With 16 gold medals so far,??????? ???????? ???????? Team USA has every reason to be cheering as loudly as possible. The success of Michael Phelps is outstanding, but there's another Olympian who has been carving out her own groundbreaking story: Simone Manuel became the first black woman to win gold in individual success in the 100 meter freestyle.
The country's historical racial tensions and violence related to pools is a large part about what makes Manuel's moment even more remarkable—particularly as it means a generation of young black children in America now see themselves in Manuel and in the sport on the highest international level.
People have been tweeting adorable pictures of young black kids fueled by inspiration. It's a heartwarming collection of young faces, and an important reminder that representation matters in all things.
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Who knows—we may be cheering for one, or all, of these kids during the Olympic games in the future.