Alison Terry once aspired to be the first Black woman to represent the US in the Olympics. She fell shy of that goal by .02 seconds. She was crushed, but not defeated. She had tried giving up years earlier. That didn’t work.

Yesterday I mentioned a pool access issue in the South. Alison Terry grew up in San Diego, where there were no pools open year round. This hampered her ability to become a swim champion, but didn’t stop her.

After a rough patch during her college years, Alison rebounded to give her run for the Olympics a real chance. She didn’t make that first, but she made another: she is the first black woman on the USA swimming board of directors.

And because of Alison’s activism and influence, swimming pools are now open year round in San Diego. I am very proud of what she’s done. I’m also glad that she’s not finished. Her next goal is to increase the number of elite Black swimmers.

Something tells me Alison Terry usually gets what she wants.