Goals & Purpose

Women and Public Policy Program

Introducing Flame Bearers: The Women Athletes Carrying Tokyo’s Torch.

My name is Jamie Mittelman. I’m a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). With the support of the HKS Women and Public Policy Program’s Summer Internship Grant, I am launching a podcast spotlighting women Olympians and Paralympians. This podcast will bring 2021 women Olympians’ and Paralympians’ experiences to life, providing athletes with a platform of celebration and an opportunity to share their learnings.

My goal is three-fold:

1. Celebrate the Tokyo Games’ female-identifying Olympians and Paralympians, digging into what being a top female athlete means in real life
2. Champion the knowledge these athletes (and their mentors/mentees) have gathered
3. Gain insight into the connectivity of our top athletes: every athlete got to where she is at least in part due to the support of others

My mission is to actively create space and celebrate the current generation of women Olympians and Paralympians. We will have real conversations about what it means to be amongst the best in the world, and discuss the less glorified moments not caught on camera including the difficult daily tradeoffs and tensions many feel about their aging bodies, careers, and interests in having children to name a few, but also the unheard positive stories about deeper connections and solidarity.

My purpose, or ‘my why’ is to provide the opportunity for both athletes and listeners alike:

• For female-identifying Olympians and Paralympians to share their dreams, struggles, and lessons
• For listeners to learn from the life-changing experiences of these elite athletes and their mentors/mentees

Lastly, I seek to learn and grow from the unprecedented, instilling hope in a time of uncertainty.

Originally published on Flame bearer – Medium