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In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Erika L. Sánchez writes a tribute essay to?Olympian Laurie Hernandez.This summer the Olympics in Rio gave us the gift of Laurie Hernandez, the vibrant 16-year-old gymnast from New Jersey who won a gold medal in the team event and a silver medal for the balance beam. Shes one of the youngest members of Team USA and has quickly become an international star and a role model for girls everywhere.I dont think Ive ever seen a young Latina receive so much love and praise, and its been incredible to watch.Hernandez, of Puerto Rican heritage, has been honing her gymnastic skills since the age of five. Her dedication to her sport is palpable in her graceful powerful movements. She exudes a confidence on the floor that is, unfortunately, rare for a teenage girl.Its taken me a lifetime to be that self-assured.When I was Hernandezs age, I never saw anyone who looked like me on TV, let alone in sports. I was uncoordinated and dreaded any sort of physical activity. Part of my hesitation stemmed from the discomfort I felt with my own body.Like many young women, I was embarrassed of simply existing, of being me. Thats why Im so encouraged when I watch Hernandez. I lament that I didnt have that kind of poise and determination, but Im so grateful that she can influence future generations of young women.Unfortunately, brown girls are often discouraged from exercising outside because its considered masculine. My grandmother, for instance, once called me marimacha, which roughly translates to butch, simply because I liked to play outdoors.Instead of getting involved with after school activities, young Latinas are often obligated to do chores or take care of their siblings. Their responsibilities primarily reside in the home, and its considered indecent to be out in the streets.Despite the discouragement I received from my environment and my own self-doubt, in seventh grade I decided to join an after-school volleyball league. Initially I was proud of having challenged myself, but I regretted my decision as soon as I realized that I was absolutely terrible, incapable of ever getting the ball over the net. My teammates would groan whenever I missed a shot. Then, as a freshman in high school I joined the track team, but quit after a few weeks because I was so slow my races didnt even count. I felt like a failure and decided I wasnt athletic, that it wasnt a part of who I was.Hernandez is the opposite of my younger self, and that is so refreshing to me. Not only is she athletically talented, her exuberance and sunny disposition add to her extraordinary presence. Its no surprise that her nicknames include Baby Shakira, and Human Emoji.She moves with personality and attitude. In addition to her gymnastics career, Hernandez is also a skilled dancer, performing flawlessly on Dancing with the Stars. Its motivating to watch her move her body with such joy. I spent so much of my youth shrouding myself and grappling with depression that its heartening to see a young woman who isnt afraid to celebrate her own talent and physique.Im now in my 30s and am so thrilled to see that times have changed for young girls of color. Latinas have become more visible in media in general, and the Internet has made it easier for girls to pursue their interests and find positive representations of themselves.Though she is much younger than me, I consider Laurie Hernandez a role model. She is the embodiment of Brown Girl Magic. In an interview this summer she stated, I want to make sure I always show off my smile and have a positive attitude the whole time, whether its during a performance, practice or doing an interview. This outlook is something we should all try to emulate.I hope that Hernandez will inspire a generation of Latina girls to pursue sports, to become comfortable with their bodies, to experience the exhilaration of physical transcendence.Erika L. Sánchez is a poet, essayist, and fiction writer. She is the author?of Lessons on Expulsion (Graywolf 2017) and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (Knopf Books for Young Readers 2017). Her nonfiction has appeared in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. She has received a CantoMundo Fellowship, a Discovery/Boston Review Poetry Prize, and a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation.Nike Air Max Plus Scontate . 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Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.WACO, Texas -- Bill Menefee, whose tenure as Baylor athletic director included a Southwest Conference football championship and five bowl trips for the Bears, has died. He was 95.The university said Menefee died Thursday in Waco.Menefee served as Baylors AD from 1980-92, a stretch when the Bears won the 1980 conference title. He had a 149-144 record as the mens basketball coach from 1961-73.The native of tiny Grandfalls, Texas, first went to Baylorr in 1947 as a physical education instructor.dddddddddddd He also was an assistant coach and oversaw freshman teams.Menefee was with the U.S. Marines in the Pacific during World War II, and served three months in Okinawa. He was awarded a Purple Heart. His wife, Dorothy, died in 2012 after they had been married 69 years. ' ' '