Lauryn Williams welcomed back to Detroit, wants to help hometown

Olympic champion Lauryn Williams is in an elite world-class of athletes, but that hasn’t stopped her from returning home to help with Detroit’s revitalization.

Williams is the first woman and one of only five Olympians to ever win a medal at both the Summer and Winter Games.

But, she said Wednesday, it was her time in Detroit that led her to become an Olympic gold medalist and she wants to “pay it forward” to the next leaders of the city.

“Detroit builds champions,” Williams said at an event at the Northwest Activities Center welcoming her home. “There’s an African proverb that says ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and that’s literally how I think of my life. It takes so many people. That’s why I’m back in Detroit and that’s why I want to pay it forward. I’ve seen Detroit get itself back on the road to revitalization.”

Williams, 30, doesn’t have a specific outline yet of how she’ll participate in the city’s revival, but she’s been meeting with community activists and leaders to see what she can do. She said she also plans to tackle childhood obesity in Detroit.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Williams ran the anchor leg for the women’s 4x100 relay team in the final. Marion Jones and Williams didn’t complete the baton exchange and the U.S. team was disqualified.

“It was really sad to be part of that,” she said. “But in 2012, it all came full circle and I got my chance at redemption.”

Williams was a member of the women’s 4x100 meter relay team that won gold in the 2012 London Olympics. She also won a silver medal in the 100 meter race at the 2004 Athen’s Olympics and recently won a silver medal for the United States in the two-women bobsled event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

She and Elana Meyers missed winning the gold medal by 0.10 seconds. Williams said the 2014 Olympics are likely her last and she plans to turn her scope on how she can help Detroit become what it once was.

Williams said she spent the bulk of her childhood, from age 3 to 12, in Detroit and she vividly recalls the city being vibrant. Williams attended St. Scholastica Elementary School in Detroit before moving to Pittsburgh, Pa.,with her father. She now lives in Dallas, Texas.

“Detroit is the place that got me going,” she said. “This is where my childhood began. I remember a really vibrant Detroit, a vibrant city and it being a really great place to grow up and I can’t wait to help with the revitalization.”

Williams said she began her track career in Detroit running for the Cheetah’s Track Club.

Members of Detroit’s Cass Tech High School track team came out to hear Williams speak and several said they were inspired by her.

“We came because it was a good opportunity and humbling to see someone like her and meet her,” said 16-year-old Alexandra Hickson.

Williams said her goal is to help young adults like Hickson who are talented, but need help realizing their dreams. Williams received her bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Miami, which she attended on a full athletic scholarship. She also received a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix and is currently pursuing a certificate in financial planning.

“My motto is hard work knows no limit and what it means to me is if you’re working hard toward a goal, a resource will be provided and the opportunity will become available to you,” she said. “My message for them is to work hard. People will see how well you are trying to do and someone will help you get to where you are trying to go.”

Williams said she didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but through community support, she was able to push forward with her goal of being a world-class athlete.

“There was always a door opening for me even though we didn’t have all the resources readily available for me, there was always someone who saw my potential,” she said.

Jim Ward, President of the Greenacres Woodward Community Radio Patrol, said he and other community activist came out to support a “Detroit hero.”

“The bottom line is when you pick up a newspaper, all you hear are the bad things about black youths,” Ward said. “When someone does something positive, we should support them.”

The event was hosted by State Sen. Virgil Smith, who said he plans to be a resource to help Williams to get her initiatives off the ground.

“This is the first time I’ve ever met an Olympian and this is really exciting for me and I’m honored and humbled to have Lauryn back home and in Detroit,” Smith said.


(freep.com)