300+ Gather at UWM for An Evening with Aly Raisman

Retired American gymnast and two-time olympian Aly Raisman spoke at the UWM Union Ballroom on Tuesday, April 19th as a part of the UWM Distinguished Lecture Series. Raisman emphasized the importance of prioritizing self-care and self-awareness. She stressed to the audience that being patient with yourself is more important than pleasing your peers. 

Raisman –the third most decorated United States gymnast of all time– has been an advocate against sexual assault and for self-care, body positivity and self-advocacy. The event drew a large crowd of UWM students, faculty and members of the public. Raisman reflected on her experience as a sexual abuse survivor and how she’s worked on prioritzing herself in the healing process. 

“My whole entire life I have prioritized my gymnastics career and my professional career,” said Raisman. “But no matter how successful you are, no matter what you accomplish, the most important thing in life is the connections and the relationships you have. That of course includes the relationship you have with yourself. So that is my priority this year.”

Many attendees took the opportunity to purchase Raisman’s book, “Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything,” which was available at the event. The memoir was a New York Times Bestseller and reflects on her journey as a gymnast, as well as the significance of a strong support system. 

She also opened up about her struggles with mental illness and body image over the years. UWM junior, Quinn Stephens, found comfort in the vulnerability and authenticity that Raisman shared.    

“I really liked her talk,” Stephens said. “I thought it was comforting to see someone like her, with the success she’s had, and how she can relate to us with issues of anxiety, pressure and competitiveness. I think it makes her more human and relatable.”

Raisman came forward in 2017, as one of the many victims sexual abused by former Olympic team doctor, Larry Nassar. She became one of the faces of the movement of survivors advocating against Nassar and the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal. At Nassar’s sentencing in 2018, Raisman was one of the several victims who read impact statements.

Hadiya Johnson, a Women’s and Gender Studies major at UWM, said Raisman’s use of her platform is important in raising awareness for sexual abuse survivors who are less represented. 

“I feel like sexual abuse is something that is really taboo,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s on our campus or in society, in general. With her platform she’s able to elevate the folks who don’t have voices in such an inspiring way. It just shows the impact and how important it is to have that representation and be able to share your story.” 

Throughout the evening, Raisman repeatedly emphasized the importance of self-awareness and  prioritizing oneself.  

Near the end of her talk, she answered a handful of questions from audience members. When asked how she has remained resilient through the highs and lows of her life as an athlete and advocate, she called back on those same ideas.

“Get to know yourself,” Raisman said. “Figure out as much as you can about yourself and when you figure it out, listen to whatever your body is telling you and honor that. You know your experience, you know how you feel and no matter what you’re going through don’t diminish your experience. Just know that life is full of ups and downs, it’s okay if you’re experiencing a down right now. Just remember that you are not going to feel like this forever.” 

She went on to stress the significance of taking time for yourself when it is needed. Advising the audience that trauma can take a toll, and sometimes taking a step away from others to help yourself is needed. 

“It might feel counterintuitive or scary to take some time off but it’s really important,” said Raisman. “I want to have the energy to work with survivors of abuse in 20 years, but if I don’t take time off to work on myself and work on healing, I’m just not going to be able to do it anymore. Realizing that you can’t fix everything overnight, as much as we all want to, I think that’s really important to remember, and also hard at the same time.”

It was advice like this that UWM junior, Danni Akey, said she was seeking when she showed up to the event. Hearing it from someone of Raisman’s prestige was important for members of the audience.

“We all know deep down that what she was saying is true,” Akey said. “Sometimes you just need to hear it from someone like her. We are at a really pivotal point in our life and we can be really hard on ourselves. It’s hard to not dismiss our own feelings thinking that other people have it worse.”

The event was hosted by UWM Student Involvement and drew an estimated audience of 300+ people. Raisman spoke for roughly 45 minutes, and photos, videos and individual questions with her were prohibited to the audience and media.