One year ago today I became an Olympic Champion and sometimes it still find myself thinking, "Did that really happen??" But even greater than the feeling of shock are the feelings of pure joy, gratitude, and pride!
I'm so fortunate to have an amazing coach, team, and whole crew of family and friends making up the world's greatest support system 🔑
Special thanks to Ryan Shimabukuro, Brittany Bowe, Tracy Jackson, and my Olympic sponsors Toyota, Comcast, and Bridgestone for believing in me, sometimes even more than I believed in myself.
The journey to #MilanoCortina2026 has already begun 💪
Last week’s NYC highlight: watching @lauriehernandez absolutely crush it in @andjulietbway
There’s something so powerful about seeing a fellow @TeamToyota Olympian 🥇 step into a completely new arena and own it. We all know the work that goes into our sports, but watching that same drive translate so seamlessly was really impressive to see.
A great reminder to keep chasing new stages 🤩
#TeamToyota #TeamUSA
Pennymac is excited to announce the official launch of the Welcome Home: Athlete Mortgage Program for active Team USA athletes and alumni, expanding on our commitment as the Official Mortgage Provider of Team USA and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 🏡🇺🇸
“Welcome Home” is a first of its kind program designed to provide Team USA athletes with specialized support and resources to navigate the homeownership journey. Because the foundation for greatness starts at home.
#PENNYMAC #TEAMUSA #GREATNESSLIVESHERE #WELCOMEHOME
#LillyPartners For #TeamUSA Olympic speedskater Erin Jackson, years of training can come down to fractions of a second. The buildup is intense. The race is fast. And when it’s over, recovery begins.
In conversation with @Shaq , Erin shares the lessons learned and the mindset that keeps her moving forward. Because one race doesn’t define the journey, it’s all about what comes next. #WeAreLilly
When you’re the first, the hope is that you’re not the last.
Before Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold medal, there was Debi Thomas — the first Black woman to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, earning bronze in figure skating in 1988.
Then came Vonetta Flowers, who became the first Black athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. two-woman bobsled team in 2002.
Now, there’s a growing list of names following in their footsteps — 2026 gold medalists Elana Meyers Taylor (monobob) and Laila Edwards (ice hockey) both made history in their respective sports at this year's Games — each helping to reframe what’s possible for Black women in winter sports.
Together, they’ve brought a new level of visibility to a space that hasn’t always reflected them, opening doors and holding them open for the next generation.
While Jackson didn’t leave the 2026 Games with a medal, she accomplished something just as meaningful: her third Olympic appearance — and history, once again, as the first Black woman to serve as a flag bearer for Team USA.
It’s one thing to say medals aren’t everything — it’s another to live it. And what Jackson, along with those who came before her and those coming after, are doing is bigger than gold, silver, or bronze.
It’s about impact. Exposure. Possibility.
It’s about showing Black girls there is space for them — on the ice, on the podium, and anywhere their dreams take them.
It’s that ability to dream big and not let anything, including a lack of representation, stand in your way — that Jackson stands firm in. And for her, that message is clear.
“Don’t be afraid to try something new,” she told iHeartRadio's Black Information Network. “I know that it really helps to see people like you achieving something, but also don’t be afraid to be the first.”
Click @BlackInformationNetwork 's LINK IN BIO to read our full Q&A with Erin Jackson.
