With 11 medals from the Olympics, including seven gold ones, Allyson Felix is the most decorated track and field female athlete ever.
Following the arrival of her own child and her 2022 retirement from athletics, Allyson has subsequently solidified her position as a champion of maternal health and women’s rights.
The 38-year-old is now traveling to Paris not to compete in the Olympics, but this time for a different motive.
To provide the first-ever nursery for mom athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Allyson has partnered with Pampers.
The purpose of the area in the village is to provide parents with a peaceful place to interact with or nurse their child, away from the bustle of the day’s activities.
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Allyson claims that she is surprised that the Athletes Commission of the International Olympic Committee has taken so long to solve this nature.
According to her, “I would imagine it has something to do with not many women sharing their experiences at the table and in positions of power.”
After going through a difficult birth, Allyson became an outspoken advocate of maternal health.
Felix experienced a severe case of preeclampsia, resulting in her baby being born two months prematurely, which resulted in the baby spending a month in the NICU.
In light of the widely discussed issue of maternal mortality in the United States, which disproportionately affects black mothers,
Felix has been investing in strategies to enhance outcomes and provide women and mothers with equitable care.
She has even addressed black maternal mortality in public forums around the world and testified before the US Congress on the topic.
This collaboration coincides with a declaration from Melinda Gates, who awarded a $20 million grant to Felix and twelve other organizations that support racial and gender fairness around the world.
Allyson Felix said in an interview with Fortune that “I’m really focusing on black maternal health and also in the community.
“I truly wanted to make a direct difference in the lives of those who are most vulnerable to pregnancy-related problems or even death.”
Allyson continues, saying she plans to leverage Gates’ funding to help smaller groups that are trying to improve outcomes for black mothers.
Allyson Felix intends to convey a deeper message to the global sporting community,
in addition to providing a space for feeding and bonding with caregivers during the Olympics.
“I hope that all women receive the message that they don’t have to choose—that is, that they can have a choice,” she states.
“I actually had to put off having kids until practically the end of my career. Although there are situations when that must be decided. My hope is that my daughter will always be able to pursue her dreams of becoming a mother, no matter what path she takes.”
