As an Olympic gymnast, Dominique Dawes spent her entire career making history.
Dawes joined the U.S. National Gymnastics team in 1988, making her the first Black gymnast to do so.
Dawes' awe-inspiring performance at the 1996 Olympics earned her the nickname “awesome dawesome.”
Unfortunately, Dawes' Olympic career wasn’t a typical tale of guts and glory.
By the 2000 Olympic Games, everything started to unravel and Dawes dropped out of the preliminary trials.
Dawes retired from gymnastics shortly after competing in the 2000 Olympics.
However, the trailblazing gymnast has been plenty busy over the last several years.
From starting a family to opening her own gym, Dawes' post-Olympics life has been quite the ride.
During her short-lived stage career, the former Olympian played the role of Patty Simcox in “Grease.”
“And, more importantly, I don’t have a talent in it.”
The following year, the pair expanded their family with the birth of their first child, Kateri.
Their next daughter, Quinn, came along less than two years later.
In November 2017, the gymnast announced that she was expecting twins.
Dawes' twins, a boy named Lincoln and a girl named Dakota, were born in January 2018.
Since then, the retired gymnast has flourished as a public speaker.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be this fulfilling."
According to herPremiere Speakers Bureauprofile, the Olympic all-star charges $30,000 for her services.
In 2023, Dawes spoke during a gathering of hospitality professionals known as the Welcome Conference.
“It was about coming together collectively as a team and supporting each other.”
The former Olympian served as a co-chair of the project alongside New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Per theWhite House, the project aimed to assist Americans in embracing a healthy lifestyle.
“Many coaches rule through intimidation and fear and have been rewarded for it,” the athlete wrote.
The Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy opened its doors in 2020 and has since expanded to two locations.
Per theirwebsite, the academy doesn’t subject children to grueling training schedules or intimidation tactics.
Instead, they focus on teaching positive values like kindness, respect, and good sportsmanship.
And that matters more to me than an Olympic gold medal and making history."
“The majority of this docuseries is not the young athletes training in the gym,” Dawes explained.
But, you also see the behind-the-scenes with regards to the anxiety, the fear, the intimidation."
When viewers tune in to watch Olympic gymnastics, they’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
As a veteran Olympian, Dawes wanted to show viewers what that process looks like.
“I love the sport.
It’s a beautiful sport,” the athlete remarked.
“They ignored my fears,” she recalled.
This was nearly at 9 p.m.
I had to get back on that balance beam and do those repetitions."
Dawes also faced a hefty amount of racism and body-shaming.
In a past interview, the gymnast revealed that she was constantly subjected to Western beauty standards.
Plus, coaches frequently criticized her natural body proportions.
Look over at that athlete, Shannon Miller.
Those are the legs you’re supposed to have,'" she recalled.
Dawes revealed that she’d experienced a mental breakdown moments before the podium ceremony at the 1996 Olympics.
“Somehow, I pulled it together,” she wrote.
“But that experience haunted me for years.”
Eventually, Dawes began feeling like a constant failure.
Moreover, she was exhausted from trying to measure up to the impossible standards of the sport.
“Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time, but she’s so much more than that.
She’s a mental health advocate, a survivor, an inspiration to millions.”
During the series, the former gymnast sat down for an interview to talk about her pioneering gymnastics career.
Channel," Dawes wrote in the caption.
“It’s wonderful to look back at my experience with the iconic pop legend Prince.”
Dawes was joined on the set of “Black Pop” by her eldest daughter.
Thank you Executive Producers @stephencurry and @melissahaizlip for allowing me to share my story!
These days I try my best to make my work trips opportunities to share with my family.
I think my daughter has a future in video production as she caught such great behind the scenes footage.
As reported byESPN, the former Olympian became a limited partner of the NFL team in May 2024.
So, what does limited ownership mean in terms of Dawes' involvement with the Falcons?
According toThe Washington Times, limited partners are investors who basically operate as second in command to full owners.
Unlike full owners who make decisions involving the team limited partners have little say in the decision-making process.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available.
