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OPINION
A Look at Identity With Olympic Gold Medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the Pride of Puerto Rico and Our Blackness
Shining her light on all of us.
El deber que tenemos los puertorriqueños es sentirnos orgullosos de quienes somos. / As Puerto Ricans, it is our duty to be proud of who we are.
~ Lolita Lebrón, Revolutionary Freedom Fighter, Author & Poet
One question many people ask when they first meet someone is: ‘Where are you from?’ Since Olympic champion hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is a name millions have heard, it’s unlikely she gets asked that question much.
And while I have never personally met this young woman whose smile lights up entire stadiums, I’m almost positive it’s safe to imagine at other points in her life; she got asked this several times.
Here’s the thing about identity — so often, we tie it directly to the land of our birth and call it a day. Of course, we are much more layered as our lived experiences shape who we become. To assume our birthplace tells the entire story is to miss a huge chunk of who we are.
So, what does Ms. Camacho-Quinn (who proudly competes for Puerto Rico) have to say on the subject? Continue reading for a peek at her professional life, her perspectives, and her thoughts thereto.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the daughter of a Black Puerto Rican mother (María Milagros Camacho) and an African-American father (James Quinn), hails from South Carolina. Jasmine did not grow up speaking Spanish — something that is understandable considering that her mother grew up stateside, in New Jersey since the age of 9.
This, coupled with the fact that Jasmine did not grow up on the archipelago of Borikén, has led many to question her Puerto Rican-ness. But since I’d rather keep this article with a positive vibe, I’m going to avoid adding screenshots of the vicious things some folks said (you can Google search it later if you’re curious).
Rather, let’s get to the beauty of it all.
In an August 2016 Comité Olímpico de Puerto Rico (COPUR) interview/sports collage YouTube video, the track and field star shared this:
I want to get to know my mom’s side…
