Dominique Dawes and Gabrielle Douglas (photo courtesy of Dominique Dawes Facebook page) I remember being a little girl and watching gymnast, Dominique Dawes on television. She was an excellent gymnast. When I would try and do flips like her, my grandfather would tell me to stop before I broke my neck, lol. I remember seeing the determination in her eyes, and I loved it. I never became a gymnast, but I enjoyed watching Dawes because I saw myself in her. Dominique Dawes gave every Black girl who flipped or tumble salted on a mat, hope that they could become a gymnast. Dawes paved the way for women like Olympic gold medal winner, Gabrielle Douglas . She was a 1992 Olympic medal winner. She was also a member of the 1996 " Magnificent Seven " United States Olympic Team. The other 6 members included Shannon Miller (another favorite), Kerri Shrug, Dominique Moceanu, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, and Jaycie Phelps. Dawes made history as the first African-American female ...