Founder & CEO, Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation
Rhythmic gymnast Wendy Hilliard was the first Black woman to represent America in an international gymnastics competition. Eager to provide urban youth with the same opportunities she enjoyed, she founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in Harlem in 1996. The organization’s stated mission is to “empower the lives of young people from underserved communities by improving physical and emotional health through the sport of gymnastics”—and it does just that by offering free and low-cost gymnastic classes in New York City and Detroit. Hilliard, who has received a corporate social responsibility award from City & State, kept kids moving in 2020 by providing virtual programming. Her foundation supports local communities by hosting regular events to distribute food and books.