you decided on running?
I think the first thing I ever tried was a ballet class with my big sister when I was very little. And before running, I was a swimmer for the national Paralympic team.
How supportive is the environment among female athletes? What were your experiences?
Like not feeling held back with my disability, the same thing applies to being female. Not wanting to diminish any other experiences because I feel very lucky with my mom always standing beside me.
How and where did your collaboration with Nike start?
We started collaborating in 2012 before the games in London and continued working together ever since. And it is a bit of a personal story. After setting many records and winning my first gold, the main question asked by the media was not about my performance but about my disability. Nike helped me not only to tell my story with a JDI commercial that truly changed perspectives but also to take action by collaborating on projects like my foundation’s Project Blade. Where we made it as easy to get a blade as a shoe, believing when the first experience with sports is equal and fun, it will remove barriers to future participation in sports. Seeing so many community partners with amazing projects for the future of sports at the summit being supported makes me extremely hopeful.
What will be your next big move with your foundation? What would be your absolute dream project?
There’s so much that can be done to have more children with disabilities play and enjoy sports. I believe that when children play together, we create a more inclusive society through the power of sports.
What is the main message you teach the children in your foundation?
Honestly, it’s not the children that have to be taught anything. As long as they play and have fun together, confidence will grow. It’s up to us to create a space where we allow this to happen.
When it comes to fashion and lifestyle, do you see a change happening that supports more facets of inclusion when it comes to disability? Where do you see the biggest problems?
What I love about fashion is the creativity that allows you to show the world how you want to be perceived. And it’s always helpful to have more examples when you’re figuring this out. So representation is key.
Is there a city or country you feel is more ahead of others when it comes to the inclusion of disabled people in sports but also other fields?
The interesting thing I experienced when working all over the world is that Europe might be ahead in terms of product and development, but it’s actually the smaller countries that, once there is space to play for everyone, seem most inclusive.
In 2016, you became Harper’s Bazaar woman of the year—how was that experience for you, including also your cover shoot experience?
I’ve always been a big fashion magazine reader, so this was a little girl’s dream come true. It was an amazing experience to work with such a professional team that truly made art. The award was very flattering.
What is your biggest goal for the next couple of years?
Helping more children, with and without disabilities, enjoy sports together.
This mission is being shared by another powerful voice when it comes to pushing change for equality: Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Nike’s Chief Impact Officer, explains the vision between the power moves and initiatives that she is guiding with Nike.
Sina Braetz: I find your personal story really beautiful. In the panel talk earlier, you mentioned that your mother was one of your most important life coaches. She made you dance every day, in a way that was matching your mood. What made you decide to go for the path you are on now?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito: When we talk about girls and underserved communities, I was that girl that had limited opportunities but a ton of potential. And really, it was having the opportunity to be in youth programs and try a lot of different things out that shifted how even I saw myself. That really unleashed it. I’ve always wanted to be in this work. My dream was to be a human rights lawyer, and I think I’m closer to it in this work than in any other job I’ve ever had. It’s because I want to do it in a way that is unifying, exciting, and active, which is why I think Nike and I are such a good fit for each other. Just do it (laughs).
Do you use a global language in your work, or is there a need to be more specific within diverse cultures or communities when it comes to realizing the vision of inclusivity?
I think it is an “and”! Those emotions that we feel, that we unlock, are universal. You know, when you feel good, it doesn’t matter where you are. I’ve traveled the world, and you know, whether you are in South Africa, France, or Japan, when a kid finishes their first mile, that joy, I promise you, is universal. How that looks though might be really different. Your mile might be through buildings, schools, or city streets. I really believe in the power of “and.”.
This year, there was a record of 168 delegations, a record of refugees per Paralympic team, and a record of the number of female athletes within the Paris Paralympics, which is really powerful. What is your perspective on this year’s Paralympics, and how do you see the role of Nike?
The Paralympics have been phenomenal. It has been so great to see the athleticism, the excitement, the energy, and the communities who have come out to cheer these fantastic athletes. We have 18 countries that we represent, and the athletes are phenomenal. I had a chance to spend some time with some of our Paralympians last week and witnessed their excitement about the innovations in our products. One thing that not everybody might see is how they bring people together. It is the unity that shows up to support these athletes, and it’s their fierceness that enables that. They give us so much.
What would you consider to be the biggest hopes of Coach the Dream?
We have been working on supporting the future of athletes for some time, and we have learned a lot about the barriers that kids and all youth face, especially girls and underserved communities. Coach the Dream for us is a way to think about how to create the future that we envision where there is a good coach representative of the kids that they are serving, everywhere. How do we bring that closer? We’re hoping that together with our partners, we’re able to re-envision what youth needs, such as coaches that look like them, connect with them, see them, trust them, and care for them, because we really think that that’s transformational.
How do you see the female representation progressing?
It’s a key focus of ours because the same trends that we see for girls, we see for women coaches. Girls fall out of sport earlier and in greater numbers than boys, and there are fewer female coaches. And if we want to get and keep girls, we need to also increase the representation from that standpoint as well. And frankly, everybody should have the opportunity to have a female coach.
What did you personally experience as the biggest challenge building this new future?
I want us to go faster (laughs). But we have to be patient; we want to do it right, so it takes time. We also want to do it in a way that is bringing people in, so we need to meet communities, our partners, and everybody else where they are and work from there. Everybody’s in a different part of their journey, and that’s okay as long as we’re all headed towards the same North Star.
Why do you feel sports are such a powerful tool to create a future of inclusion and equality?
Because it allows us to connect with ourselves and with others. And some of the most powerful ways. You and I just met, but we can be cheering for something, and I can understand your joy without needing to know anything else. I love that. There are so many people out there swimming or running, walking, hiking, etc., and the conversation doesn’t even have to be with us. That conversation that you have with yourself is so beautiful and so powerful. I think sports allow us to connect on the basis of something that is, for me, the most beautiful thing that we have in common, which is that we’re humans.
What kind of perspectives do you try to build about sports and lifestyle within the younger generation?
I think there is a sport we think about as something organized, and there is the idea of play as well. But more broadly, life is sport. Getting across a city that is a competitive activity, depending on the city that you’re in. If you’re a passionate worker, you’re an endurance athlete. There are so many different aspects of it. I don’t think we need to be constrained by the traditional concept. There are all types of movements that are still really beneficial to us. We want to be with you, and however you interpret that, it’s the beauty.
Interview by Sina Braetz
Images: courtesy of Nike
