A Compelling Conversation with Aly Raisman: From Olympic Gold to Championing Courage and Healing
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
At Bunker Hill Community College’s Compelling Conversations series on October 21, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman shared her journey from a determined two-year-old in “mommy and me” classes to a two-time team captain and one of the most decorated gymnasts in U.S. history. The event, moderated by Associate Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Nahomi Carlisle, explored themes of perseverance, mental health, and advocacy.
Raisman started gymnastics at age two and immediately fell in love with it. Watching the 1996 Olympic team at age eight “lit the fire” that fueled the pursuit of her Olympic dreams. “At that age, no dream felt too big,” she recalled, reflecting on her childhood mindset. She described her intense training—managing school, fatigue, and the constant drive for excellence—saying, “I can’t imagine pushing myself that hard if I didn’t love it.”
When she made the 2012 Olympic team, Raisman felt both elated and terrified. “It’s everything you’ve worked for—and then you realize the real work begins,” she recalled. Her humility shone as she admitted, “I didn’t even think people watched the Olympics. I told myself no one would notice.” That self-distraction helped her stay grounded despite global fame.
Chosen as team captain at just 18, Raisman led with quiet strength and gratitude. She emphasized that success was never individual: “Gymnastics is like a puzzle—everyone brings something different, and that’s what makes the team complete.”
Transitioning from athlete to advocate, Raisman openly discussed her experiences with surviving sexual abuse and her ongoing mental health journey. “Therapy has been life-changing for me,” she shared. “It’s normal to feel devastated by what’s happening in the world. What’s not normal is pretending it doesn’t affect us.” She reminded her audience that trauma and exhaustion are closely linked: “Stress can be physically depleting. I wish people understood that being tired doesn’t mean being weak.”
Raisman also emphasized the importance of support networks, commending her mother’s advocacy during her training years. “It’s so hard to stand up for yourself—especially as a kid. Watching my mom do that taught me how to speak up for others.”
Her message to the audience was clear: healing starts with empathy and awareness. “You may never know what someone’s going through,” she said. “Just saying, ‘I believe you’ can change someone’s life.”