02/15/2021
Meet Allyson Felix. Allyson is one of the most decorated track and field athletes in history with nine Olympic medals, 6 of which are gold, the most of any female track and field star. After becoming a mother in late 2018, she impressively went on to win gold at the World Championships.
Although Allyson’s skill level and accomplishments speak for themselves, her previous sponsor offered her a 70 percent pay cut after giving birth. She exposed the poor maternity treatment she received from Nike in an interview with the New York Times.
Allyson used the experience to speak up for working mothers in this country and call out the mistreatment. "Protection during maternity isn't just limited to Olympians; working women all over the US deserve protection when they have children. We shouldn't have to rely on companies to do the right thing. Our families depend on it.”
She requested that Nike contractually agree that she would not be punished for a lack of performance around childbirth. Nike declined. After Allyson returned to racing she decided to join women’s athletic wear company Athleta instead.
Since then Felix posted an official letter from Nike which states “Nike has joined in officially and contractually providing maternal protection to the female athletes they sponsor. This means that female athletes will no longer be financially penalised for having a child."
Allyson is an incredible athlete who has used her platform to set an important standard for female athletes, and to set the precedent for mothers everywhere. I’d like to recognize her for our series “Black Women Making History” Happy Black History Month!